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The Toblerone line is a 10 km long defensive line made of " dragon's teeth" fortifications built during the
The Toblerone Trail
Military history of Switzerland Buildings and structures in the canton of Vaud World War II defensive lines Fortifications of Switzerland built in the 20th century Tourist attractions in the canton of Vaud Anti-tank obstacles {{Mil-hist-stub
The Toblerone line is a 10 km long defensive line made of " dragon's teeth" fortifications built during the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
between Bassins and Prangins
Prangins () is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is located on Lake Geneva.
History
Prangins is first mentioned around 1135-85 as ''Prengins''. Following the fall of the Second French Empire, Prince ...
, in the Canton of Vaud
Vaud ( ; french: (Canton de) Vaud, ; german: (Kanton) Waadt, or ), more formally the canton of Vaud, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of ten districts and its capital city is Lausanne. Its coat of arms ...
, Switzerland. These lines of defensive blocks can be found all over Switzerland, though more commonly in border areas. Their purpose was to stop tank
A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful e ...
invasions. The 2,700 9-ton concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most ...
blocks that make up the defences are similar to the shape of the Toblerone
Toblerone ( , ) is a Swiss chocolate brand produced in Bern. Toblerone is known for its distinctive shape, a series of joined triangular prisms and lettering engraved in the chocolate.
Since 2012, the brand has been owned by US company Mondel ...
chocolate bar, which gave its name to the line. Since the line has been left to nature since its construction, it was decided to keep these concrete blocks and to make a hiking trail along their route.
The line was built along twelve fortresses, the most well known being the "Villa Rose" in Gland
In animals, a gland is a group of cells in an animal's body that synthesizes substances (such as hormones) for release into the bloodstream ( endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface ( exocrine gland).
Structure
...
, which was transformed into a museum and opened to the public in 2006.
History
The Toblerone line is a part of the Promenthouse defence line, which more or less follows the watercourse of the brooklets Promenthouse and Serine. First reconnaissance took place in 1936, in 1937 construction began by ramming railway tracks into the ground in order to reinforce the banks of the watercourse. In autumn 1939, first contracts for the construction of bunkers were made.The position was constantly upgraded throughout the war and eventually comprised a virtually continuous line of tank blocks.See also
*Switzerland during the World Wars
During World War I and World War II, Switzerland maintained armed neutrality, and was not invaded by its neighbors, in part because of its topography, much of which is mountainous. Germany was a threat and Switzerland built a powerful defense. I ...
References
External links
*The Toblerone Trail
Military history of Switzerland Buildings and structures in the canton of Vaud World War II defensive lines Fortifications of Switzerland built in the 20th century Tourist attractions in the canton of Vaud Anti-tank obstacles {{Mil-hist-stub