Matterhorn
One of the most photographed objects in Switzerland
The Matterhorn (4478 m.a.s.l.) is a mountain on the Italian/Swiss border. The view from Zermatt is specially known. The Matterhorn can be probably counted to the most famous mountains of the world, probably specially due to its shape and its location (sole mountain). It is probably the most photographed object in Switzerland.
The Matterhorn is famous for its climbing tragedies. The first ascent is the duel between the Swiss from Zermatt and the Italians from Breuil. The summit was finally reached by the Englishman Eduard Whymper on 14 July 1865 with his three English companions, the guide Croz from Chamonix and father and son Taugwalder from Zermatt, who had started from Zermatt. In the descent, the misfortune happened that only Whymper and the two Taugwalders survived. Three days later, after the ascent over the Lion ridge, the Italian Carell recovered the proven torn rope, which can still be viewed today in the Alpine Museum in Zermatt. The subsequent commercial "marketing" of the first ascent by Whymper found many critical voices at the time and also has parallels in modern mountaineering history in the Himalayas.
The film adaptation of this first ascent by Luis Trenker ("the battle for the Matterhorn") is considered to be largely authentic. In the meantime, about 500 people have died on the mountain. Makabre's testimony to this is the mountaineers' cemetery in Zermatt.
