The Alps are the highest mountains in Europe, consisting of complex systems of ridges and massifs, stretching in a convex arc northwest from the Ligurian Sea to the Middle Danube Plain. The Alps pass through the territory of 8 countries. The length of the Alpine arc along the outer edge is approximately 1,200 km, and along the inner edge about 750 km. The width reaches 260 km. Mont Blanc - highest point Alps, its height is 4808 m.
The origin of the Alpine Mountains began about 300 million years ago. The folded structure of the Alps was created mainly by movements of the last 50 million years, which in geology are called Alpine folding.
Where are the Alps? They can be divided into Western, Central and Eastern.
- France occupies most of the Western Alps;
- Switzerland – Central;
- Austria - Eastern.
The Alps are mountains that attract millions of tourists. Every climber dreams of conquering the majestic Mont Blanc or overcoming the dangerous Matterhorn. But the Alps are not only a paradise for climbers. Alpine skiing enthusiasts, paragliders and simply nature lovers who want to breathe fresh mountain air and see the local landscapes with their own eyes come there. Today we share with you the most interesting facts about these mountains.
Compound
The Alps are 180 mountains with a range of heights from 1200 to 4800 meters. They include the famous Mont Blanc - the most high mountain in the Western Alps and throughout Europe in general.
Location
The mountain range occupies a huge territory and is located on the territory of 8 countries. Moreover, in some cases, mountains occupy most of the country. For example, Austria is almost 70% mountainous, and Switzerland is 61%.
Longest staircase
The longest staircase in the world is located in the Alps. It is located in Switzerland and serves to allow tourists and athletes to climb Mount Niesen via the Niesenbahn funicular. If the cable car breaks down, workers have to climb to a height of 2362 meters on foot along the steps.
Railway
In addition to the longest staircase in the world, there is the steepest one Railway Pilatusban. The route runs at an angle of 48° and serves to transport tourists to the Pilatus Mountains in Switzerland. There are a total of 10 carriages operating there, accommodating a total of 400 people. The journey to the top takes half an hour, and back – 40 minutes, because transport moves at speeds of up to 12 km/h.
Aiguille Du Midi
At the top of the Aiguille du Midi, which is located in the French Alps, there is the most terrible observation deck in the Alps. At an altitude of almost 4 kilometers above sea level (and a little more than a kilometer above ground level), an observation cabin was built entirely made of glass. To ensure that this glass remains transparent, tourists are given soft slippers, thanks to which the floor does not scratch and remains in its original form.
Metro
Another record belongs to the Alps - this is the highest metro in the world. The metro is located at an altitude of 3000 - 3500 meters and runs between Felskinn and Mittelallalin. The peak of Mount Allalin is at an altitude of 4027 meters.
Ice Grotto
Mittelallalin has another record-breaking attraction - the world's largest ice grotto, which is even included in the Guinness Book of Records. The halls of the grotto have lighting, ice sculptures, labyrinths and a working chapel where you can officially get married. There is also a crevice in which rescue operations are simulated - they pull out a fallen climber.
Ibex
The Alps are home to the Ibex mountain goats. Animals are unique in that they can calmly climb even the steepest walls better than experienced climbers. To do this, they have movable cloven hooves and a special leg structure, thanks to which they can easily jump long distances. TO early XIX centuries they almost became extinct - there were about 100 of them left, because the animals were destroyed for their horns and hooves, but the Italian king decided to protect them and transported them to a reserve. Thanks to this, today their number exceeds 30 thousand.
Ötzi
He is also known as Otzi, a Tyrolean ice man found in the Alps in 1991. This oldest mummy human, discovered in Europe. Its age is approximately 5300 years. Today it is exhibited in the South Tyrolean Museum of Archeology in Italy, and at the site of the find there is a monument 4 meters high, made of stone in the shape of a pyramid.
Treasure
In 2013, a real treasure was discovered in the French part of the Alps. There was a box with emeralds, rubies and sapphires worth 250 thousand euros. Most likely, the container belonged to the Indian airline, whose plane crashed in the mountains, and was part of the luggage. This is confirmed by the fact that the box contained the inscription “Made in India”.
Here is a detailed map of the Alps with street names in Russian and house numbers. You can easily get directions by moving the map in all directions with the mouse or clicking on the arrows in the upper left corner. You can change the scale using the scale with the “+” and “-” icons located on the map on the right. The easiest way to adjust the image size is by rotating the mouse wheel.
In which country is the city of the Alps located?
Alps is located in Spain. This is wonderful beautiful city, with its own history and traditions. Alps coordinates: north latitude and east longitude (show on large map).
