What inscription adorns one of the monuments in the Peruvian Andes? It reads: “Ernest Malinowski 1818-1899. Polish Engineer. Peruvian Patriot. Hero of the Defence of Callao in 1866. Builder of the Central Trans-Andean Railway.” This Ernest Malinowski Plaque honors a remarkable man.
This plaque commemorates Adam Ernest Malinowski. He was a Polish emigrant. He designed and built the world’s highest railway line in Peru. Malinowski was born into a wealthy noble family. His father was an officer in the Duchy of Warsaw military.
Young Malinowski attended high school in Krzemieniec. At just 13, he fought during the November Uprising. This forced his family to escape from Poland in 1831. Separated from his mother, he, his father, and one brother landed in Paris in 1832.
Malinowski continued his education in Paris. He graduated from the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in 1838. He then worked as a government engineer. He designed roads and bridges in France and Algeria.
In 1852, he signed a six-year contract with the French government. He was to work in Peru as a governmental engineer. Landing in Lima, Malinowski helped establish a new Peruvian engineering organization. It was called Comisión Central de Ingenieros Civiles. He also helped start the first Peruvian engineering school. It was named Escuela Central de Ingenieros Civiles.
During the Chincha Islands War in 1866, the Peruvian government appointed Malinowski. He became the main engineer in the port of Callao, near Lima. Malinowski developed Callao’s fortifications and defense system. He put Peruvian cannons on train wagons. These moved quickly around the battlefield. They effectively cannonaded Spanish ships.
Callao withstood the enemy. Malinowski received honorable Peruvian citizenship. He became a national hero. In 1869, the Peruvian government commissioned Henry Meiggs’s company to construct the Central Transandino railway. Malinowski was employed as the main architect on the project. His plan stimulated the building of a railway connecting Lima with mineral-rich regions.
Construction began in Lima on January 1st, 1870. For four years, the Pole oversaw the creation of 141km of railroads. He also built 30 bridges and 60 tunnels. These allowed passage through the mountains. Until 2005, Malinowski’s railway line was the highest in the world. It sat 4817 meters above sea level.
Due to war between Peru and Chile, Malinowski moved to Ecuador. There, he helped build another railway line. It ran between Guayaquil and Quito. Ernest Malinowski returned to Peru in 1886. He worked in the train industry once more. He also wrote for the “Boletin de Minas” magazine. He served as an academic until his death in 1899.
Malinowski wasn’t just an engineer. He was a visionary. He transformed Peru’s landscape and connected its people. He left behind a legacy of innovation. He created the Central Trans-Andean Railway. It was a marvel of engineering. It was the highest railway in the world.
Ernest Malinowski’s story is one of ambition. It is a story of resilience and a lasting impact. This Ernest Malinowski Plaque serves as a reminder. It honors a man who overcame obstacles. He connected nations and left an indelible mark on the world.