Klingnau to restore Bruno Weber’s weathered serpent bridge

The town of Klingnau plans to restore a brightly coloured bridge by artist Bruno Weber, which has deteriorated in wind and weather. Swiss broadcaster SRF reports that the work will be cleaned and repainted to match its original appearance.

The bridge crosses a stream between two school buildings. It opened in 1981 with a celebration featuring children dressed as snakes, snake-shaped bread and a poem about snakes, recalled Weber’s widow, Maria Anna Weber.

Architect Kuno Schumacher, who was Klingnau’s deputy mayor until the end of 2025, is overseeing the restoration. The plan is to reproduce the bridge as closely as possible. Maria Anna Weber said copyright could allow her to challenge an inaccurate restoration, but she trusts the team to handle the work carefully.

Bruno Weber, who died in 2011, also created sculptures and buildings for companies and local authorities. His best-known ensemble is the Bruno Weber Park, which he developed around his home from the 1960s. The park, between Spreitenbach and Dietikon, features colourful figures, fantastical buildings and a dragon bridge over a pond.

Some of Weber’s other works have disappeared or been moved. A dragon-shaped slide in Biel can no longer be found, while a spider sculpture once on the Uetliberg is now in the Bruno Weber Park.