Mountaineers' Cemetery
Mountaineers' Cemetery
4.5
About
The mountaineers’ cemetery is a moving reminder of the accidents that have occurred in the mountains around Zermatt. The tranquil site is a memorial to all climbers who have lost their lives here. The inscriptions reveal that women and men from all over the world have died on the Matterhorn, Täschhorn, Weisshorn, Liskamm, Obergabelhorn and on the Monte Rosa massif. At the mountaineers’ cemetery, visitors can see the graves of about 50 climbers who perished in the surrounding mountains. Most date from the 19th century, some from the early-20th century. Grave of two climbers from the first ascent of the Matterhorn One gravestone is an exception. It commemorates two famous climbers who died naturally rather than on the mountain: Peter and Peter Taugwalder, father and son. These were the mountain guides of the first person to climb the Matterhorn, Edward Whymper. Only these three out of the original party of seven returned to Zermatt alive. The ascent, on 14 July 1865, was a success: on the way back down, however, four of the climbers fell to their deaths, including Michel-Auguste Croz, a mountain guide from Chamonix. His gravestone stands beside that of the two Taugwalders. Two of the English climbers who died on the descent were laid to rest at the English Church in Zermatt: D. Robert Hadow is buried outside, while the Reverend Charles Hudson lies by the church altar. The third English climber who lost his life on the expedition, Lord Francis Douglas, has no grave as his body was never found. Another tombstone in the mountaineers’ cemetery belongs to probably the most famous female mountaineer of the 19th and 20th centuries: Eleonore Noll-Hasenclever (1880–1925). She lost her life as she descended the Bishorn on 18 August 1925, carried away by an avalanche. Symbols of mourning Some of the memorial stones bear candles and flowers left by relatives and fellow climbers. In some cases, the stones reveal the causes of accidents: an avalanche, a rockfall, a crevasse. One memorial to a young climber carries a simple and striking statement: “I chose to climb”. The mountaineer’s own red ice axe adorns the stone, along with the US flag.
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4.5
447 reviews
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Janet M
Cordova, TN822 contributions
Aug 2021
After visiting the Matterhorn Museum, we walked to the Mountaineers’ Cemetery located in the yard of St. Mauritius Church. The cemetery is a sad reminder of the many lives lost in the mountains around Zermatt. It contains 50 graves dating from the 19th century and early-20th century. Most of these deaths occurred on the way down the mountain by an avalanche or rock fall. There are graves of men and women from all over the world, including a grave of an American from New York who died in 1975 on the Breithorn. He was 17-years old and his headstone reads “I chose to climb” and is decorated by his red ice axe along with the U.S. flag.
Written December 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dranujkiran
New Delhi, India1,024 contributions
May 2012 • Family
38 of the 76 European 4000 m plus peaks lie in the Zermatt region . Of these the scariest ones are the soaring , pointed Matterhorn , Weisshorn , Dom , Taschhorn and many others . Every year some 2000 climbers climb the Matterhorn . Starting from the first scaling 150 yrs ago , almost 400 climbers have lost their lives on Matterhorn alone . This is no match to the 10% mortality on the Everest but least most Alpine fatalities are recovered for a decent burial unlike Everest where hundreds of bodies litter the '' Rainbow valley '' [ so called because of the multicolored dresses of the unfortunate climbers ] . The final resting place for many Alpine climbers is this peaceful and sombre patch of green behind the Catholic Church , in the shadows of the mighty peaks . It is an strange feelig when you read the epitaph of a person your age who died 35 years ago . A very moving experience indeed . I am sure some memory , some forgotten lyric will stir awaken while you read the memorials . For me it was a long ago read poem by Khayyam [ translated by Fitzgerald ]--
I sometimes think that never blows so red
The Rose as where some buried Cesar bled;
That every Hyacinth the Garden wears
Dropt in its Lap from some once lovely Head
I sometimes think that never blows so red
The Rose as where some buried Cesar bled;
That every Hyacinth the Garden wears
Dropt in its Lap from some once lovely Head
Written July 4, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Janet W
Toronto, Canada13 contributions
Feb 2013 • Couples
Have been to Zermatt on 6 occassions, and always come here. I especially like wandering through here at night when all the votive lamps are glowing red in the snow. So many young lives lost on the mountain.
Written April 8, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robbyremi19605
Reading, PA170 contributions
Sep 2019
We visited the cemetery out of respect for those brave souls who paid the price to chase their dreams. We spent over an hour wondering what pushes someone to pay the ultimate price, one as young as 17. Mountaineering has always fascinated me, so for me this was a must see.
Written September 10, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
txeh
Cambridge, UK162 contributions
Aug 2019
Headstones set on a steepish bank behind the church in the centre of the village. Very sad but of historic importance. Do visit.
Written August 12, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
barney3123
Hawthorn, Australia31 contributions
Aug 2019 • Couples
If you are in Zermatt, the Matterhorn is what dominates the town. So those that die on it and the stories are inescapable but also sadly interesting. This is a nice compact little graveyard but probably best to get the context from the museum just before your visit. Easy, quick and reflective must see.
Written August 9, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anthony H
Sydney, Australia129 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
This is a simple memorial headstones of mountaineers who died while climbing the Matterhorn. It is locaated in a peaceful part of Zermatt that allows sombre reflection of what drove those young men and women to climb the sheer grannite mountant? Sadly, many of the fatalities were from Asia and the USA. RIP.
Written January 6, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AvrilSuzanne
Moreno Valley, CA143 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
We were unaware how many people died climbing or trying to climb the mountain. Including a father and son! Nice to be able to pay our respects to these brave spirits
Written August 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SuziReckless
Cambridge, UK237 contributions
Apr 2016 • Couples
I like getting the feel for the local culture and this is a great way to do so! It's humbling to see how many people passed away while seeking adventure (and maybe some fame). Incredible how many family members of the same mounteering family are there too!
Written February 18, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Akhil Duggar Jain
Gurugram (Gurgaon), India403 contributions
Sep 2015 • Family
If you are in Zermatt, it's an important attraction to visit. Spread across a small landscape and open to all; this cemetery acknowledges the brave men and women who conquered the Matterhorn, but didn't survive to see the world acknowledge their feat.
Written October 14, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi my brother climbed the Matterhorn between 1999 and 2003 he made it to the to on his third attempt we have a video of him at the top with his guide a German man named Thomas we don't know his surname, sadly my brother passed away this year aged 54yrs his last wish was to have his ashes scattered on the Matterhorn myself and my sister plan to visit Zermatt next year at some point and I would like to know if anyone knows of anyone who could take his ashes up the Matterhorn for us please can anyone help me ,many thanks
Written October 26, 2018
Very pleased to see you have positive answers to your question. Kind regards,
Ronnie
Written October 27, 2018
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