Switzerland is always building. Often, it is down, into the Earth; its tunnels total 4000 kilometers. These subterranean structures are used for obvious purposes (mining, transportation, military bunkers, flood protection, shelters, and hydropower) and non-intuitive ones (museums, opera houses, clubs, classes, archives, museum storage, growing mushrooms).
Hidden Switzerland is a photojournalist look at these awe-inspiring achievements, taking two photographers eleven years to compile. Each location is showcased by one or several pictures (all full-color and high quality) and followed by a paragraph explaining its usage or history (in German and English).
When we lived in Europe, I loved the Alps and the associated "tiefbau" (difficult construction): the engineering that goes into the tunnels and other impressive structures in the area. This book is a wonderful look at the shocking variety of Swiss underground works and their uses. My only wish is that there would be more text explaining how things were built. But overall, this is enjoyable and recommended.
Rating: B+
