The Alps are located on the territory of countries. Alpine mountains where are

The Alps are a complex system of ridges and massifs, stretching in a convex arc to the northwest from the Ligurian Sea to the Middle Danube Lowland. The Alps are located on the territory of 8 countries: France, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Slovenia. The total length of the Alpine arc is about 1200 km (about 750 km along the inner edge of the arc), and the width is up to 260 km. most high peak The Alps is a Mont Blanc mountain with a height of 4810 meters above sea level, located on the border of France and Italy. In total, about 100 four-thousander peaks are concentrated in the Alps.

The Alps are an international center for mountaineering, skiing and tourism. Tourism in the Alps began to develop actively in the 20th century and received a big boost after the end of the Second World War, becoming one of the main destinations at the end of the century. Five of the eight countries (Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria and Germany) have hosted the Winter Olympics, which were held in alpine venues. Despite the active development of tourism, a distinctive traditional culture still exists in the Alpine region, including agriculture, woodworking and cheese making.

Due to its location in the center of Western Europe, the Alps are one of the most studied mountain systems. Many concepts are named after the Alps, in particular, the alpine climate zone, the period of alpine folding, the alpine type of relief, alpine meadows, mountaineering.

origin of name

Unanimously accepted opinion on the origin of the name Alps does not exist.

Word Alpeis, or Alpes, was used to designate high mountains and mountain ranges by scientists of Ancient Greece and Ancient Byzantium. In particular, Procopius of Caesarea, a 6th-century Byzantine writer, refers to the Alps and Pyrenees in his writings by the same name, Geminas Alpeis. Other mountains were called by similar names (Carpathian Mountains - Basternikae Alpes) . In an unchanged form, this word has been preserved in modern Greek - Άλπεις (Alpeis).

Geology of the Alps

European scientists began to show interest in studying the origin and structure of the Alps at the beginning of the 18th century. The Alps were the first mountain range to be explored systematically and in detail. As a consequence, several key geological concepts emerged as a result of progress in the study of the Alps. In the middle of the 19th century, the theory of geosynclines was used to explain the presence of "addition" of mountain ranges. In the mid-60s of the 20th century, it was replaced by the theory of plate tectonics, which was born along with new discoveries in the geology of the oceans. This theory provided the basis for the current understanding of the evolution of the Alps.

The process of formation of a mountain range can be divided into several stages.

Analysis of the oldest rocks deep in the Alps, in particular zirconium, shows that they began to form at the end of the Proterozoic - beginning of the Cambrian periods (about 540 million years ago). Also on the territory of the Alps sometimes come across fossils of the Cambrian period. At the same time, the rapprochement of the continents Gondwana and Laurasia began. Prior to the Permian period, the formation of the composition of rocks, which now lie deep under the Alps, proceeded mainly. During this period Hercynian folding began to appear.

The formation of the supercontinent Pangea ended at the end of the Carboniferous with the collision of the continents Gondwana and Laurasia. The future Alps were at the point of collision of two tectonic plates, while their East End ended up under water, at the bottom of the ancient ocean of Paleo-Tethys. The Early Permian period was characterized by increased volcanic activity, which, together with the influence of winds and precipitation, led to the destruction of the Hercynian foldings.

About 60 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period, the main formation of the mountain range began. The process began first in the eastern Austrian region of the Alps, and gradually moved westward. This process is called Alpine folding. There are three main regions of the Alps, differing in structure and geological composition, which appeared as a result of the formation of the mountain range: Western, Eastern and Southern Alps.

The Western Alps are the youngest region of the Alps with Cenozoic deposits, characterized by high sharp peaks composed of crystalline (gneisses, mica schists) and metamorphic (quartz-phyllite schists) rocks. The high region of the Alps is characterized by a wide distribution of mountain-glacial relief and modern glaciation. The Eastern Alps are lower and gentler, with deposits from the Mesozoic era occurring. The main deposits in the Southern Alps are from the Cretaceous period.

Formally, the structure of the Alps consists of rock layers of European, African and oceanic origin. Some peaks, such as the Matterhorn, are examples of permanent mountain building. On the mountain, you can trace the various layers of rocks related to the periods described above.

Geography of the Alps

Districts of the Alps

It should be noted that in the French tradition, instead of a single Western Alps, it is customary to single out Western And Central. In this model, the boundaries between the three parts of the Alps practically coincide with the state ones: the Western Alps are mainly in France, the Central ones in Switzerland, and the Eastern ones in Austria.

