The Rigi (or ''Mount Rigi''; also known as ''Queen of the Mountains'') 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 (topography), summit area, and ...
massif
In geology, a massif ( or ) is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole. The term also refers to a ...
of the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
, located in
Central Switzerland
Central Switzerland is the region of the Alpine Foothills geographically the heart and historically the origin of Switzerland, with the cantons of Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Lucerne and Zug.
Central Switzerland is one of the NUTS 2 Statist ...
. The whole massif is almost entirely surrounded by the water of three different bodies of water:
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 ...
,
Lake Zug
__NOTOC__
Lake Zug (german: Zugersee) is a lake in Central Switzerland, situated between Lake Lucerne and Lake Zurich. It stretches for 14 km between Arth and the Cham-Zug bay. The Lorze as the main feeder river empties its waters into the lak ...
and
Lake Lauerz
__NOTOC__
Lake Lauerz (German: ''Lauerzersee'', old spelling: ''Lowerzer See'') is a lake in the Canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. Geography
Its water area varies between and (depending on water level), a maximum depth of , and a water level elev ...
. The range is in the
Schwyzer Alps
The Schwyz Alps (german: Schwyzer Alpen) are a mountain range in Switzerland. They form part of the North-Eastern Swiss Alps and are bordered by the Glarus Alps to the east, the Appenzell Alps to the north-east, the Emmental Alps in the west, and ...
, and is split between the cantons of
Schwyz
The town of Schwyz (; french: Schwytz; it, Svitto) is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.
The Federal Charter of 1291 or ''Bundesbrief'', the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the '' ...
and
Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
, although the main summit, named ''Rigi Kulm'', at 1,798 meters above sea level, lies within the canton of Schwyz. The
Rigi Kulm Hotel
The Rigi Kulm Hotel is located immediately below the summit of Mount Rigi in the Alps in the canton of Schwyz, Switzerland, about ten miles south of Zurich and eight miles east of Lucerne. Opened in 1816, it can only be reached on foot or via th ...
, established in 1816, is located on the summit.
The Rigi Kulm and other areas, such as the resort of
Rigi Kaltbad
Rigi Kaltbad is a resort in the Swiss Alps, located in the canton of Lucerne. The resort sits on a sunny terrace at an elevation of , overlooking Lake Lucerne above Weggis in Central Switzerland. The locality is part of the municipality of Weggis.
...
, are served by Europe's oldest mountain railways, the
Rigi Railways
Rigi Railways (german: Rigi Bahnen) is a railway company that operates a group of railways on the mountain Rigi, located between two of the arms of Lake Lucerne, in Switzerland. They include two standard gauge rack railways, the Vitznau–Rigi ...
. The whole area offers many activities such as skiing or sledging in the winter, and hiking in the summer.
Peaks
Etymology
![Bonstetten Confederacy 1479](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Bonstetten_Confederacy_1479.jpg)
The name ''Rigi'' is from Swiss Old High German ''*rigî'' "horizontal stratification, strip, band", from OHG ''rîhan'' "gird; pleat, string", cf. OHG ''rîga'' "
row
Row or ROW may refer to:
Exercise
*Rowing, or a form of aquatic movement using oars
*Row (weight-lifting), a form of weight-lifting exercise
Math
*Row vector, a 1 × ''n'' matrix in linear algebra.
*Row (database), a single, implicitly structured ...
, stripe, furrow", after the horizontal rock ledges and grass strips surrounding the mountain from west to east.
The name is first recorded in 1350 as ''Riginun''.
The name was interpreted as ''Regina montium'' "queen of mountains" by
Albrecht von Bonstetten
Albrecht von Bonstetten (c. 1443-c. 1504) was a Swiss humanist of the later 15th century.
A member of the baronial ''von Bonstetten'' family, he entered Einsiedeln Abbey at a young age, and after studies in Fribourg and Basel he returned to Ein ...
(1479), who however gives ''Rigena'' as alternative form.
