The mountain village of
Zermatt is one of the great ski and climbing centres of the world.
Nestled in a deep valley enclosed between steeply scarped mountains, it
is dominated by the huge and gracefully curved pyramid of the
Matterhorn.
From the moment you step off
your Swiss-red train, and catch sight of the cobbled streets and horses
with sleighs patiently waiting for their rides, you know you are in a
special place. What strikes me most often is the silence. There are no
cars here. This immediately creates a welcoming atmosphere. The air
is fresh and alpine. But more than this, you immediately feel a part
of the village. It draws you in. Most everyone is on foot, locals and
visitors alike. The main street bustles happily with pedestrians. There
are no impersonal tour buses belching out noise, fumes, and package
tourists. Zermatt is no auto through-route. The train stops here. All
journeys on from here are on foot or ski. Everyone is here
because they love mountains. Walking through the cobbled paths of town,
between the ancient sunburnt barns and chalets, you catch your first
glimpse of the Matterhorn and know you have come to the right place.
Welcome to Zermatt...
First
Ascent of the Matterhorn
| Zermatt's place in
history was tragically secured with the first ascent of the
Matterhorn in the 19th century. As the surrounding peaks were
climbed in the 1830's to 50's, there developed intense
competition to conquer the Matterhorn, which for many years had
been considered "unclimbable". The English climber
Edward Whymper had made several abortive attempts from the
Italian side, when in 1865, he learned that the Rev. Charles
Hudson was to attempt the Matterhorn from Zermatt. |
 |
Hurrying over the
Theodulpass, he joined forces together with Lord Francis Douglas, George Hadow, and the guides Michel Croz (from Chamonix), and Peter Taugwalder
and his son (from Zermatt).
On the 14th of July the ascent was triumphantly achieved. However during
the descent, just below the summit on the north face, Hadow slipped. In
three disastrous seconds, Hadow fell onto the unprepared Croz,
subsequently pulling Hudson and Douglas away from the face. The elder Taugwalder belayed the
rope round a rock; but it snapped and four of the seven climbers fell
thousands of feet to their deaths down the north wall.
News of the triumph and tragedy flashed
around the world, and Zermatt and the Matterhorn have held a special
fascination for many people ever since. N.b.You can join our virtual
climb of the Matterhorn by clicking
here.
[ top of page ]
Today the beauty of the setting is still unsurpassed. Dominated
by the unmistakable peak of the Matterhorn, at 4478 metres (14,692 ft),
standing alone at the head of the valley, Zermatt is encircled by a
famous ring of mountains over 4000 metres (13000 feet) high. The names
of Dent Blanche (4356m), Weisshorn (4505m), Dom (4545m), Gabelhorn
(4062m), Zinal-Rothorn (4221m), and Monte Rosa (4634m) continue to
attract mountain lovers to the heart of one of the world's most
magnificent alpine areas.
Zermatt is car-free and consequently any walking around
is very pleasant. A promenade down the main street in the evening is
always popular. At any time, it is delightful to explore some of the
tiny (and romantic) cobbled alleyways just off the main street, where
you will find ancient sun browned barns and traditional chalets. It is
very much like stepping back in time.
Places to eat... It should be noted that the quality is high
throughout Zermatt and prices can vary immensely. Have a look around,
there are cosy restaurants everywhere and menus with prices are normally
posted outside. When in the mountains be sure stop at any traditional
little mountain hut/restaurant you see. Normally these offer simple, but
excellent dishes at reasonable prices. (The menus are usually translated
into English)
Despite Zermatt's
popularity, despite it's growth - more than 13000 visitors' beds - it is
still only a village, open and friendly, where people mix happily in the
main street, mercifully free of cars, and dance the night away in the
many rendezvous at hand. There are bars, restaurants and night-spots to
suit every taste and pocket. Truly cosmopolitan, Zermatt rejoices in an
easy comradeship among sportsman which knows no frontiers.
[ top of page
]
Zermatt
- the "Mountain Mecca" has
General
village statistics
5500 permanent residents,
13500 guest beds
Local language is German; English spoken throughout
5 Doctors, 1 Dentist, 4 pharmacies
1 Physiotherapist
Heliport Zermatt with 4 helicopters
Comprehensive Emergency service
Catholic and English churches
Post Office with telephones, Telex, public fax
Three supermarkets & many specialty food stores
Many Sports shops with ski, snowboard, mountain bike & climbing
equipment sales and rental
Several Clothing boutiques & Shoe shops
Two Photo shops, several Dry-cleaners
Many Jewellers, Watch and souvenir shops
Many Hairdressers and Barbers
Mains power supply: 220 volts, 50 Hz
For any further information
please
contact us !
[ top of page
]
