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EIGER, MONCH AND THE JUNGFRAU

The Bernese Alps...three majestic peaks forming a massive wall... a saddle which houses Europe's highest rail station...the longest glacier of the Alps..the trains cutting into the mountains...the play of snow and rocks...needless to say, such an offering of a landscape has to be among the most majestic locations that Switzerland offers...the UNESCO site of Jungfrau-Aletsch. The center of the site is dominated by the three mighty peaks, the Eiger, Monch (the Monk) and Jungfrau (Maiden Girl) along with the glacial landscape around the Aletsch glacier.  Jungfrau, being the tallest among the three, dictates the names of the stations and the tunnels. While Jungfrau and Monch comfortably cross the 4000 m height parameter, Eiger falls short by a few meters. 


Naturally, with such a destination in imagery, our  excitement was at peak. By the time we reached Lauterbrunnen by road to board the train to Kleine Scheidegg, the vistas of the peaks all around was already humbling. 
Kleine Scheidegg is a mountain pass which offers some of the purest views of the three peaks in one line...a picture which stays  etched forever in the memory.   It is also the lowest terminus of the Jungfraubahn (Jungfrau rails), where the cog wheel controlled trains commence a nine kilometers long journey to Jungfraujoch. Enroute, the train passes through Eigergletcher (Eiger Glacier), Eigerwand (Wall of Eiger)  and Eismeer (Ice Sea) before reaching Jungfraujoch. After Eigergletcher, the train climbs steeply into the Jungfrau tunnel inside the rocks of  Eiger  and Monch, thus remaining underground for the rest of the journey. At Eismeer, one stop before the Jungfraujoch, the panoramic view of the Ischmeer glacier is breathtaking. Its worthwhile to disembark at this stop and see through the tunnel glasses. The journey from the Kleine Scheidegg to the Jungfraujoch takes a little less than an hour during the ascent.


At about 3450 m above the sea level, Jungfraujoch is the highest railway station in Europe. At one end of the Jungfraujoch is the Monch and at the other end dominates the Jungfrau. And both appear so close from here. The view of the upper reaches of the Aletsch glacier from the Jungfraujoch is simply irresistible. With length exceeding 23 kilometers and volume more than 15 km3, the Aletsch glacier, the largest glacier of the Alps originates from the Konkordiaplatz which is the converging point of four glaciers, and then proceeds towards the Rhone Valley. 

The Jungfraujoch also houses an astronomical observatory and an ice palace, for those who are interested. Amazing day it was....amidst the most venerable presentation of the Alps. While the summit views of these mountain peaks are incredibly defining, yet there are a few places down below which are  blessed with immense natural beauty. There are two routes to reach Kleine Scheidegg - one from Lauterbrunnen and the other from Grindelwald...both catered by the Wengneralpbahn trains. Both Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald are quintessential Swiss villages and are well connected to Interlaken by trains. If you have the time visit both these places to get a glimpse of different views of the peaks, valleys and the waterfalls, especially the Trummelbach Falls at Lauterbrunnen.

This post is for alphabet ‘J’ of the #BlogchatterA2Z 2020 challenge:

 J for Jungfrau

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