Switzerland Saved A Historic Building By Moving The Whole Thing 200 Feet

A 123-year-old building belonging to the former machine factory Oerlikon in Zurich, Switzerland, was shifted to make way for new railway tracks. The 6,200-ton building took 19 hours to move 200 feet to its new location on Wednesday.

The building would have been demolished by its new owner, ABB, but a public petition emphasizing its cultural importance saved it, and it was bought by real estate agent Swiss Prime Site (SPS). 

Preparation on the site started ten months ago: supporting basement walls had to be replaced by steel pillars, a concrete plate with tracks on top was constructed under the building, and finally the building was placed on special carriages. The entire conservation project cost SPS $12.7 million.