Leopold Stanislaw Blotnicki (1817-1879). Educated in civil and military engineering as well as architecture in Berlin, Vienna, Munich, London and Paris. His connection with Switzerland dates back to 1853, when he took on the role of cantonal architect of Geneva. In this capacity, he was involved in projects including the extension of the city's ring road. Around 1858, his project was initiated, which included the piercing of new streets and the erection of the Pont du Mont-Blanc. His contribution to the creation of Geneva's modern transport infrastructure, despite later modifications, remains a lasting urban legacy. Blotnicki also contributed to the design of railway stations, including for the cities of Lucerne and Winterthur (in 1874). His achievement was also the plan for the railway tunnel under Meiringen in the Bernese Alps. However, his brilliant career as chief engineer of the Swiss railways was abruptly interrupted by his death, resulting in his rapid decline into obscurity. His work remembered today is the Freiburg Viaduct. In 1856, Blotnicki took up the post of cantonal architect of Freiburg, but left it as early as 1859 for reasons that are unclear. Later, associated with a project to extend the barracks in Thun, he moved to the canton of Bern.