Emilio Savent

Peruvian engineer who built Latin America's first trans-Andean railway connecting Lima to Lake Titicaca

Emilio Savent (1845-1902) overcame extreme geographical challenges to construct the Central Andean Railway, a 200-mile marvel of 19th-century engineering. His innovative solutions for Peru's rugged terrain included 79 tunnels and 34 bridges at altitudes exceeding 15,000 feet. This lifeline transformed the Andean economy by connecting remote mining communities to global markets, as detailed in the International Engineering Heritage Association. Savent's labor policies set precedents for worker safety in dangerous mountain environments, employing over 10,000 Quechua laborers with healthcare provisions unheard of at the time. His use of locally sourced materials and traditional Incan construction techniques preserved cultural heritage while advancing modern infrastructure. Contemporary newspapers like La República praised his work as 'Peru's technological Renaissance.'