Things to do in Zermatt, Swiss Alps: The Best Points of Interest & Landmarks

An inconspicuous barn stands high above the village of Zermatt, visible to all. It was built in 1811 as a result of developments on the world stage. A wooden building more than 200 years old stands high above the Triftbach river, opposite the Edelweiss restaurant, at “Turuwang uf dem Pfad”. The barn, built in 1811, recalls the Napoleonic Battle of Beresina (or Berezina), at the Berezina river near today’s border with Belarus. Recruitment of soldiers for Napoleon As Napoleon prepared for his Russian campaign, he recruited soldiers from Switzerland and the Valais. Switzerland was then (1803-1813) effectively a French vassal state. About 12,000 Swiss and Valais soldiers formed four regiments. Every village in the Valais was obliged to provide at least one soldier for the Russian campaign. In many places, volunteers stepped forward – mostly from bitter necessity. In Zermatt, no volunteers could be found. Rather than force somebody to join up or choose someone by lot, the people of Zermatt decided on another procedure. Whoever volunteered to join the army would subsequently receive a barn with surrounding pastures up at the “Fad” on the “Turuwang”. These were times of economic hardship and poverty: in due course, a young man volunteered with a view to receiving the property on his return. The barn was built, and the volunteer left for war. Sadly, he never returned from Russia and so never took possession of his property. About a thousand Swiss and Valais soldiers lost their lives at the Battle of Beresina, and ever since, locals have called this barn, in local dialect, the “Beresinahüs”.

The Matterhorn Museum – Zermatlantis offers insight into the development of Zermatt. It shows the triumph and tragedy surrounding the first ascent of the Matterhorn. Here one is immersed in the mountain world of past generations: One sees how the people lived in Zermatt in the 19th century and shudder at the sight of the broken rope from the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. Four of the seven climbers lost their lives at that time. And one looks in wonder at “Theo,” the 16th century mercenary who did not succeed in crossing the Theodul Pass.

The mountaineers’ cemetery is a moving reminder of the accidents that have occurred in the mountains around Zermatt. The tranquil site is a memorial to all climbers who have lost their lives here. The inscriptions reveal that women and men from all over the world have died on the Matterhorn, Täschhorn, Weisshorn, Liskamm, Obergabelhorn and on the Monte Rosa massif. At the mountaineers’ cemetery, visitors can see the graves of about 50 climbers who perished in the surrounding mountains. Most date from the 19th century, some from the early-20th century. Grave of two climbers from the first ascent of the Matterhorn One gravestone is an exception. It commemorates two famous climbers who died naturally rather than on the mountain: Peter and Peter Taugwalder, father and son. These were the mountain guides of the first person to climb the Matterhorn, Edward Whymper. Only these three out of the original party of seven returned to Zermatt alive. The ascent, on 14 July 1865, was a success: on the way back down, however, four of the climbers fell to their deaths, including Michel-Auguste Croz, a mountain guide from Chamonix. His gravestone stands beside that of the two Taugwalders. Two of the English climbers who died on the descent were laid to rest at the English Church in Zermatt: D. Robert Hadow is buried outside, while the Reverend Charles Hudson lies by the church altar. The third English climber who lost his life on the expedition, Lord Francis Douglas, has no grave as his body was never found. Another tombstone in the mountaineers’ cemetery belongs to probably the most famous female mountaineer of the 19th and 20th centuries: Eleonore Noll-Hasenclever (1880–1925). She lost her life as she descended the Bishorn on 18 August 1925, carried away by an avalanche. Symbols of mourning Some of the memorial stones bear candles and flowers left by relatives and fellow climbers. In some cases, the stones reveal the causes of accidents: an avalanche, a rockfall, a crevasse. One memorial to a young climber carries a simple and striking statement: “I chose to climb”. The mountaineer’s own red ice axe adorns the stone, along with the US flag.

The lake of the Riffelsee (2,757 m) offers the ultimate in mountain tranquillity. The reflection of the Matterhorn on the surface of the water is one of nature’s finest spectacles. The Riffelsee is located away from the great hiking trails of Zermatt; however, the Riffelseeweg path (no. 21) leads direct to its shores. The view of the Matterhorn, king of the mountains, standing solitary on the horizon framed by a vast sky, is breathtaking: the scene is unforgettable. The best time to visit is when there is no wind and the surface of the lake is completely still – usually early in the morning or in the evening. Starting point for numerous climbs and walks The Riffelsee is not visible from the Rotenboden station of the Gornergrat Bahn cog railway, but it’s only a short walk away: about 10 minutes along a trail leading gently downhill. Climbers turn left off the path before the lake to access the numerous climbing routes on the south face of the Riffelhorn. Nature lovers will find beautiful alpine flora in the area. •Photo subject: reflection of the Matterhorn • Accessible via Gornergrat Bahn cog railway: 10 minutes’ walk from Rotenboden station • Rare alpine flowers • Close to climbing routes on the Riffelhorn (2,927 m)

This peaceful place of worship stands on a mound facing the Matterhorn at an altitude of 2,590 m. The view from the "Bruder Klaus" chapel at Riffelberg of the Matterhorn and the valley below is unforgettable. The chapel's profile echoes that of the Weisshorn across the valley.

Winkelmatten chapel, “Zur Heiligen Familie”, is a gem, located at the end of the village in the Winkelmatten quarter. Many couples choose this chapel for their marriage. Built in 1607, the chapel is a smaller-scale copy of the old village church and probably late reparation by the people of Zermatt to the residents of Winkelmatten. The story goes that the hamlet of Winkelmatten was almost given the honour of hosting the parish church. But things worked out differently: the crafty people of Zermatt are said to have moved the tools that were already standing on the construction site into the village during the night and, the next day, told the nonplussed inhabitants of Winkelmatten that this must be a supernatural sign and an expression of divine will. •Photo subject: Winkelmatten chapel with Matterhorn •Popular chapel for weddings and baptisms •Accessible by local bus (Winkelmatten red line) •Children’s playground nearby

The Kirchbrücke bridge offers the perfect location for photographing the Matterhorn at any time of day or night. In summer, the whispering begins around dawn. It comes from groups of visitors who have gathered before sunrise with cameras and video recorders and are choosing the perfect viewing position. They are waiting for the ultimate spectacle: the sun’s first rays lighting up the pinnacle of the Matterhorn. •Ideal time: before sunrise •The spectacle begins as the sun’s first rays light up the pinnacle of the Matterhorn •Play of light and colour •Duration: just a few minutes