On June 1, 2016, the world's longest and deepest railway tunnel was inaugurated with a ceremony that left viewers worldwide deeply unsettled. The Gotthard Base Tunnel opening featured performances that included workers portrayed as zombies, a figure dressed as a goat-headed deity reminiscent of Baphomet, simulated occult rituals, and imagery that appeared to reference fallen angels and demonic entities.
European heads of state including Angela Merkel, François Hollande, and Matteo Renzi attended and watched as performers enacted scenes involving death, resurrection, scarab beetles, veiled brides, and what appeared to be ritualistic subjugation. The ceremony cost an estimated 8 million Swiss francs and was broadcast to audiences worldwide.
Researchers note that the tunnel passes directly beneath the Gotthard massif, a region steeped in legend regarding a devil's bridge and demonic pacts. The ceremony's imagery drew from these local legends while incorporating broader occult symbolism. Critics who dismiss concerns as overreaction fail to explain why such disturbing imagery would be chosen for an engineering celebration, or why world leaders would participate in and observe such performances without objection.