Ancient Roman bridge was buried for centuries in Switzerland — until now. See it

The ruins of a Roman bridge were recently unearthed in Switzerland, providing a rare glimpse into the region’s ancient past, officials said.

Archaeologists discovered the remains in Aegerten — a municipality about 20 miles northwest of Bern — according to a Sept. 3 news release from the Canton of Bern.

More than 300 oak piles were found well-preserved in waterlogged soil near the site of the Zihl River, which the bridge once stretched across, connecting a major thoroughfare.

Photos show several blackened pile tips lying on the ground, all nearly identical in length, measuring several meters.

Laboratory tests on the oak piles confirmed the structure dates back to the Roman period and showed it underwent multiple repairs or rebuildings over time.

The earliest parts of the structure were erected around 40 B.C., around the time the Romans conquered the Celtic Helvetii, a population originally from southern Germany. Meanwhile, the most recent piles dated to 369 A.D., during the rule of Emperor Valentinian I. These findings indicate the bridge was used for over 400 years.

The Romans governed much of what is now Switzerland until around 400 A.D., establishing numerous military camps and towns — some of which evolved into modern villages with roots tracing back to Roman rule, according to History of Switzerland.

In the area of the bridge ruins, a number of other artifacts were also uncovered.

Among them were horseshoes, nails, axes, a fishing trident, coins and keys, officials said. A well-preserved tool, fashioned from a single piece of wood, with an inset iron blade, was also found.

Previously, the area has played host to other Roman era discoveries. About four decades ago, archaeologists unearthed Roman military structures in Aegerten.

Google Translate was used to translate a news release from the Canton of Bern.

This story was originally published September 9, 2025 at 11:28 AM with the headline "Ancient Roman bridge was buried for centuries in Switzerland — until now. See it."