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Switzerland: Simplon Village And The Gondo Gorge
Apr 30, 2021 14:52:29 #
Simplon (Walser: Simpilu; Italian: Sempione; French: Simplon), earlier known as Simpeln, is a municipality in the district of Brig in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. The area was part of Italy since the Roman Empire, but it was colonized by the Germans after 1000 AD, so the Bishop of Sion bought it from the counts of Novara in 1291. Simplon is first mentioned in 1267 as Simpilion. In 1285 it was mentioned as Xeinplon.
Simplon has an area, as of 2011, of 90.9 square kilometers (35.1 sq mi). Of this area, 21.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 12.3% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.0% is settled (buildings or roads) and 65.2% is unproductive land. The municipality is located in the Brig district, on the south side of the Simplon Pass near the Italian border. It consists of the village of Simplon and the hamlets of Gabi, Egga and Maschihüs as well as the Hospiz (Hospice) in the Simplon Pass.
Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks German (322 or 96.7%) as their first language, French is the second most common (4 or 1.2%) and Italian is the third (3 or 0.9%. The old Hospice (Hospice for travelers over the Simplon Pass) is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance. The village of Simplon, the hamlet of Eggen and the Simplon Pass area are all part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. The Hospice was begun in 1801 on orders from Napoleon, but was not finished until 30 years later with the support of the Canons of Great Saint Bernard.
The Simplon Valley or Divedro Valley (German: Simplontal, Italian: Val Divedro) is a valley of the Alps, situated between the Pennine and the Lepontine ranges. The valley is drained by the Diveria or Chrummbach, a tributary of the Toce at Crevoladossola. The Simplon Valley is the only valley of Valais located south of the main chain of the Alps.
The highest mountains in the valley are the Weissmies (4,017 m), the Lagginhorn (4,010 m) and the Fletschhorn (3,993 m), all in the Pennine Alps. On the other side (Lepontine Alps), the highest summit is Monte Leone (3,553 m). The most important pass in the valley is the Simplon, connecting Brig to Domodossola.
The valley is politically divided between Switzerland and Italy. The upper western part belongs to the Swiss canton of Valais and the lower eastern part belongs to the Italian region of Piedmont. The international border runs from the Camoscellahorn to Monte Leone, reaching an altitude of 800 metres at valley floor. The main localities are Simplon, Gondo (Switzerland), Iselle and Varzo (Italy)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplon,_Valais
THE GONDO GORGE
The Gondo Gorge is approx. 5 km long. Its slopes are so steep that the gorge could not be crossed at the time of the mules . Instead, Gabi's mules marched over the Furggu (pass) into the Zwischenbergental and from there down to Gondo. Only by order of Napoleon was a road built over the Simplon Pass and through the Gondo Gorge in 1801–1805 .
At the western entrance to the Gondo Gorge there is a tower that was not completed by Kaspar Stockalper , the fortress in the Klus . The year “1676” is carved into a lintel of the ruin. The tower would have become a third transshipment point on the Säumerweg over the Simplon Pass, next to the old hospice and the Stockalper tower in Gondo. In the old barracks from Napoleon's time, a museum showing the history of the Simplon Pass has been set up. The eastern entrance to the Gondo Gorge was fortified by Fort Gondo during the First and Second World Wars . The Gondo Gorge can now be crossed on foot on the Stockalperweg .
The story goes that the sheer insurmountable obstacle with bare perpendicular walls of gneiss rock down to the river was bridged by the builders of Stockalper Castle. Napoleon had it opened up by dynamiting a tunnel in 1805 in order to construct the first navigable road crossing the Alps.
Gabi/Gstei on the Simplonstrasse Road is the starting point for the five kilometre long hike through the Gondo Gorge. The Stockalperweg mule track passed this way. Shortly after the lime kiln, you will cross the modern granite bridge. The Alte Kaserne Museum explores the history of the crossings over the Simplon Pass. The trail goes underground to the former military Fort Gondo. It was once a secret fortress which held strategic importance for the region in the 19th century. Tours of the fort are offered. After crossing the Doveria (Pont des Sapins), the path ends in Gondo, whose village centre had to be rebuilt after it was destroyed by a mudslide in the year 2000.
https://de.zxc.wiki/wiki/Gondoschlucht
After coffee and delicious pastries at the Backerei Kondatorei Tea Room, we had a few minutes to explore Simplon Village before boarding our bus which took us through the Gondo Gorge to Lake Maggiore in Northern Italy. I hope you enjoy these images. For additional images of The Simplon Pass, please see my previous post: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-694921-1.html
Mark
Simplon has an area, as of 2011, of 90.9 square kilometers (35.1 sq mi). Of this area, 21.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 12.3% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.0% is settled (buildings or roads) and 65.2% is unproductive land. The municipality is located in the Brig district, on the south side of the Simplon Pass near the Italian border. It consists of the village of Simplon and the hamlets of Gabi, Egga and Maschihüs as well as the Hospiz (Hospice) in the Simplon Pass.
Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks German (322 or 96.7%) as their first language, French is the second most common (4 or 1.2%) and Italian is the third (3 or 0.9%. The old Hospice (Hospice for travelers over the Simplon Pass) is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance. The village of Simplon, the hamlet of Eggen and the Simplon Pass area are all part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. The Hospice was begun in 1801 on orders from Napoleon, but was not finished until 30 years later with the support of the Canons of Great Saint Bernard.
The Simplon Valley or Divedro Valley (German: Simplontal, Italian: Val Divedro) is a valley of the Alps, situated between the Pennine and the Lepontine ranges. The valley is drained by the Diveria or Chrummbach, a tributary of the Toce at Crevoladossola. The Simplon Valley is the only valley of Valais located south of the main chain of the Alps.
The highest mountains in the valley are the Weissmies (4,017 m), the Lagginhorn (4,010 m) and the Fletschhorn (3,993 m), all in the Pennine Alps. On the other side (Lepontine Alps), the highest summit is Monte Leone (3,553 m). The most important pass in the valley is the Simplon, connecting Brig to Domodossola.
The valley is politically divided between Switzerland and Italy. The upper western part belongs to the Swiss canton of Valais and the lower eastern part belongs to the Italian region of Piedmont. The international border runs from the Camoscellahorn to Monte Leone, reaching an altitude of 800 metres at valley floor. The main localities are Simplon, Gondo (Switzerland), Iselle and Varzo (Italy)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplon,_Valais
THE GONDO GORGE
The Gondo Gorge is approx. 5 km long. Its slopes are so steep that the gorge could not be crossed at the time of the mules . Instead, Gabi's mules marched over the Furggu (pass) into the Zwischenbergental and from there down to Gondo. Only by order of Napoleon was a road built over the Simplon Pass and through the Gondo Gorge in 1801–1805 .
At the western entrance to the Gondo Gorge there is a tower that was not completed by Kaspar Stockalper , the fortress in the Klus . The year “1676” is carved into a lintel of the ruin. The tower would have become a third transshipment point on the Säumerweg over the Simplon Pass, next to the old hospice and the Stockalper tower in Gondo. In the old barracks from Napoleon's time, a museum showing the history of the Simplon Pass has been set up. The eastern entrance to the Gondo Gorge was fortified by Fort Gondo during the First and Second World Wars . The Gondo Gorge can now be crossed on foot on the Stockalperweg .
The story goes that the sheer insurmountable obstacle with bare perpendicular walls of gneiss rock down to the river was bridged by the builders of Stockalper Castle. Napoleon had it opened up by dynamiting a tunnel in 1805 in order to construct the first navigable road crossing the Alps.
Gabi/Gstei on the Simplonstrasse Road is the starting point for the five kilometre long hike through the Gondo Gorge. The Stockalperweg mule track passed this way. Shortly after the lime kiln, you will cross the modern granite bridge. The Alte Kaserne Museum explores the history of the crossings over the Simplon Pass. The trail goes underground to the former military Fort Gondo. It was once a secret fortress which held strategic importance for the region in the 19th century. Tours of the fort are offered. After crossing the Doveria (Pont des Sapins), the path ends in Gondo, whose village centre had to be rebuilt after it was destroyed by a mudslide in the year 2000.
https://de.zxc.wiki/wiki/Gondoschlucht
After coffee and delicious pastries at the Backerei Kondatorei Tea Room, we had a few minutes to explore Simplon Village before boarding our bus which took us through the Gondo Gorge to Lake Maggiore in Northern Italy. I hope you enjoy these images. For additional images of The Simplon Pass, please see my previous post: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-694921-1.html
Mark
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Apr 30, 2021 14:53:18 #
Apr 30, 2021 14:54:22 #
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Apr 30, 2021 14:55:25 #
Apr 30, 2021 15:30:42 #
srfmhg wrote:
Simplon (Walser: Simpilu; Italian: Sempione; Frenc... (show quote)
Beautiful shots of an idyllic place
Apr 30, 2021 15:33:05 #
Apr 30, 2021 16:45:03 #
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Apr 30, 2021 16:52:47 #
joecichjr wrote:
Beautiful shots of an idyllic place
Thanks so much Joe.
Apr 30, 2021 16:53:25 #
captivecookie wrote:
Ah, another wonderful tour through pictures.
Thanks very much captivecookie.
Apr 30, 2021 16:53:56 #
Apr 30, 2021 16:53:57 #
Cwilson341 wrote:
Another wow series, Mark! Well composed shots of beautiful scenery!
Thanks so much Carol. I appreciate!
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Apr 30, 2021 17:59:10 #
Another beautiful set, Mark, but I gained a pound looking at the first shot!
Apr 30, 2021 18:13:00 #
UTMike wrote:
Another beautiful set, Mark, but I gained a pound looking at the first shot!
Thanks so much Mike. I gained more than that by eating them. Luckily my wife intervened before I could order my third pastry!
Apr 30, 2021 18:28:29 #
Apr 30, 2021 19:04:49 #
kpmac wrote:
Another great set, Mark. I'm really wanting to go back to Europe now.
Thanks very much Ken. We were supposed to leave for Sicily next week but wisely cancelled shortly after booking the trip last spring.
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