Matterhorn : Most Popular Mountains Symbol of Switzerland

Matterhorn, one of the most interesting places in the world. The 10th highest mountain in Switzerland, the 12th highest peak in (Western) Europe, and one of 48 Swiss peaks above 4,000 metres.The Matterhorn is estimated to be 50-60 million years old!  Matterhorn : Most Popular Mountains Symbol of Switzerland. According to geologists, it was formed when Africa collided with the European continental plate. This technically means that the Matterhorn is made of African rocks.

Climbing the Matterhorn

The first ascent to the top of the Matterhorn took place in July 1865. A group of seven, led by Brit Edward Whymper, successfully climbed to the top. Unfortunately, four climbers tragically lost their lives during the descent, and exactly how they lost their lives remains a mystery.

The group that started the climb from Zermatt, led by Brit Edward Whymper, was not the only group trying to reach the summit of the Matterhorn that day. There was another group starting from Italy, but they were 200 meters below the summit when the first successful ascent occurred. The Italian climbers retreated, but reached the summit three days later, making this the first successful ascent by Italy over the Lion Ridge.

Approximately 3,000 climbers climb to the top of the Matterhorn annually.

More than 500 people are thought to have died climbing the Matterhorn since 1865, most of them on the descent. The fact that so many people have lost their lives is mainly due to its popularity, as overzealous tourists with no experience often try to climb without a local guide.

The oldest person to reach the summit of the Matterhorn was Ulrich Inderbinen, who managed to summit the mountain at the age of 80, and he first climbed the Matterhorn when he was 20 years old.

It used to take two days to climb the 1,100-meter north face of the Matterhorn. Nowadays, it takes between 8 and 10 hours.

Matterhorn is the most photographed mountain not only in Switzerland but also in the whole world.

It owes its fame to its almost perfect pyramid shape.

Cable car line between Switzerland and Italy at an altitude of 4,000 meters

Established between Switzerland and Italy, approximately 4 kilometers above sea level, the cable car serves on the Matterhorn Mountain and its surroundings on the border between the two countries. The border between the two countries can be crossed in 4 minutes by cable car vehicles.

Traveling by Train in the Swiss Alps