Rouzat Viaduct was built in 1869 to allow the railroad to span the course of the Sioule, between the towns of Bègues and Saint-Bonnet-de-Rochefort, in Allier, 30 km to the west of Vichy.
The work of art precisely localized on the section connecting Commentry to Gannat was intended to perpetuate the outline between Lyon and Bordeaux and Clermont-Ferrand via Gannat Montlucon.
Besides the Sioule viaduct also enables cross a main road. Sponsored by the Society of Paris Orleans, the viaduct was designed by an engineer of the company, Wilhelm Nordling, and construction was entrusted to the company "Eiffel et Cie" that Gustave Eiffel had just created. He acted in the occurrence of one of his first major projects.
Above 60 m, the viaduct has a long metal deck 130 m that also support two metal batteries: the latter are formed as cylindrical columns.
The viaduct has been included in the Inventory in 1965 judged as exemplary of progress in the field of structures including metal structures then replace conventional masonry.
Note that Gustave Eiffel realized in the same period viaduct Neuvial, close, and later still in the area, the famous Garabit viaduct in the Cantal in 1884.
One can admire the viaduct on the occasion of a walk in this beautiful area of the Sioule Valley.
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