The mighty Alps tower over Europe and challenge the numerous climbers eager to conquer their peaks. They, however, are not as impregnable as most of the mountains of Asia and South America, but, nevertheless, they are far from tough enough for everyone. And thanks to the indescribably beautiful nature, clean air and unimaginable views from a height, the Alps have become very popular as a resort area. Every year tens of thousands of skiers, rock climbers and just travelers come here in the tens of thousands.
Interesting facts about the Alps
- Part of the Alpine mountain range, lying on the territory of Italy, was once a seabed a long time ago until tectonic processes brought this region to the surface.
- Through the Alps, the longest mountain tunnel in the world is laid at 51 kilometers long. It took almost 20 years to build.
- The Alpine Railway called «Pilatusbahn» – the steepest in the world, in some of its sections the slope exceeds 48 degrees.
- The Alps in total occupy about 10% of all of Europe (interesting facts about the countries of Europe).
- It is the Alpine mountain the ridge was the first thing that geologists came to grips with, simply because it turned out to be, so to speak, at hand. It happened back in the 18th century.
- In total, the Alps are located on the territory of 8 states.
- At an altitude of more than 2500 meters above sea level, the snow in the Alps never completely disappears.
- The longest staircase in the world leads to the Alpine peak of the Niesen, at 3500 meters. It consists of 11674 steps, and few people can overcome it.
- These mountains are relatively young. Geologists have found that they began to form about 50 million years ago, that is, after the dinosaurs died out.
- The world-famous delicacy of meringue was invented in Merengen, one of the Alpine cities.
- The deepest lake in all of Europe called Como, with a depth of 410 meters, located precisely in the Alps (interesting facts about lakes).
- The very word «alpinism» its roots go back to these mountains.
- There are many waterfalls in the Alps. Perhaps the most interesting is Staubbach, which pours water from a height of 282 meters.
- The Winter Olympics were held in five Alpine countries.
- Most Alpine towns are small, but Grenoble, the largest, has over 500,000 people.
- Australia, Japan, and New Zealand have their own mountain ranges called the Alps.
- Trees meet in the Alpine mountains at an altitude of up to 3000 meters above sea level.
- About 66% of all Switzerland is located in the Alps (interesting facts about Switzerland).
- Even the moon has its own Alps. So astronomers named one of the lunar mountain ranges.
- The Alps are the most thoroughly studied mountain range in the world.
- Alpine meadows were named after these mountains.
- At an altitude of up to half a kilometer above sea level, grapes grow well in the Alps.
- Tourism here began to gain popularity only in the second half of the last century, after the end of the Second World War.
- The Alps are the highest mountains from among those wholly located in Europe.
- The total population of the Alps is estimated at 12 million people.