Switzerland is a land of mountains and thrilling adventures. The Swiss Confederation speaks German, French, Italian, and Romansch. The capital city, Bern, which is located between the Jura Mountains and Lake Thun, has a population of 130,000 people. Although Monte Rosa is the tallest mountain, magnificently standing at 15, 200 feet, the Matterhorn (14, 691 feet) is the most famous mountain in the Alps. Two of the Swiss mountain animals are the ibex, a mountain goat with curved horns, and the chamois, a horned antelope. During their enjoyment of  the views of Switzerland, tourists must be careful not to get altitude sickness, hypothermia, or sunburn. Skiing the alps and mountaineering are both popular attractions, while the Combat de Renis is an event eagerly awaited. Each year, a cow fighting tournament determines which cow is most suited to lead the herd up to the summer pastures. The Combat de Renis is generally held in the more mountainous villages. Switzerland surely is a country of beauty and exciting events. 

Zermatt is famous because of Edward Whimper’s ascent of the Matterhorn. The Matterhorn is situated on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Zermatt and the Matterhorn are both snugly nestled in the Penine Alps which straddle Italy and Switzerland. Matterhorn means “valley peak” while Zermatt means “in the valley.” In the cemetery, the names of would-be mountaineers are engraved on stone monuments, warning hikers of the ferociousness of the mountains. 

In the town of Zermatt, motor vehicles are banned, so everyone travels on foot or by battery-operated cars. It is easy to believe that sixty percent of the country is mountainous when visiting Zermatt.