The Solvay Hut is located at an altitude of 4003 meters along the northeast ridge of the Matterhorn in Switzerland and belongs to a prominent alpine club.
Notice the hut’s ledge in the photo; there’s no actual porch, just a step to the side and a sheer drop.
Now, let’s delve into this picturesque mountain.
How surprisingly small our world is and how many phenomena are interconnected!
What thread could connect a mountain refuge at four thousand meters to Russia’s first soda factory?
It turns out there is such a thread, and its name is Ernest Gaston Solvay, a Belgian chemist, technologist, and entrepreneur.
But first, the important things. Chemist Solvay was born in 1838 and died in 1922.
In the meantime, he accomplished many notable things, among which we are particularly interested in his development of an efficient ammonia process to extract soda from sodium chloride.
Secondly, in 1883, together with Perm merchant I.I. Ljubimow, he built Russia’s first soda factory, located near the village of Berezniki in the Perm province.
In 1915, Solvay donated money for the construction of a hut on the summit of the Matterhorn.
I wonder how it was possible to build such an unusual structure.
Initially, construction materials were transported to an altitude of 3260 meters with the help of animals, and then, using a makeshift cable car, they were brought to their final destination, the ultimate altitude of 4000 meters.
The hut was named after Ernest Solvay, a Belgian inventor and businessman, who donated it as a token of gratitude for the unforgettable hours spent in the mountains and an awareness that sudden storms could lead to tragedies for climbers ascending or descending.
And as you might have guessed, I named this hut not for its price but for its affiliation, utility, and, of course, its romance.
What is this mountain? I’ll tell you right away.
The Matterhorn, located on the border between Switzerland and Italy, is a sort of pyramid in the center of Europe: four triangular surfaces converge towards its summit.
Like any other pyramid (whether the famous pyramids in Egypt or the lesser-known similar structures in Mexico), the Matterhorn is full of secrets and tragic stories.
Although the Matterhorn is only the fifth highest peak in the Alps, its climbing difficulties are comparable to those of its neighbors.
Its slopes are so treacherous that even the most experienced climbers couldn’t ascend them until 1865.
The south face remained unconquered for the next 66 years.
And the climbs themselves have yielded very contrasting results.
For example, British climber Edward Whymper, with a group of climbers, was the first to reach the summit.
However, during the descent, four of the pioneers died due to a rope break.
In 1933, three Frenchmen managed to traverse one of the routes on the Matterhorn for the first time, and all three died on the way back.
One of the climbers who became famous thanks to the Matterhorn was mountain guide Hermann Perrin.
He intended to climb the mountain up to 150 times, but when he was less than ten climbs away from the record, he fell and died.
And even though now all the walls and ridges of the Matterhorn have been climbed, and mountain guides take a large number of tourists to the summit (so that some routes are heavily crowded), between 10 and 15 people still die here every year.
The Matterhorn has its character – at least the residents of the nearby town of Zermatt have no doubt about it.
They say that even the weather in this part of Switzerland depends on the mood of the legendary mountain.
If the sky is wrinkled, and the summit of the Matterhorn, at 4,478 meters, is hidden behind clouds, it means the mountain is in a bad mood.
If the Matterhorn wants to play a trick, it may appear „like Vesuvius“: a cloud covers only part of the mountain, making it look like smoke is rising from the summit, as before an eruption.
But if it’s in a good mood, it’s beautiful and glows with the glacial cap at the top, as if inviting you to an unforgettable photo of the Matterhorn.
The town of Zermatt, nestled at 1,608 meters on the mountain, fully takes advantage of its neighbor.
It’s not only one of Switzerland’s most famous ski resorts but also the flagbearer of Swiss tourism.
There’s something to do here all year round, but summer activities are, as you can imagine, also related to mountain holidays.
From Zermatt, the so-called „twilight trains“ depart, allowing you to experience a spectacular sunrise over the Matterhorn.
The neighboring village is developed similarly. At an altitude of 2,006 meters above sea level, at the foot of the Matterhorn’s south face, is the village of Breuil-Cervinia, an extremely popular Italian ski resort.
With Zermatt, there’s nothing to share: the mountain is divided, and there’s nothing to be done about it.
Therefore, both places have common ski slopes, common tourist routes, and a large number of travelers who come here for an active skiing vacation in the Alps.
…It is also said that anyone who sees the Matterhorn is lucky and wealthy.
Perhaps that’s why so much money is stored in Swiss safes?
We invite you to admire this famous Swiss natural monument: a good reason to test the local proverb!