The following is a list of the main areas of the Alps. It should be borne in mind that it is largely conditional, since different sources draw the corresponding boundaries in different ways.

• Western Alps
• Eastern Alps
  • Flysch zone [ ]
• Northern Limestone Alps
• Central Eastern Alps
• Southern Limestone Alps

In turn, there is a more fractional division of these areas. So, for example, to the north of Innsbruck, Wettersteingebirge and Karwendelgebirge are distinguished, and to the south - stubaier alpen And Tuxeralpen .

highest peaks

Glaciers (glaciers)

The Alpine belt is characterized by a significant distribution of mountain-glacial landforms. In the mountains, at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters above sea level, more snow falls in winter than can melt. In those places where snow lies all year round, due to the pressure of snow, melting and freezing of its upper layer, the base of the glacier is formed. Gradually, as water flows down the surface of the glacier, ice areas move deeper into the valley. The ice slides, destroys the top layer of soil along the way, tears off and carries away some of the stones, sand or soil with it. The surface of the glacier is covered with cracks of various sizes.

The line of eternal snow lies in the north at an altitude of 2.5 km, and in the south - from 3 to 3.2 km. The total area of ​​modern glaciation is 4,140 km². There are about 1,200 glaciers in the Alps, the largest is Aletsch in the Bernese Alps with an area of ​​169 km². Rivers originate from glaciers: Rhone, Rhine and others.

Alpine views

View of the Dachstein Massif in the Limestone Alps

Partnachklamm 3847.jpg

Gorge Partnaha. At Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Mount Wendestein.Deutsche Voralpen.jpg

German Prealps. Summit Wendelstein

Golling a.d. Salzach. Wasserfall. 3.jpg

Falls at Golling

Flachau 4.Piste.jpg

Sports base near Flachau

Hagengebirge und St.Nicolaus Kirche 2.jpg

Hagengebirge and St. Nicholas Church

Population

In 2001, the total population in the Alps was 12 million 300 thousand inhabitants, most of which are French, Germans and Italians. Also a significant community are the Slovenes.

The largest cities in the Alps are: Grenoble (France) with 155,100 people, Innsbruck (Austria) with 127,000 people, Trento (Italy) with 116,893 people and Bolzano (Italy) with 98,100 people.

Climate

To the north and west of the Alps are areas with a temperate climate, to the south - subtropical Mediterranean landscapes. The climate of the various Alpine regions depends on the altitude, position and direction of the wind. In the summer in the Alps, there are hot days that change into cold evenings. It is usually sunny in the mountains in the morning, clouds roll up in the afternoon. Winter brings frequent snowfalls and extended periods of low temperatures. The climate on the north side of the Alps is colder and more humid, while on the south side, on the contrary, it is warmer and drier. average temperature July - below +14 °C, January - up to -15 °C. 1,000 mm of precipitation falls per year. Snow stays on the plains for one to six months a year. Fog lingers in the valleys for most of the winter. The Alps are characterized local winds. The most important of them is a warm and dry hair dryer, which is formed as a result of the descent of air masses along the mountain slopes and their compression, accompanied by adiabatic heating. This significantly increases the local temperature, which leads to a sharp melting of snow and frequent avalanches, which poses a threat to human life and can cut off entire mountainous regions from the outside world. At the same time, the foehn creates conditions for farming on much larger absolute altitudes than in places where it does not exist.

The climate and land cover of the Alps have a clearly defined vertical zonality. The Alps are divided into five climatic zones, each with a different type of environment. Climate, flora and fauna have differences in different climatic zones Alps. The zone of the mountain range above 3,000 meters is called the nival zone. This area, which has a cold climate, is constantly covered with perennial snow. Therefore, there is practically no vegetation in the nival zone.

Alpine meadows lie at an altitude of 2,000 to 3,000 meters. This zone is less cold than the nival zone. Alpine meadows are characterized by specific, low-growing vegetation, as well as vegetation that forms "grass cushions". This brings this type of ecosystems closer to tundra ones, due to which alpine meadows are also called "mountain tundra".

Just below the alpine zone is the subalpine belt, at an altitude of 1,500 to 2,000 meters. Grow in the subalpine zone spruce forests, the ambient temperature rises slowly. The temperature in the subalpine zone rises in summer to a maximum of +24 ° C on hot sunny days, and usually does not reach 16 ° C. Frosts are possible at any time of the year.

At an altitude of 1,000 to 1,500 meters, there is a temperate zone. Millions of oak trees grow in this zone. They are also involved in agriculture.

