Central Transandine Railway
The second highest railway in the world, designed and built under the leadership of Polish engineer Ernest Malinowski.

At the time of its opening, in the 1870s, it was the pinnacle of the technology of the time. Its highest point reached an altitude of almost 5,000 metres above sea level, making it the highest railway in the world for more than 100 years. This record was only broken when the Tibet Railway was put into service (the first section in 1984, the whole in 2006).

Transandine Rail way
It was established to connect Lima with the mineral-rich Cerro de Pasco region and the fertile Jauja Valley, with the aim of transporting riches from the mountainous regions of Peru to the port of Lima. The impossible became possible. E. Malinowski undertook to design the construction of the entire railway line and to supervise its construction. A total of 63 tunnels over 6,000 m long were cut along the entire route from Lima to La Oroya, 61 bridges and viaducts were built with a total length of about 2 km and 10 switchbacks (changes of train head) were made.

The most famous is the Verrugas viaduct, built in 1872 (the longest on the route, about 200 m), connecting the banks of the gorge of the same name. It rests on three pillars made of steel trusses, the highest of which is almost 77 m high. In contrast, there are numerous tunnels, sharp curves and dips and double diversions through the western slopes of the Cordillera. Various 'railway' records of the time have been broken over this distance: the longest tunnel (1177 m), the highest location in the world (4781 m above sea level), the highest railway junction in the world (4818 m above sea level).

On the 100th anniversary of the death of E. Malinowski, a monument was erected on the Ticlio Pass. The emblem of Peru and Poland and an inscription in two languages - Spanish and Polish - were carved in granite brought all the way from Strzegom: "Polish Engineer, Peruvian Patriot, Hero of the defence of Callao 1866, designer and builder of the Central Transandia Railway". Above, on the stone circle crowning the monument, is a bronze bas-relief with an image of Ernest Malinowski.