Zermatt

Zermatt is a village located ({{coor dm|46|1|N|7|45|E|type:city(5478)_region:CH}}) at the northern base of the Matterhorn in the German-speaking and predominately Roman Catholic section of the Valais canton in southern Switzerland. It is 62 km southeast of Gstaad, and only about 10 km from the border with Italy.

Related Topics:
Matterhorn - German - Roman Catholic - Valais canton - Switzerland - Gstaad - Italy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zermatt has a permanent population of around 4,000 people, although the actual population varies considerably through the seasons as tourists come and go. The village is situated at the end of a south-facing valley, at an altitude of 1620m (5315 ft). The valley is a dead end; although the border with Italy is close, it cannot be crossed by road, as it traverses a glacier at an altitude of over 3000m.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zermatt is famed as a ski resort and as a general tourist destination. Until the mid-19th century, it was predominately an agricultural community — its name, as well as that of the Matterhorn itself, derives from the alpine meadows or matten in the valley. In the German language, the town is "Zur Matte", or "in the meadow", hence the name.

Related Topics:
Ski resort - Tourist - 19th century - German language

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was "discovered" mid-century by British mountaineers, whose conquest of the Matterhorn made the village famous worldwide.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To prevent air pollution which could disfigure the town's lovely view of the Matterhorn, the entire town is a car-free zone. A few motor vehicles are permitted with permission from the cantonal police (generally granted only to some permanent residents).

Related Topics:
Air pollution - Car-free

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Most visitors reach Zermatt by cog railway train or taxi from the nearby town of Tasch. Trains also depart for Zermatt from farther down the valley at Visp. The only passenger vehicles operating within Zermatt are tiny electric shuttles that provided by hotels to carry visitors from the main train station (or the taxi transfer point just outside town) to the hotel properties.

Related Topics:
Cog railway - Tasch - Visp

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zermatt is a starting point for many hikes into the surrounding mountains, including the Haute Route that ultimately leads to Chamonix in France. A complex of cable cars and chair lifts carry skiers in the winter and hikers in the summer; the highest of them leads to the Klein Matterhorn, a small outcropping on the ridge between Breithorn and Matterhorn that offers spectacular views in all directions. It is possible to cross into Italy via the Cervinia cable car station. A spectacular rack and pinion railway line, the highest open-air railway in Europe, runs up to the summit of the Gornergrat at 3089m (10134 ft). Zermatt is also the western terminus for the Glacier Express rail service connecting to St. Moritz.

Related Topics:
The Haute Route - Chamonix - France - Cable car - Chair lift - Klein Matterhorn - Breithorn - Rack and pinion - Gornergrat - Glacier Express - St. Moritz

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~