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Karte_CH_fehltgifimagepath_coa= coa_missingjpg
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Valaisdistrict= Visp
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6300postal_code=3920
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46nm=01ed=7em=45
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1608area=24267
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5687populationof=November 2005
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website=wwwzermattchwwwzermattcom
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during descent in a cable car]]
of Zermatt.]]
is a village located () at the northern base of the
Matterhorn in the
German -speaking and predominantly
Roman Catholic section of the
Valais Canton in southern
Switzerland . It is 62 km southeast of
Gstaad , and only about 10 km from the border with
Italy .
Zermatt has a permanent population of around 5,500 people, although the actual population varies considerably through the seasons as tourists come and go. The village is situated at the end of a south-facing valley, at an altitude of 1620m (5315 ft). The valley is a dead end; although the border with Italy is close, it cannot be crossed by road, as it traverses a glacier at an altitude of over 3000m.
Zermatt is famed as a
Ski Resort and as a general
Tourist destination. Until the mid-
19th Century , it was predominantly an agricultural community — its name, as well as that of the Matterhorn itself, derives from the alpine meadows or ''matten'' in the valley. In the
German Language , the town is "Zur Matte", or "in the meadow", hence the name.
It was "discovered" mid-century by British mountaineers, most notably
Edward Whymper , whose conquest of the Matterhorn made the village famous worldwide.
To prevent
Air Pollution which could disfigure the town's lovely view of the Matterhorn, the entire town is a
Car-free zone. A few motor vehicles are permitted with permission from the cantonal police (generally granted only to some permanent residents).
Most visitors reach Zermatt by
Cog Railway train or taxi from the nearby town of
Täsch . Trains also depart for Zermatt from farther down the valley at
Visp and
Brig , which are on the main Swiss rail network.
There are various passenger vehicles operating within Zermatt, from tiny electric shuttles provided by hotels to carry visitors from the main train station (or the taxi transfer point just outside town) to the hotel properties, to "electro" taxis operated by four major Zermatt families, and "electro" buses, which serve two routes: one between the major hotel areas and the stations of the various ski-lifts, and the other following a similar route but also serving the more rural "suburb" of
Winkelmatten . Horse-drawn carriages can also be found; some are operated by hotels and others are available for hire.
Zermatt is a starting point for many hikes into the surrounding mountains, including
The Haute Route that ultimately leads to
Chamonix in
France . A complex of
Cable Car s and
Chair Lift s carry skiers in the winter and hikers in the summer; the highest of them leads to the
Klein Matterhorn , a small outcropping on the ridge between
Breithorn and Matterhorn that offers spectacular views in all directions. It is possible to cross into Italy via the Cervinia cable car station. A spectacular
Rack And Pinion railway line, the highest open-air railway in Europe, runs up to the summit of the
Gornergrat at 3089m (10134 ft). Zermatt is also the western terminus for the
Glacier Express rail service connecting to
St. Moritz .
