Berninapass

Ospizio Bernina and Lagh da la Cruseta

The Bernina Pass (Italian Passo del Bernina ) is a mountain pass in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. With a summit altitude of 2'328 m, it connects the Engadin in the north with Poschiavo and the Italian Valtellina in the south. The air distance to the pass foot locations is 13 km from Pontresina (on 1805 m located ), but only 8 km from San Carlo di Poschiavo ( 1093 m).

Lie on top of the pass the hospice (mountain inn) Ospizio Bernina and two lakes, however, the effluent to the north Lej Nair belongs to the catchment area of ​​the Inn, the Lago Bianco to the catchment area of the Po - here runs a European watershed between the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea, and also the boundary between Rhaeto-Romanic and Italian language area.

History

Prehistory

The Bernina is a millennia- old link which is also age-old cultural landscapes of the Upper Engadin St. Moritz with the Valtellina dar. So many discoveries were made not only in St. Moritz, dating to the Bronze Age, but also on the other side of the Bernina in Valtellina. Among others was found in Teglio, the Roman Tillium, which probably Valtellina, Val Tillium, gave his name, numerous megalithic menhirs with enigmatic carvings, as they were found in large parts of Europe. From these findings it can be concluded that it was already in prehistoric times pass traffic over the Bernina was, who also grew in Roman times. Nevertheless, the Bernina never really belonged to the important passes. The rise began in the High Middle Ages, in the late Middle Ages, the pass actually gained a certain importance for trade. Nevertheless, the Bernina was always in the shadow of neighboring passes like the Maloja Pass or oven.

Modern Times

The passport is the only really good useful compound and thus the main artery between Engadine and Valtellina. Opposite Septimer and Spliigen by the peripheral location at a disadvantage, led over the Bernina at no time a transalpine transit route of European importance. For the Wegunterhalt the municipalities were responsible; the Porten (transport cooperatives) played a minor role. The topographically favorable regional connection was more important than the Three Leagues in 1512 conquered the Valtellina, and thus gained the Republic of Venice as a border neighbors. Around 1550, France set up a permanent courier service between Lyon and Venice over the passes Albula Bernina and Aprica one.

Strictly speaking, it is the Bernina Pass to two parallel roads that lead into the South possesses Val lagoon or into the valley of Cavaglia; Armon Planta calls short Bernina Bernina East and West. What route was preferred, changed the course of time several times, also depending on season, snow conditions, and the current state of the roads. The overall shorter west route runs on a longer distance above the tree line and is therefore more vulnerable to avalanches and snow drifts. Documents prove extensions of the West Route 1552, the eastern route 1645. After 1729 and 1779 heavy avalanches had occurred, it is the western route was forbidden to use in winter. The most important transport goods were transported at times the merchant traffic wine and grain to the north, cattle and cheese to the south. A historical trading point is the hamlet of La Rösa on the south side of the pass.

When 1842 began construction of the road it was decided to Bernina -east; the engineering work made ​​Rudolf Albertini (1821-1896) of Zuoz. In 1865 the work was completed and opened also just north of the vertex situated on 2'307 m hospice. The several times since then widened road is kept open all year round since 1965, even though there is snow on the pass for about eight months a year. This is the Bernina Pass one of the highest, open all year long passes in the Alps.

Bernina Railway and cableways

Opened in 1908 the first sections, electrically operated from the start meter gauge railway crosses the Bernina Pass since 1910, since 1913 also in the winter. The applied largely overlooking good tourist development of the scenic beauties line follows the route Bernina West. With its achieved in the station Ospizio Bernina summit altitude of 2,253 meters, it is considered the highest Alpentransversale. To use the water power of the Lago Bianco dams were built on the northern and southern end. The usable capacity of the reservoir is about 18 million cubic meters.

Since 1956, the cable car Bernina Diavolezza opens up a glacier ski area on Munt Pers on the north side of the pass; it was renewed in 1980. Since 1963 a cable car to the Piz Lagalb.

Cambrenagletscher 1992

Pass crossing

Bernina group at the Bernina Pass