mountain, Europe
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Also known as: Mont Cervin, Monte Cervino
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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last Updated: •Article History
- Italian:
- Monte Cervino
- French:
- Mont Cervin
Matterhorn, one of the best-known mountains (14,692 feet [4,478 metres]) in the Alps, straddling the frontier between Switzerland and Italy, 6 miles (10 km) southwest of the village of Zermatt, Switzerland. Though from the Swiss side it appears to be an isolated horn-shaped peak, it is actually the butt end of a ridge. The Swiss slope is not nearly as steep or as difficult to climb as the grand terraced walls of the Italian slope. The name Matterhorn means roughly “the peak in the meadows,” from the German words Matte (“meadow”) and Horn (“peak”); the Italian and French names likely allude to the antlers of a red deer (Italian: cervo; French: cerf).
After a number of attempts, chiefly on the Italian side, the Matterhorn was first conquered from the Swiss arête on July 14, 1865, by the British explorer Edward Whymper, but four of his party fell to their deaths on the descent. Three days later it was scaled from the Italian side by a party of men from the village of Valtournanche, Italy, led by the Italian guide Giovanni Antonio Carrel. It is frequently ascended in summer, especially from Zermatt.
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The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.
