Louis Favre: The Tragic Hero Behind the Gotthard Tunnel's Construction

The construction of the Gotthard Tunnel was a monumental gamble on technological progress, led by engineer Louis Favre, who promised more than he could deliver. Favre's innovative approach and ultimate death during the project turned him into a tragic hero and a symbol of the industrial age's belief in the feasibility of grand endeavors. The tunnel, a key infrastructure project in Switzerland, connected northern and southern Europe, facilitating trade and travel. Favre's story is intertwined with that of Michele Maggi, a political refugee who laid the foundation for a global brand, though the specific details of Maggi's role are not elaborated in the source. The article, published in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, highlights the human cost and ambition behind one of the 19th century's greatest engineering feats.