Schilthorn
Encyclopedia
The Schilthorn is a 2,970 metre high summit in the Bernese
Alps
in Switzerland
, above Mürren
.
It has a panoramic view which spans from the Titlis
, Jungfrau
, Mönch
, Eiger
, over the Bernese Alps and the Jura mountains
up to the Vosges Mountains
and the Black Forest
. Mont Blanc
is also just visible.
To get to the Schilthorn from the valley floor either of a series of cable cars
must be taken. The cable cars begin in Stechelberg
leaving to Gimmelwald
and then onto Mürren. From Mürren another cable car is taken to Birg, which is the final change before the Schilthorn. this cable airway is the longest and was the most technically challenging airway to be built. The other way up is to take the cable car from Lauterbrunnen to Grütschalp and a train to Murren, from where the cable car must be taken. Between Birg and the summit, the cable car passes over Grauseeli, a small lake. It is also possible to hike to the peak, along the myriad of small, but well-marked paths to the top. The hike to the top takes roughly 5 hours from Gimmelwald for an experienced hiker.
There is a panoramic revolving restaurant, named Piz Gloria
, at the summit, which is where the James Bond
movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service
was set. A famous black ski run featured in the film starts at the summit and leads down to the Engetal below Birg. The restaurant revolves a full 360 degrees in 55 minutes.
After considering a number of locations, the stalled construction of the sports bar atop the Schilthorn was chosen when the film's producer financed the completion of the famous revolving platform for the right to use the facility for his next film, the first and only Bond film starring George Lazenby.
Quite a number of scenes in the film were photographed by cameraman, John Jordan, hanging below a speeding helicopter. Jordan had previously lost a foot to a helicopter rotor while filming the movie "You Only Live Twice". Within a year and fitted with a prosthetic limb, Jordan lost his footing and fell 2,000 feet to his death when filming similar aerial imagery used in "Catch 22".
During the Winter the Schilthorn is the traditional start for the world longest down hill ski race the "Inferno" which started in 1928.
During the summer the Inferno Triathlon finishes at the summit after a run up from the Lauterbrunnen
valley.
Bernese Alps
The Bernese Alps are a group of mountain ranges in the western part of the Alps, in Switzerland. Although the name suggests that they are located in the Bernese Oberland region of the canton of Bern, portions of the Bernese Alps are in the adjacent cantons of Valais, Lucerne, Obwalden, Fribourg and...
Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, above Mürren
Mürren
Mürren is a traditional Walser mountain village in Bernese Oberland, Switzerland, at an elevation of 1,650 m above sea level and unreachable by public road....
.
It has a panoramic view which spans from the Titlis
Titlis
The Titlis is a mountain in the Urner Alps of Switzerland. It is located on the border between the cantons of Obwalden and Berne in Switzerland, overlooking Engelberg and is famous as the site of the world's first revolving cable car...
, Jungfrau
Jungfrau
The Jungfrau is one of the main summits in the Bernese Alps, situated between the cantons of Valais and Bern in Switzerland...
, Mönch
Mönch
The Mönch is a mountain in the Bernese Alps, in Switzerland. Together with the Eiger and the Jungfrau it forms a highly recognisable group of mountains visible from far away....
, Eiger
Eiger
The Eiger is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. It is the easternmost peak of a ridge crest that extends across the Mönch to the Jungfrau at 4,158 m...
, over the Bernese Alps and the Jura mountains
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
up to the Vosges Mountains
Vosges mountains
For the department of France of the same name, see Vosges.The Vosges are a range of low mountains in eastern France, near its border with Germany. They extend along the west side of the Rhine valley in a northnortheast direction, mainly from Belfort to Saverne...
and the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
. Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
is also just visible.
To get to the Schilthorn from the valley floor either of a series of cable cars
Aerial tramway
An aerial tramway , cable car , ropeway or aerial tram is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion...
must be taken. The cable cars begin in Stechelberg
Stechelberg
Stechelberg is a small village in the glacier carved Lauterbrunnen valley of the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland, sitting at the base of the Jungfrau mountain...
leaving to Gimmelwald
Gimmelwald
Gimmelwald is a small village in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland, halfway up the mountain between Stechelberg and Mürren, at an elevation of 1363 meters...
and then onto Mürren. From Mürren another cable car is taken to Birg, which is the final change before the Schilthorn. this cable airway is the longest and was the most technically challenging airway to be built. The other way up is to take the cable car from Lauterbrunnen to Grütschalp and a train to Murren, from where the cable car must be taken. Between Birg and the summit, the cable car passes over Grauseeli, a small lake. It is also possible to hike to the peak, along the myriad of small, but well-marked paths to the top. The hike to the top takes roughly 5 hours from Gimmelwald for an experienced hiker.
There is a panoramic revolving restaurant, named Piz Gloria
Piz Gloria
Piz Gloria is the name of the revolving restaurant on the Schilthorn near Mürren in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland. The cable car station and the restaurant were designed by the Bernese architect, Konrad Wolf...
, at the summit, which is where the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (film)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the sixth spy film in the James Bond series, based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Ian Fleming. Following the decision of Sean Connery to retire from the role after You Only Live Twice, Eon Productions selected an unknown actor and model, George Lazenby...
was set. A famous black ski run featured in the film starts at the summit and leads down to the Engetal below Birg. The restaurant revolves a full 360 degrees in 55 minutes.
After considering a number of locations, the stalled construction of the sports bar atop the Schilthorn was chosen when the film's producer financed the completion of the famous revolving platform for the right to use the facility for his next film, the first and only Bond film starring George Lazenby.
Quite a number of scenes in the film were photographed by cameraman, John Jordan, hanging below a speeding helicopter. Jordan had previously lost a foot to a helicopter rotor while filming the movie "You Only Live Twice". Within a year and fitted with a prosthetic limb, Jordan lost his footing and fell 2,000 feet to his death when filming similar aerial imagery used in "Catch 22".
During the Winter the Schilthorn is the traditional start for the world longest down hill ski race the "Inferno" which started in 1928.
During the summer the Inferno Triathlon finishes at the summit after a run up from the Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.The municipality lies in the Lauterbrunnen Valley and comprises the villages Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren, Gimmelwald, Stechelberg and Isenfluh...
valley.