The Mönch (,
German: "monk") at is a
mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...
in the
Bernese Alps
The Bernese Alps are a mountain range of the Alps located in western Switzerland. Although the name suggests that they are located in the Berner Oberland region of the canton of Bern, portions of the Bernese Alps are in the adjacent cantons of Va ...
, in
Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
. Together with the
Eiger and the
Jungfrau, it forms a highly recognisable group of mountains, visible from far away.
The Mönch lies on the border between the cantons of
Valais and
Bern
Bern (), or Berne (), ; ; ; . is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city".; ; ; . According to the Swiss constitution, the Swiss Confederation intentionally has no "capital", but Bern has gov ...
, and forms part of a mountain ridge between the Jungfrau and
Jungfraujoch to the west, and the Eiger to the east. It is west of
Mönchsjoch, a pass at ,
Mönchsjoch Hut, and north of the Jungfraufirn and Ewigschneefäld, two affluents of the Great
Aletsch Glacier. The north side of the Mönch forms a step wall above the
Lauterbrunnen valley.
The
Jungfrau railway tunnel runs right under the summit, at an elevation of approximately .
The summit was first climbed on record on 15 August 1857 by
Christian Almer, Christian Kaufmann (1831-1861),
Ulrich Kaufmann and
Sigismund Porges.
Gallery
Image:Moench 2348.jpg, A view of the Mönch taken from the Jungfraujoch
Image:Männlichen01.jpg, Panorama from Männlichen: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau (from left to right)
The Moench, by Helga von Cramm, with prayer by Achespè, chromolithograph, c. 1879. (3 x 4.5 inches).jpg, ''The Moench'', by Helga von Cramm, with prayer by Achespè, chromolithograph, c. 1879. (3 x 4.5 inches).
See also
*
List of 4000 metre peaks of the Alps
References
External links
Mönch on SummitpostMönch on Hikr* - photos
Mönch from Kleine Scheidegg
Alpine four-thousanders
Mountains of the Alps
Mountains of Switzerland
Bernese Alps
Mountains of Valais
Mountains of the canton of Bern
Bern–Valais border
Four-thousanders of Switzerland
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