The Matterhorn
On Gingerguide's self-guided Zermatt audio tour, The Matterhorn is a stop worth about ~40 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type nature
- Suggested visit ~40 min
- Zermatt Zermatt guide
About The Matterhorn
The great rock pyramid above Zermatt, 4,478 metres high and the symbol of Switzerland, first climbed in 1865 in a triumph that ended in tragedy on the descent.
The Matterhorn is the mountain that made Zermatt famous and became an emblem of Switzerland and of the Alps: a near-symmetrical pyramid of rock, 4,478 metres high, rising straight above the village on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Its four steep faces roughly face the four compass points, divided by the Hörnli, Furggen, Zmutt and Lion ridges, and its summit is a short horizontal crest with a Swiss and an Italian top. The name joins the German words for meadow and horn.
It was the last great Alpine peak to be climbed, and its first ascent is one of the famous stories of mountaineering. On 14 July 1865 a party led by the Englishman Edward Whymper reached the summit by the Hörnli ridge from Zermatt. On the way down, one of the climbers slipped and pulled others with him, and the rope between them broke; four of the seven men fell to their deaths. The triumph and the tragedy together ended the golden age of alpinism and drew the world's eyes to Zermatt.
Did you know? At 4,478 metres, the Matterhorn was the last of the great Alpine peaks to be climbed; for a long time people believed its sheer rock pyramid was impossible.
How much time do you need at The Matterhorn?
Around ~40 min works well for The Matterhorn — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at The Matterhorn?
Yes — The Matterhorn made the cut as one of 13 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Zermatt. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Zermatt
Day 2 of the Zermatt in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of The Matterhorn
Preview the Zermatt tour free in the Gingerguide app.