Virtual walk
Interactive map Alps with landmarks and other tourist sites - indispensable assistant V independent travel. For example, in the "Map" mode, the icon of which is in the upper left corner, you can see the city plan, as well as detailed map highways with route numbers. You can also see the city's railway stations and airports marked on the map. Nearby you see the “Satellite” button. By turning on satellite mode, you will examine the terrain, and by enlarging the image, you will be able to study the city in great detail (thanks to satellite maps from Google Maps).
Move the “little man” from the lower right corner of the map to any street in the city, and you will be able to virtual walk along the Alps. Adjust the direction of movement using the arrows that appear in the center of the screen. By turning the mouse wheel, you can zoom in or out of the image.
To the question Where are the Alps mountains asked by the author Zhankozha Sarsengaliev the best answer is In Switzerland
Alps (German Alpen, French Alpes, Italian Alpi, Slovenian Alpe), the highest mountains Western Europe- occupy part of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Slovenia.
A complex system of ridges and massifs, stretching in a convex arc to the northwest from the Ligurian Sea to the Middle Danube Plain. The length is about 1,200 kilometers (along the inner edge of the arc about 750 kilometers). Width up to 260 kilometers. The transverse valley between Lake Constance and Lake Como is divided into the higher Western Alps (up to 4,807 meters high, Mont Blanc) and the lower and wider Eastern Alps (up to 4,049 meters high, Bernina Mountain).
The folded structure of the Alps was created mainly by movements of the Alpine age. The highest, axial zone of the Alps is composed of ancient crystalline (gneisses, mica schists) and metamorphic (quartz-phyllite schists) rocks, characterized by a wide distribution of mountain-glacial relief and modern glaciation (about 1,200 glaciers with a total area of over 4,000 square kilometers). Glaciers and eternal snow drop to 2,500-3,200 meters. To the north, west and south of the axial zone there are zones of Mesozoic limestone and dolomite and younger flysch and molasse formations of the Pre-Alps with mid-mountain and low-mountain relief.
The Alps are an important climate division in Europe. To the north and west of them are areas with a temperate climate, to the south are subtropical Mediterranean landscapes. Precipitation on the windward western and northwestern slopes is 1,500-2,000 mm, in some places up to 4,000 mm per year. In the Alps are the sources of the Rhine, Rhone, Po, Adige, and the right tributaries of the Danube. Numerous lakes of glacial and tectonic-glacial origin (Bodenskoe, Geneva, Como, Lago Maggiore and others).
The altitudinal zonation of the landscapes is well expressed. Up to an altitude of 800 meters the climate is moderately warm, on the southern slopes it is Mediterranean, there are many vineyards, gardens, fields, Mediterranean bushes and broadleaf forests. At an altitude of 800-1,800 meters, the climate is temperate and humid; broad-leaved forests of oak and beech are gradually replaced upward by coniferous forests. Up to an altitude of 2,200-2,300 meters, the climate is subalpine, cold, with long-lasting snow. Shrubs and tall grass meadows predominate; summer pastures. Higher up, to the border of eternal snow, there is an alpine belt with a cold climate, a predominance of low-grass sparse alpine meadows, covered with snow most of the year. Even higher is the nival belt with glaciers, snowfields, and rocky slopes. Interestingly, the eastern spurs of the Alps - the Leith Mountains and the western spurs of the Carpathians - Hundsheimer Berge are separated by only 14 km.
The Alps are an area of international mountaineering, tourism, and skiing.
Alpine mountains are one of the main European resorts. Every year, not only ski fans flock here, but also those who want to enjoy clean air and healing water from local thermal springs. 8 European countries, on whose territory alpine ridges and massifs are located, have been competing for decades to create attractive conditions for tourists. How to create a program for visiting the Alpine Mountains in order to see all the most interesting things in a short vacation?
History of the mountains
Covered in snow and surrounded by fog peaks of the Alpine mountains gave the name to the mountain range. It is believed to come from the Latin word "albus" ("white").
Age of the Alps impossible to determine unambiguously. Between 34 and 23 million years ago, tectonic plates collided, creating Europe's longest mountain range. Length of the Alps is 1,200 kilometers.
For a significant part of its history, the Alps were an insurmountable natural barrier. They impeded the movement of trade and military expeditions. Locals They avoided climbing to high altitudes, since there they could encounter an avalanche, storm and cold.
The study of the Alpine mountains began only in the second half of the 18th century. Enthusiastic scientists explored the flora, fauna, glaciers and geology of the mountain range. At the same time, the concept of “mountaineering” was born, which at that time meant walking along the slopes without special equipment. In 1786 it was first conquered highest mountain in the Alps- Mont Blanc.
