The Legend of The Devil's Bridge. The reason behind bizarre Gotthard Base Tunnel opening ceremony.

Gotthard Base Tunnel [Wikipedia]


Tunnel Completion Opening Ceremony

A close friend of mine brought this to my attention the other day, and I'm aware that there've been other threads about the opening ceremony of the tunnel, but I don't think anyone's drawn the link and parallel to the old and seemingly accompanying legend or myth formed regarding another barrier was crossed or breached resulting in a new world being opened up the result of which impacted the whole of Europe - the Legend of the Devil's Bridge.

Gotthard Pass

The Gotthard Pass or St Gotthard Pass (Italian: Passo del San Gottardo, German: Gotthardpass at 2,106 m (6,909 ft)) is a mountain pass in the Alps, connecting northern and southern Switzerland. The pass lies between Airolo in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, and Andermatt in the German-speaking canton of Uri, and connects further Bellinzona to Lucerne, Basel, and Zurich. The region of the Gotthard Pass is an important north-south axis in Europe and is crossed by three major traffic tunnels, each being the world's longest at the time of their construction: the Gotthard Rail Tunnel (1882), the Gotthard Road Tunnel (1980) and the Gotthard Base Tunnel (2016).


The Devil's Bridge

From the north side the pass can be reached by crossing the Schöllenen, and several bridges have been built across the Reuss to facilitate this. According to the oral histories of the nearby villages, seasonal deaths resulting from drowning reached a peak in April–May of most years and thus a safer crossing was required.[citation needed] The original bridge (the Teufelsbrücke) built under these challenging conditions was one of so many "devil's bridges" that the legends about them form a category in the Aarne-Thompson classification system for folktales (number 1191).

The legend of this particular bridge states that the Reuss was so difficult to ford that a Swiss herdsman wished the devil would make a bridge. The Devil appeared, but required that the soul of the first to cross would be given to him. The mountaineer agreed, but drove a goat across ahead of him, fooling his adversary. Angered by this trickery, the devil fetched a rock with the intention of smashing the bridge, but an old woman drew a cross on the rock so the devil could not lift it anymore. The rock is still there and, in 1977, 300,000 Swiss francs were spent to move the 220 ton rock by 127 m in order to make room for the new Gotthard road tunnel

en.wikipedia.org...

Thus, is it possible that the bizarre and satanic opening ceremony is just that, a satanic ritual being paid in homage to the devil who was once tricked and defeated, according to the myth/legend, by the locals, as if to suggest that the new world opened up, once again, now before the watching dignitaries and officials, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, is one in which Satan triumphs and is honored, instead of being tricked and fooled yet again? How pathetic! I almost feel sorry for the organizers and participants to be part of such a gesture, which is, when we consider the whole context, also a renunciation of the power of Christ as the means by which the locals in the legend were able to trick the devil, delivering as the first to walk across the bridge, not a human soul, but a mere goat, while inscribing a small cross on the giant rock with which the devil intended to destroy the "impossible" bridge that he helped build.

Swiss Tunnel Opening Ceremony Draws Cries of ‘Satanic’
by Austin Ruse7 Jun 2016 | Breitbart News

The internet is all abuzz over what many see as the Satanic opening of the new Gotthard Base Tunnel in the Swiss Alps.
Taking 17 years to complete (at a cost of 11 billion Euros) and measuring 35 miles, the tunnel is said to be the longest and most expensive tunnel ever built. On hand for the opening were German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

The ceremony was intended to represent various aspects of Swiss culture.  But, men in masks, others in costumes made of long brown grass, weird angels descending from the ceiling, even a man in a goat mask that others seem to be worshiping are all said by some to be from the pits of hell.
The ceremony begins with a rather Fascistic scene of dancers dressed as workers marching in lockstep to the beat of a single drummer. This is followed by dancers dressed in white skivvies cavorting sexually on a railroad car. A winged creature wearing a horrific mask descends from the ceiling, meant to symbolize workers who died in the construction of the tunnel. Three workers hang from the ceiling as if dead. There’s comes a parade of characters in frightening masks some holding the skulls of animals.

