Rigi

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For other places with the same name, see Rigi (disambiguation).
Rigi
Rigi-Kulm
Sign on top of the Rigi mountain.jpg

Lauerzersee.jpg
Rigi behind Lake Lauerz
Highest point
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Geography
Rigi is located in Switzerland
Rigi
Rigi
Location in Switzerland
Location Schwyz, Switzerland
(massif partially in Lucerne)
Parent range North-Eastern Swiss Alps
Climbing
Easiest route Train and Cable-car
Rigi 3D
Postcard from Rigi (1906).

The Rigi (or Mount Rigi; also known as Queen of the Mountains) is a mountain and massif of the Alps, located in Central Switzerland. The whole massif is almost entirely surrounded by the water of three different water bodies: Lake Lucerne, Lake Zug and Lake Lauerz. The range is split between the cantons of Schwyz and Lucerne, although the main summit, named Rigi Kulm, at 1,798 meters above sea level, lies within the canton of Schwyz.

The Rigi Kulm and other areas, such as the resort of Rigi Kaltbad, are served by Europe's oldest mountain railways, the Rigi Railways. The whole area offers many activities such as skiing or sledging in the winter, and hiking in the summer.

Peaks

Name of peak Height above sea (in meter) Canton
Rigi-Kulm 1,797.5 Schwyz
Rigi Hochflue 1,698 Schwyz
Rigi Dossen 1,685 Lucerne/Schwyz border
Rotstock
Rigi Scheidegg

Etymology

The name "Rigi" comes from Riginen which is the stratification that is clearly visible on the north-side of the mountain and is one of the identifying characteristics of Mt. Rigi. During the early days of tourism in the Alps, it was said that the name came from the Latin Regina montium-"Queen of the Mountains", this however is not accurate, as the first known use of Riginen dates back to 1384. The oldest known naming of the mountain at all is from 1368: in pede montis riginam ("at the feet of mount Rigina".)

Transport

There are multiple public transport options available to ascend Mt. Rigi:

  • By rack railway from Arth-Goldau and Vitznau, operated by the Rigi-Bahnen. The Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn started operation on May 21, 1871 and was the first mountain railway in Europe. On June 4, 1875 the Arth-Rigi-Bahn was finished, allowing access from the other side of the mountain. They were electrified in 1937 and 1907 respectively, with the Arth-Rigi-Bahn becoming the first electrified standard gauge rack-railway in the world. Both lines go all the way to the summit, Rigi-Kulm.
  • By gondola lift from Weggis to Rigi-Kaltbad.
  • By cable-car from the Kräbel station on the Arth-Rigi-Bahn line to Rigi-Scheidegg.

Recreation

Mt. Rigi offers an area for recreation and sports measuring approximately 90 square kilometres (35 sq mi) offering a variety of well-maintained walking trails or mountain hikes where visitors can have a panoramic view of 150 km (93 mi) from various marked points. There are also numerous public grilling stations located near the hiking trails.

Mt. Rigi is also a perfect destination for people practicing winter sports and other winter recreation activities.

Mt. Rigi in culture

Mt. Rigi has been featured in many works of art, including both paintings and literary publications. Perhaps the most famous paintings of the Rigi were a series by JMW Turner, including The Blue Rigi, Sunrise, several of which are in the collection of the Tate Britain art gallery in London.[3]

Mark Twain also visited Rigi during his tour of Central Europe in the late 1870s, and wrote about his travels in chapter 28 of his "A Tramp Abroad."

There is a Catskills resort called the Rigi Kulm in Abraham Cahan's novel The Rise of David Levinsky (1917).

The Rigi, a downhill road in Wellington, New Zealand, is named for the mountain and for many years was used as a main thoroughfare for coach riders.[4]

Geology

Technically, the Rigi is not a part of the Alps, and belongs instead to the Swiss plateau. It is mostly composed of molasse and other conglomerate, as opposed to the Bündner schist and flysch of the Alps.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Swisstopo maps
  2. ↑ Retrieved from Google Earth. The nearest point of higher elevation is north of the Buochserhorn.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Gallery

  • Steam train

  • Station near the summit

  • View from summit

  • Rigi Kulm 1920

  • Lake Lucerne seen from Rigi

  • Turner - The Blue Rigi- Lake of Lucerne - Sunrise (1842)

  • View of the alps of central Switzerland from Rigi Kulm.

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