The history of the Alps as a tourist destination dates back to the 19th century. Back then, wealthy people came to mountain hotels to enjoy extraordinary views and take baths from the waters of thermal springs. IN late XIX centuries began to gain popularity winter views sports Figure skating and skiing championships were held in the Alpine mountains.
The Alps were the site of the first Winter Winter Olympic Games and still remain the most popular. Developed infrastructure, suitable weather conditions and the presence of modern sports facilities have already provided resorts located in the Alps the right to host the Winter Olympics a dozen times.
Today the mountain range is one of the world's major tourism centers. Every year more than one hundred million people visit local resorts. Nature of the Alpine mountains attracts not only fans of extreme sports. Fresh air, medicinal properties springs and unique local culture ensure a continuous flow of tourists at any time of the year.
Sights of the Alps
Most tourists go to the Alps to admire unique species, try your hand at downhill skiing and swim in local springs. But the Alpine region is a place where several European cultures. There are interesting objects of architectural, historical and religious value here.
Air travel and ticket prices
There are no major airports in the immediate vicinity of the Alps. Air carriers sometimes operate flights to Bolzano (Italy) and Innsbruck (Austria), but these services are seasonal. Most tourists prefer to book a ticket to one of the nearest major airports and travel the rest of the way by bus or train.
The easiest way to get to the Alps is from international airports located in the following cities:
- Munich;
- Milan;
- Verona;
- Innsbruck;
- Salzburg;
- Venice;
- Vein;
- Bolzano;
- Bologna;
- Klagenfurt;
- Friedrichshafen;
- Bergamo;
- Brescia.
The most convenient for Russian tourists routes pass through the airports of Munich and Milan. They are connected regular flights With largest cities Russia. Depending on the remoteness of the selected alpine resort, the journey to it from the airport can take from 1 to 2 hours.
The route from Munich to the popular ski regions can be covered by car: the city is connected to the Alps by three modern autobahns. From Munich Airport to the mountains it is convenient to travel by commuter train on the S-Banh line. In this case, you will be there in 40 minutes.
If you decide to visit the western part of the Alps, then your route will run through the airports of Milan or Verona. Milan has good connections with Russian cities, but you will still have to get to the Alps through Verona. If you couldn’t find a direct flight to the city of Romeo and Juliet, don’t worry: the journey from Milan will be comfortable. From both international airports of the Italian fashion capital there are direct buses to central station Milan, where you can buy a ticket to Verona.
The road from Verona to the Alpine resorts can be covered by car, spending about two hours on the trip, or by train. Trains run from 5 am to 10 pm, leaving the platform every half hour. Tickets cost from 10 euros, and you will have to spend another 1.5-2 hours on the road.
I, a big travel lover, especially love to enjoy the beauty of the mountains. My geography is so far limited to the mountain ranges of the European continent, such as the Carpathians, Apennines, Pyrenees, and Sudetes. But only the Alps have special beauty and grandeur. Once having visited them, I can no longer imagine vacationing anywhere else.
Where are the Alps located?
The Alps are the largest mountain range in Europe. The mountains are located on the territory of eight countries. The largest peak of these mountains is Mont Blanc with a height of 4810 meters. In general, there are about a hundred peaks in the Alps with a height of more than four thousand meters. The mountains are a center of international tourism and mountaineering. Although the Alps are considered the most studied mountain range, you can discover a lot of interesting things.
Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles as the hallmark of the Alps
My acquaintance with the Alps began after a tourist trip to the castles of Europe. It is the castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau against the backdrop of mountain peaks and alpine meadows that captivate you at first sight. The history of castles goes deep into the past and is associated with many famous rulers Bavarian lands.
Why the Alpine Mountains beckon
As an experienced tourist, I recommend holidays in the Alps not only to fans of alpine skiing, but also to connoisseurs of natural beauty. The clean, fresh alpine air intoxicates you from the first breath. Located on the territory of the mountains a large number of popular resorts. The most famous:
- resorts of the Three Valleys in France;
- Mayrhofen in Austria;
- Villars in Switzerland;
- Val di Fassa in Italy;
- Gastein Valley in Austria.
The uniqueness of the Alps is that they attract tourists at any time of the year. In winter, you can traditionally engage in skiing, sledding, and snowboarding. In summer, the Alps offer opportunities for mountaineering, cycling, and gliding. The presence of mountain lakes attracts scuba divers and yachtsmen. As a lover of warm countries, summer holidays suit me. Hiking along routes with a backpack on your back is my hobby. It is this holiday against the backdrop of the beauty of the Alpine mountains that I prefer.