Pilatus


Switzerland has something to surprise tourists. She is able to please the eye of the most demanding travelers with both city and natural attractions . Today we will tell about one of them - Mount Pilatus (German Pilatus, Fr. Pilatus).

There are several legends connected with this mountain range of the Swiss Alps . According to one of them, the name of the mountain came from the name of Pontius Pilate, whose grave is on the slope of this mountain. According to another version in the basis of the name of the mountain lies the word "pilleatus", which means "in a felt hat". Under the hat in this case is meant a cloud cap around the top of Pilatus.

Entertainment on Mount Pilatus

Mount Pilatus in Switzerland is known for a variety of leisure activities. There is open for visitors a large cable car with routes of varying complexity. For fans of extreme entertainment created an attraction called "PowerFan". Its essence is that you "fall" from a height of twenty meters, and a thin rope is picked up from the ground itself. Also on the mountain you can climb. For lovers of a more peaceful pastime, there are hiking paths.

In winter, the park "Snow & Fun" opens on Pilatus, consisting of four routes of different complexity, along which you can slide on snowcats, sledges and other similar means of transportation. For those who want to spend on the mountain for more than a day, a comfortable hotel Pilatus Kulm was built. Also on Pilatus there are many excellent restaurants.

How to climb a mountain?

Mount Pilatus is located near Lucerne . The first ascent to it was made in 1555 by Conrad Gesner. And the first work devoted to this mountain and describing in detail all its features with plans and drawings was written in 1767 by the geologist Moritz Anton Kappeller.

To see firsthand what is written, everyone can make an ascent to Mount Pilatus. There are several ways to do this. The first one and the most unusual one is on the train. What is unusual? But this: this is the steepest railway lift in the world. The average angle of its tilt is about 38 degrees, the maximum reaches 48 degrees. Conventional rails are not suitable for such a lift, so they are equipped with a special toothed coupler. The station with which the train is sent is called Alpnachstadt. With a maximum speed of 12 km / h the train takes you to the top of the mountain. The whole way back and forth will take you 30 minutes. In winter, trains do not go uphill.

There is another option to climb the mountain Pilatus - cable car. To take advantage of it, you have to get to the town of Kriens first, from where the gondolas of the cable car go. On the way you can not only admire the stunning scenery, but also get off at any of the three stops at different heights. Well, if you are perfectly prepared physically, the ideal option for you will be to climb on foot. It will take approximately 4 hours.