The part that has most galvanized the worldwide web is when a goat man emerges and appears to be worshiped by the dancers, some dressed in grass costumes, others wearing horrifying masks.

It is all a mishmash that is odd and confusing to any casual observer, modern dance that is likely not the taste of the men who built the tunnel, some of whom lost their lives.

www.breitbart.com...


Here's a shorter version of the first segment of the strange ceremony which was supposed to be "in celebration of Swiss Culture"..

I like to imagine Satan would have better music.
And less gay-ass theatrics.
Where is the Sacrifice?

originally posted by: skunkape23

Where is the Sacrifice?

They hung them upside down (simulated workers) as a representation of the miners who died during construction.

a reply to: AnkhMorpork

I apologize if I come off as not really giving a flying "F."
This just seems like nonsense to me.
To each their own.

a reply to: skunkape23

No worries.

I'm just pointing to the significance in terms of what it means or signifies to them, that's all.

I'm not saying it's real, but that it's an allegorical or ritualistic representation that has something to do with the old myth or legend.

Biggest and deepest tunnel ever built, and this is how they chose to commemorate it..

This part is particularly interesting..

youtu.be...

It's just pathetic and disgraceful, that's all.

Make of it what you will or nothing at all. Didn't seem to represent or commemorate Swiss Culture though, that's not what it was about (the opening ceremony).

There's no need to get upset over it, except maybe in so far as this a the kind of open display of something that you don't usually see presented so overtly and without any disguise in the sight and with full approval of all involved, including the various heads of state, the engineering and construction company, and the organizers and participants themselves.

I think the ceremony has something to do with the old legend. That's it that's all.

Best regards,

Ankh

a reply to: AnkhMorpork

OK definitely satanic as my opinion. Can't figure what any of the show had to do with the opening off the tunnel.

originally posted by: drifter1109
a reply to: AnkhMorpork

Can't figure what any of the show had to do with the opening off the tunnel.

and thus, the point of the OP and title of this thread.

a reply to: drifter1109

The audience don't seem interested. I thought they could be dummies till one of them moved.

originally posted by: Kester
a reply to: drifter1109

The audience don't seem interested.

Interesting comment..

Maybe the devil was tricked a second time!


Comes out of the abyss in resurrection out a hole in the ground (as a symbolic representation and commemoration or in honor and worship of) - everyone yawns and says to themselves WTF?! and goes back to sleep, or did some of among them not have a knowing Cheshire cat #ting-eating grin on their face... (poor bastards!).

One gentleman in a suit who'd joined (or was a part of) the precession from the stands I noted had his arms held out a bit and with the palms of his hands splayed forward perhaps in a gesture of receptivity to the spirit of Satan in that misty valley ...


White Church Steals the Show

... at the heart of which sits a white church as if in the middle of nowhere where it's said that when you take the train along that same pass (Gotthard) through the Swiss Alps that, during a winding descent - that Wassen Church will appear as if on all sides, above you, below you, on the left, then on the right, and the sense you have is that you're not really moving (Einstein's relativity experiment comes to mind). People report that, after seeing the church in such a way during that train ride, that they feel compelled to later visit it, and touch it, even if only to make sure that it's really there..

Wassen's church and the railway are never very far from each other
(Keystone)


The Swiss Church that Steals the Limelight
Mar 24, 2010 - 16:37 SWI swissinfo.ch

Wassen in canton Uri south of the Gotthard road and rail tunnels is not exactly a village where the thousands of people who pass by every day will make a stop.

At a height of 930 metres above sea level and enclosed by the Alps, Wassen can look a bit grim at the best of times.

But Wassen has a jewel that most Swiss and many tourists to Switzerland cannot ignore – its baroque Catholic church that is perhaps the most outstanding in the whole of the country; you just can’t miss it.

It’s not only a symbol of the village and the surrounding landscape but also of Swiss Federal Railways, which is well aware of its attraction.

When Federal Railways was awarded the Wakker Prize for cultural heritage in 2005, it did not hesitate to devote a small booklet to the church.

Esther Burri, who has been pastoral assistant there for the best part of two years, knows exactly what the church means.

