Austria Bronze Medal 1883 Commemoration of the Opening Tunnel Tirol-Vorarlberg
Bronze 70 mm - 135 gr. By Joseph Tautenhayn
Catalog: Döry-Kubinszky 176, Hauser 2362, Wurzbach 384. XF. scarce
Struck to commemorate the digging of the Arlberg railway tunnel, which connected the city-states of Tyrol and Vorarlberg.
Obverse: Imperial eagle above female personifications of Tirol and Vorarlberg seated slightly facing one another, clasping hands and holding coats-of-arms. Symbols of trade and industry around, the tunnel with it´s lenght (10,248.7 metres) on a table between them.
Legend: BEGINN JUNI 1880 - DURCHSCLAG NOV. 1883 / TIROL - VORARLBERG / EHRE DER ARBEIT / JOS.TAUTENHAYN
Translated: ("Cornernstone laying, 1880 - Breakthrough, 1883 / Tyrol - Vorarlberg / Honor of Work / Joseph Tautehayn.")
Reverse: Inscription in six lines ("To the builders of the Arlberg Tunnel, as a reminder.") within wreath.
Legend: * DIE K.K. DIRECTION FÜR STAATS - EISENBAHNBAUTEN ("The Imperial Department for State Railways.") "DEN ERBAUERN DES ARLBERG TUNNELS ZUR ERINNERUNG" (To Remember the Builders of the Arlberg Tunnel)
The construction of the (then) 10,248.7m long Arlberg Railway Tunnel began on 20 June 1880 and was completed on 14 May 1884 (Already on 19 November 1883, the breakthrough of the Arlberg tunnel
– 5,500 m from the East portal and 4,750 m from the west portal – solemnly committed).
At that time, the Arlberg Railway Tunnel was one of the three major tunnels in the world, along with the Mont Cenis Tunnel and the Gotthard Tunnel.
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