Matterhorn

The Matterhorn (German: Matterhorn [ˈmatərˌhɔrn], Italian: Monte Cervino [ˈmonte tʃerˈviːno], French: Mont Cervin [mɔ̃ sɛʁvɛ̃]) is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the main watershed and border between Switzerland and Italy. It is a huge and near-symmetrical pyramidal peak in the Monte Rosa area of the Pennine Alps, whose summit is 4,478 metres (14,692 ft) high, making it one of the highest summits in the Alps and Europe. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points and are split by the Hörnli, Furggen, Leone and Zmutt ridges. The mountain overlooks the Swiss town of Zermatt in the canton of Valais to the north-east and the Italian town of Breuil-Cervinia in the Aosta Valley to the south. Just east of the Matterhorn is Theodul Pass, the main passage between the two valleys on its north and south sides and a trade route since the Roman Era.

The Matterhorn was studied by Horace-Bénédict de Saussure in the late eighteenth century, who was followed by other renowned naturalists and artists such as John Ruskin in the nineteenth century. Remaining still unclimbed after most of the other great Alpine peaks were climbed, the Matterhorn became the subject of an international competition for the summit. The first ascent of the Matterhorn was finally made in 1865 from Zermatt by a party led by Edward Whymper but ended disastrously when four of its members fell to their deaths on the descent. That climb and disaster, portrayed in several films, marked the end of the golden age of alpinism. The north face was not climbed until 1931, and is amongst the three biggest north faces of the Alps, known as the ‘The Trilogy’. The west face, which is the highest of the four, was completely climbed only in 1962. It is estimated that over 500 alpinists have died on the Matterhorn since the first climb in 1865, making it one of the deadliest peaks in the world.

Matterhorn (Antarctica)

The Matterhorn (77°40′S 162°27′E / 77.667°S 162.450°E / -77.667; 162.450Coordinates: 77°40′S 162°27′E / 77.667°S 162.450°E / -77.667; 162.450) is a peak, 1,600 metres (5,200 ft) high, surmounting the north wall of Taylor Valley, Antarctica, between Lacroix Glacier and Matterhorn Glacier. It was so named by Griffith Taylor of the British Antarctic Expedition under Robert Falcon Scott, 1910–13, because of its resemblance to the Matterhorn, the famous Swiss mountain.

Matterhorn Glacier (77°41′S 162°27′E / 77.683°S 162.450°E / -77.683; 162.450) is a small alpine glacier on the edge of the north wall of Taylor Valley, just west of the Matterhorn, in Victoria Land. Named after the Matterhorn by U.S. geologist T.L. Pewe, who visited the area in December 1957.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document "Matterhorn" (content from the Geographic Names Information System).

Matterhorn (film)

Matterhorn is a 2013 Dutch comedy film directed by Diederik Ebbinge. It competed in the main competition section of the 35th Moscow International Film Festival.

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