Klausen Pass (German: ''Klausenpass''; elevation: ) is a high
mountain pass
A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since many of the world's mountain ranges have presented formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both Human migration, human a ...
in the
Swiss Alps
The Alpine region of Switzerland, conventionally referred to as the Swiss Alps (german: Schweizer Alpen, french: Alpes suisses, it, Alpi svizzere, rm, Alps svizras), represents a major natural feature of the country and is, along with the Swiss ...
connecting
Altdorf in the
canton of Uri
The canton of Uri (german: Kanton Uri rm, Chantun Uri; french: Canton d'Uri; it, Canton Uri) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territ ...
with
Linthal in the
canton of Glarus
The canton of Glarus (german: Kanton Glarus rm, Chantun Glaruna; french: Canton de Glaris; it, Canton Glarona) is a canton in east central Switzerland. The capital is Glarus.
The population speaks a variety of Alemannic German.
The majority of ...
. Somewhat unusually, the boundary between the two cantons does not lie at the summit of the pass, but some down the slope towards Linthal, with the summit being in Uri.
The Klausen Pass is crossed by a paved road, which has a length, between Altdorf and Linthal, of . The road approaches the summit from Altdorf via the
Schächen Valley communities of
Bürglen,
Spiringen
Spiringen is a village and a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland. The municipality comprises two disjoint areas, separated by the Unterschächen, municipality of Unterschächen and the Klausen Pass. The w ...
and
Unterschächen
Unterschächen is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland, situated in the upper Schächental.
Geography
Unterschächen has an area, , of . Of this area, 35.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 9.4% is forested. Of the rest o ...
, and descends to Linthal via the
Urnerboden. The road is normally closed between October and May, due to the high snowfall on the pass. During the open period, a
PostBus Switzerland
PostAuto Switzerland, PostBus Ltd. (known as in Swiss Standard German (), in Swiss French (), in Swiss Italian (), and in Romansh () is a subsidiary company of the Swiss Post, which provides regional and rural bus services throughout Swit ...
service crosses the pass several times a day, connecting
Fluelen station, on the
Gotthard railway
The Gotthard railway (german: Gotthardbahn; it, Ferrovia del Gottardo) is the Swiss trans-alpine railway line from northern Switzerland to the canton of Ticino. The line forms a major part of an important international railway link between no ...
and
Lake Lucerne
__NOTOC__
Lake Lucerne (german: Vierwaldstättersee, literally "Lake of the four forested settlements" (in English usually translated as ''forest cantons''), french: lac des Quatre-Cantons, it, lago dei Quattro Cantoni) is a lake in central ...
, with
Linthal station, the terminus of the railway line through Glarus.
At the top of the pass is a historic chapel, the ''Bruder-Klaus-Kapelle'', whilst to the west side of, and below, the summit is the ''Hotel Passhohe''.
As well as being a popular route for cyclists and motorcyclists, the Klausenpass also forms part of the Alpine Pass Route, a long-distance hiking trail across Switzerland. However the hiking trail approaches the pass from both sides using a route different from that of the road.
History
The Klausen Pass was originally a cattle track, which by 1196 was controlled by a customs office in Bürglen.[
According to legend, the border between Glarus and Uri was determined in 1315, following prolonged disputes. The two cantons agreed that at first cockcrow, two runners would start from Altdorf and Linthal, respectively, and the border would be where they met. The people of Glarus decided to feed their cock well, so that it might be sympathetic to their cause, while the people of Uri gave theirs nothing to eat at all. The result was that the Glarus cock overslept, while the Uri one, driven by hunger, crowed exceptionally early, and the runner of Uri crossed the entire Urnerboden before the Glarus runner even set out. On the pleading of the Glarus runner, the man of Uri agreed to let him carry him back uphill as far as he could, and the present border between Uri and Glarus is where the Glarus runner fell dead, exhausted from carrying the runner from Uri.
In 1590, a hospital for travellers was built at Urnerboden, with the maintenance of the pass shared between the cantons of Uri and Glarus. In 1625 Glarus transferred their section of the route to a private individual. In 1717, a chapel was built at the summit, probably dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra. In 1870, a road was built from Altdorf to ]Unterschächen
Unterschächen is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland, situated in the upper Schächental.
Geography
Unterschächen has an area, , of . Of this area, 35.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 9.4% is forested. Of the rest o ...
, and in 1893-99 the road was extended across the pass to Linthal. The building of the road required the demolition of the 1717-built chapel, and the current ''Bruder-Klaus-Kapelle'' was built in 1938.[
]
Klausen hill climb
An historic hillclimb, almost 14 miles long, known as the Klausenpassrennen. Whitney Straight
Air Commodore Whitney Willard Straight, (6 November 1912 – 5 April 1979) was a Grand Prix motor racing driver, aviator, businessman, and a member of the prominent Whitney family of the United States.
Early life
Born in New York City, Whitn ...
finished third in the 1934 event.
1922 Nieth (Hispano Suiza) 21m 42s
1923 Rutzler (Steyr) 20m 24.4s
1924 Merz (Mercedes) 18m 48.6s
1925 Masetti (Sunbeam) 17m 28.8s
1927 Rosenberger (Mercedes) 17m 17s
1929 Chiron
In Greek mythology, Chiron ( ; also Cheiron or Kheiron; ) was held to be the superlative centaur amongst his brethren since he was called the "wisest and justest of all the centaurs".
Biography
Chiron was notable throughout Greek mythology ...
(Bugatti) 16m 42.4s
1930 Chiron (Bugatti) 16m 24.6s
1932 Caracciola (Alfa-Romeo) 15m 50s
1934 Caracciola (Mercedes) 15m 22.2s (record) [''Motor Sport'', September 1934, Pages 511-512.]
In 1993 the Klausenrennen memorial run took place, and is now held (nominally) every four years for vintage cars. The most recent event was held on 27–29 September 2013.
See also
* List of highest paved roads in Switzerland
This is a list of the highest paved roads in Switzerland. It includes paved roads in the Alps that are over long and whose culminating point is over above sea level. This height approximately corresponds to that of the highest major settlements ...
* List of highest road passes in Switzerland
This is a list of the highest road passes in Switzerland. It includes passes in the Alps and the Jura Mountains that are over above sea level. All the listed passes are crossed by paved roads. These are popular with drivers, bikers and cyclis ...
* List of mountain passes in Switzerland
This is a list of mountain passes in Switzerland. They are generally situated in the Jura Mountains or in the Swiss Alps.
Pass roads
Trails
Railway
See also
* List of highest road passes in Switzerland
* List of highest paved roads in Sw ...
References
External links
*
Free Pictures Klausen Pass
Profile on climbbybike.com
Klausenpasshoehe.ch
- lodge on the pass with tour description and webcam (in German)
Klausen race home page
{{Authority control
Mountain passes of Switzerland
Mountain passes of the Alps
Mountain passes of the canton of Uri