Bonstetten's interpretation as ''Regina'' was influential in the 17th century, and was still repeated in 18th-century travelogues. Karl Zay (''Goldau und seine Gegend'', 1807) criticized this latinization, arguing for ''mons rigidus'' instead. Later in the 19th century, many authors repeated either ''rigidus'' or ''regina'' as the name's supposed origin. The two possibilities were also adduced as explanation of the name's grammatical gender alternating between masculine and feminine.
Brandstetter (''Die Rigi'', 1914) finally discredited these interpretations and established the origin in Old High German ''rîga'' (whence modern German ''Reihe, Reigen''; cognate with English ''row'').
Transport
![Johann Heinrich Müller, 1825-1894 E02a Rigi Kulm](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Johann_Heinrich_M%C3%BCller%2C_1825-1894_E02a_Rigi_Kulm.JPG)
There are multiple public transport options available to ascend Mount Rigi:
* By
rack railway
A rack railway (also rack-and-pinion railway, cog railway, or cogwheel railway) is a steep grade railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with ...
from
Arth-Goldau
Arth-Goldau railway station (german: Bahnhof Arth-Goldau) is a railway station in the Swiss canton of Schwyz and municipality of Arth. The station is located in the centre of the village of Goldau, which forms part of Arth.
The station is an im ...
and
Vitznau
Vitznau is a municipality in the district of Lucerne in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland.
History
Vitznau was first mentioned in 998. In the 19th century, it became a popular destination for tourism, especially from England; the imposing P ...
, operated by the
Rigi Bahnen
Rigi Railways (german: Rigi Bahnen) is a railway company that operates a group of railways on the mountain Rigi, located between two of the arms of Lake Lucerne, in Switzerland. They include two standard gauge rack railways, the Vitznau–Rigi ...
. The Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn started operation on May 21, 1871 and was the first mountain railway in Europe. On June 4, 1875 the Arth-Rigi-Bahn was finished, allowing access from the other side of the mountain. They were electrified in 1937 and 1907 respectively, with the Arth-Rigi-Bahn becoming the first electrified standard gauge rack-railway in the world. Both lines go all the way to the summit, Rigi Kulm.
* By
gondola lift
A gondola lift is a means of cable transport and type of aerial lift which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel wire rope that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate supp ...
from
Weggis
Weggis is a municipality in the district of Lucerne in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland.
It forms part of the northern shore of Lake Lucerne. The official language is German.
History
In about 800 the monastery of Pfäfers acquired the court ...
to
Rigi-Kaltbad.
* By
cable-car from the Kräbel station on the Arth-Rigi-Bahn line to Rigi-Scheidegg.
Recreation
Mount Rigi offers an area for recreation and sports measuring approximately offering a variety of well-maintained walking trails or mountain hikes where visitors can have a panoramic view of from various marked points. There are also numerous public grilling stations located near the hiking trails.
Rigi is also a destination for people practising winter sports and other winter recreation activities.
Rigi in culture
![Blue Rigi painting](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Blue_Rigi_painting.jpg)
Rigi has been featured in many works of art, including both paintings and literary publications. Perhaps the most famous paintings of the Rigi were a series by
J. M. W. Turner
Joseph Mallord William Turner (23 April 177519 December 1851), known in his time as William Turner, was an English Romantic painter, printmaker and watercolourist. He is known for his expressive colouring, imaginative landscapes and turbulen ...
, including ''
The Blue Rigi, Sunrise'', several of which are in the collection of the
Tate Britain art gallery in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
.
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has p ...
also visited Rigi during his tour of Central Europe in the late 1870s, and wrote about his travels in chapter 28 of his ''
A Tramp Abroad
''A Tramp Abroad'' is a work of travel literature, including a mixture of autobiography and fictional events, by American author Mark Twain, published in 1880. The book details a journey by the author, with his friend Harris (a character created f ...
''.
There is a Catskills resort called the Rigi Kulm in
Abraham Cahan
Abraham "Abe" Cahan (Yiddish: אַבֿרהם קאַהאַן; July 7, 1860 – August 31, 1951) was a Lithuanian-born Jewish American socialist newspaper editor, novelist, and politician. Cahan was one of the founders of ''The Forward'' (), a ...