Three times

“The church here in Wassen is certainly one of the most well-known in Switzerland, if not the most well-known, because you see it three times from the train.

“Everyone speaks about this church. If you tell someone that you work and live here, everyone knows where it is and I find that very special.”

You can see it three times from the train because of the helical tunnels that help the train up and down the Gotthard ramp, but the church of St Gallus helps you get your bearings.

www.swissinfo.ch...

The very idea of tunneling under or through a mountain carries with it it's own symbolism and allegory..


very sad and unfortunate way toe celebrate it, as the longest and deepest tunnel ever built in the history of the world..

I guess they just betrayed their motivations and intent in the sight of God, thinking that they could slide it all under the radar while at the same time making an outward proclamation and ritualistic performance in plain sight, which is how they like to operate, but alas they went too far this time and outwardly betrayed Christ in the process, because this also carries with it an aggressive anti-Christian statement at it's heart.

So sad. Poor bastards..

It just goes to show though the kind of thinking that goes on among the so-called "elite"..


Best regards,

Ankh

a reply to: AnkhMorpork

The only thing this shows is your complete and utter ignorance when it comes to alpine culture....

same legend for devils bridge in wales

www.visitmidwales.co.uk...

I believe rural countryside people are more familiar with the cycles of nature, since each season governs what they can do; spring, summer, autumn winter. Some animals breed once a year, others once a month in synchronization with the Moon's phases. There is always life and death because of animals breeding and dying due to predators, illness or old age. That carries into festivals like May Day and New Year and other ceremonies.

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: AnkhMorpork

The only thing this shows is your complete and utter ignorance when it comes to alpine culture....

Yeah, right.

www.youtube.com...

a reply to: AnkhMorpork

Clearly someone was tricked to pay a kings ransom for such an infantile ceremony..

On this, palm Sunday, I proclaim the Holy name of Jesus Christ and raise His name on high, as the one who's great work of all ages fit perfectly with the divine order in summing up both the rite of spring and that of winter solstice and so much more and who said "I ask for mercy, not sacrifice." He and His way of love is not offensive, except where it counts where perhaps it could be said that the best defense is a really good offense. He is the one who tricked the devil once and for all time and who bound the strong man to pilfer his house of anything and everything of value, leaving nothing of any value behind.

This ceremony was an absolute embarrassment, and had nothing to do with Swiss or Alpine culture.

There is no tunneling through the mountain of the Lord, and there is no other way but by the gateway and the opened door framed by the height of the twin pillars of Justice and Mercy. If crossing a bridge into a new domain of limitless freedom and possibility (new pasture) from which we are free to freely come and go, He is the keystone in the royal arch.

Again, I feel sorry for those who's impulse is to betray the shared glory of the Lord of life, light and love, and to embrace something that's decidedly less than the very best of the best. They only betray themselves.

So sad and pathetic was this display.

originally posted by: zatara
a reply to: AnkhMorpork

Clearly someone was tricked to pay a kings ransom for such an infantile ceremony..

Another great comment.

Very funny!

originally posted by: AnkhMorpork
a reply to: skunkape23

No worries.

I'm just pointing to the significance in terms of what it means or signifies to them, that's all.

I'm not saying it's real, but that it's an allegorical or ritualistic representation that has something to do with the old myth or legend.

Kind of like Catholics celebrating the Last Supper every Sunday, receiving Communion in a ritualistic cannibal act with the imagined body and blood of Christ.

a reply to: UnBreakable

No, not quite, if you understand the true meaning of that ritual and why Christ must be apportioned out as food and drink, and who lost a lot of his followers when he told them as much.

But maybe they take it a little too far with the idea of the transubstantiation of the Eucharist, which isn't necessary to get the gist of the ritual that he introduced at the last supper.

That is a remembrance of His necessary sacrifice born of love.

There's certainly no need to snarl and bear teeth at it.

a reply to: AnkhMorpork

We do that every year you know, that's called culture and predates catholicism and the devil a few hundred years.

You have not the faintest clue what you are talking about.



In case you would want to know what's what wiki