Zermatt

Introducing Zermatt

One word says it all: Matterhorn (4478m). The legendary peak towers over the town of Zermatt, acting like a magnet to ski fans, snowboarders and mountaineers. On 13 July 1865 Edward Whymper (who stayed at the grand Monte Rosa hotel) led the first successful ascent of the mountain. The climb took 32 hours but the descent was marred by tragedy when four team members crashed to their deaths in a 1200m fall down the North Wall. Many mountaineers still come to conquer the peak, but a few unlucky individuals never leave. Their names are etched in stone in the town's cemeteries.

Skiers and snowboarders prefer going down to climbing up. The town doubled in size during the ski boom that raged in the 1960s and 1970s. For the rich and stylish, Zermatt is a place to see (as well as ski) and be seen (skiing or otherwise).

Last updated: Sep 30, 2008