's novel ''
The Rise of David Levinsky
''The Rise of David Levinsky'' is a novel by Abraham Cahan. It was published in 1917 in literature, 1917, and remains Cahan's best known work.
Plot summary
The book is told in the form of a fictional autobiography of David Levinsky, a Russian Je ...
'' (1917).
The Rigi, a downhill road in
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
,
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, is named for the mountain and for many years was used as a main thoroughfare for
coach
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Co ...
riders.
On 9 July 1868, during a three-week tour through Switzerland,
Gerard Manley Hopkins
Gerard Manley Hopkins (28 July 1844 – 8 June 1889) was an English poet and Jesuit priest, whose posthumous fame placed him among leading Victorian poets. His prosody – notably his concept of sprung rhythm – established him as an innovato ...
ascended Rigi-Kulm, the highest peak of the Rigi massif: "From
Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
by steamer to
Küssnacht
Küssnacht am Rigi (official name since 2004: Küssnacht) is a village and a district and a municipality in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. The municipality consists of three villages Küssnacht, Immensee, and Merlischachen, the hamlet ''Ha ...
, thence walk across to
Immensee, thence by steamer over lake of
Zug
, neighboring_municipalities = Cham, Baar, Walchwil, Steinhausen, Unterägeri
, twintowns = Fürstenfeld (Austria), Kalesija (Bosnia-Herzegowina)
Zug (Standard German: , Alemannic German: ; french: Zoug it, Zugo r ...
to
Arth
Arth is a village, a List of towns in Switzerland, town, and a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.
The municipality consists of the villages Arth, Oberarth, and Goldau. The four ...
, whence up the Rigi."
Geology
Technically, the Rigi is not a part of the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
, and belongs instead to the
Swiss plateau
The Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau (german: Schweizer Mittelland; french: plateau suisse; it, altopiano svizzero) is one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland, lying between the Jura Mountains and the Swiss Alps. It covers about 30% of ...
. It is mostly composed of
molasse
__NOTOC__
The term "molasse" () refers to sandstones, shales and conglomerates that form as terrestrial or shallow marine deposits in front of rising mountain chains. The molasse deposits accumulate in a foreland basin, especially on top of flys ...
and other
conglomerate, as opposed to the
Bündner schist
The Bündner schist or Bündner slate (german: Bündnerschiefer; french: schistes lustrés) is a collective name for schistose rocks that form a number of geologic formations in the Penninic nappes of the Alps. Bündner schists were originally ma ...
and
flysch
Flysch () is a sequence of sedimentary rock layers that progress from deep-water and turbidity flow deposits to shallow-water shales and sandstones. It is deposited when a deep basin forms rapidly on the continental side of a mountain building ep ...
of the Alps.
Gallery
image:Rigi01.jpg, Steam train
image:Rigi.jpg, Station near the summit
image:Rigikulm.jpg, View from summit
image:Lake Lucerne from Rigi.jpg, Lake Lucerne seen from Rigi
image:Rigi Kulm LCD.jpg, View of the alps of central Switzerland from Rigi Kulm.
See also
*
List of mountains of the canton of Schwyz
This is a list of mountains of the Swiss canton of Schwyz. Schwyz is a very mountainous canton and lies almost entirely within the Alps. It is also one of the 15 cantons having summits above 2,000 metres. Topographically, the two most important su ...
*
List of mountains of Switzerland
This article contains a sortable table of many of the major mountains and hills of Switzerland. The table only includes those summits that have a topographic prominence of at least above other points, and ranks them by height and prominence. The ...
*
List of most isolated mountains of Switzerland
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
*
References
External links
Rigi on SummitPostVarious maps from rigi.chRigi Kulm
{{Authority control
Mountains of Switzerland
Mountains of the Alps
Mountains of the canton of Schwyz
Tourist attractions in Switzerland
Cable cars in Switzerland
Tourist attractions in the canton of Lucerne
Tourist attractions in the canton of Schwyz
One-thousanders of Switzerland