Below 1,000 meters - lowland, characterized by a wide variety of vegetation. The villages are also located in the lowland, because temperature regime is suitable for human and animal life.

Alpine fauna and flora

Flora of the Alps

In the areas of the Alpine mountains, scientists have identified 13,000 plant species. Alpine plants are grouped by habitat and soil type, which can be calcareous (limestone) or non-calcareous. Plants live in different ranges natural conditions: from meadows, swamps, forests (deciduous and coniferous) and areas not affected by talus and avalanches, to rocks and ridges. Due to the presence of altitudinal zonality, the diversity and specificity of the alpine flora mainly depends on the height above sea level. In the Alps, there are a variety of biotopes - meadows, which are covered with flowers of bright colors in the valleys, and high mountain areas with modest vegetation. Coniferous trees grow up to a height of 2,400 meters above sea level. Above, up to 3,200 meters, there are still dwarf trees. One of the most famous mountain plants is a glacial ranunculus, which holds the record among plants and is found up to a height of 4,200 meters. Small groups of plants are found at an altitude of 2,800 meters. Many of them, such as forget-me-not and tar, have a special cushion shape that protects them from herbivores living at these heights and moisture loss. Thus, young shoots are also protected from wind and frost. The well-known edelweiss is covered with a layer of white hairs that retain heat well.

Fauna of the Alps

The Alps are home to 30,000 animal species. All mammals live in the Alps year-round, but some of them hibernate during the winter. Only a few bird species remain in the mountains throughout the year. Individual species of birds living in the Alps have perfectly adapted to this rather inhospitable environment. For example, the snow finch (Oenanthe deserti) builds nests in rock crevices, above the forest boundary, and searches for its food (seeds and insects) on mountain slopes. The Alpine Jackdaw (Pyrrocorax graculus) also nests on rocks well above the forest line. In winter, alpine jackdaws form large flocks and gather around tourist bases and stations where they feed mainly on waste. The nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes) prepares for winter in a special way. In autumn, this bird stores seeds and nuts, which it buries into the ground. Before the start of winter, Kedrovka collects more than 100,000 seeds, which he hides in about 25,000 caches. Thanks to its amazing memory, the nutcracker finds most of its hiding places in winter under a layer of snow, the thickness of which can be more than one meter. The nutcracker also feeds its nestlings with seeds from pantries.

Fauna conservation is ensured through national parks located in the Alps.

environmental protection

Every year, large areas of forest are cut down in mountainous areas for the construction of ski slopes and recreation centers, which upsets the natural balance in the mountains. Trees are important in preventing soil erosion, and their trunks reduce avalanche risk. Deforestation leads to avalanches and mudflows, which killed more than 60 people in 1987 within 20 days. The reason for the decrease in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bforests, in addition to deforestation, is toxic emissions from factories and the use of heavy equipment in the mountains. Trees become weaker and more susceptible to disease and hurricanes. Scientists estimate that approximately 60-80% of the alpine forests have been destroyed. The deterioration of the environment negatively affects the life of animals and plants. In all countries where there are Alps, protected regions were organized.

Tourism

The Alps is an area of ​​international mountaineering, skiing and tourism. The Alps are popular both in summer and winter as a place for tourism and sports. Skiing, snowboarding, sledding, snowshoeing, ski tours are available in most regions from December to April. During the summer, the Alps are popular with hikers, cyclists, paragliders, climbers, while the many Alpine lakes attract swimmers, yachtsmen and surfers. low-lying regions and big cities The Alps are well connected by motorways and expressways, but higher mountain passes and highways can be dangerous even in summer. Many mountain passes are closed in winter. The development of tourism contributes a large number of airports throughout the Alps, as well as good rail links to all neighboring countries. The Alps are usually visited by over 50 million tourists annually.

see also

• Alpine ballad (a story by Vasil Bykov and a film based on this story)

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Notes

1. (English) . peakbagger.com. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
2. UIAA.(English) . UIAA-Bulletin Nr. 145. UIAA (March 1994). Retrieved March 27, 2015.
3. (English) . olympic.org. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
4. (Russian). swissworld.org. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
5. Joseph Spence, Edward Holdsworth, William Warburton, John Jortin. Miscellanea Virgiliana, in scriptis maxime eruditorum virorum varie dispersa, in unum fasciculum collecta. - W.P. Grant, 1825. - S. 128. - 308 p.
6. George William Lemon. English Etymology. - G. Robinson, 1783. - 693 p.
7. , With. 1-2.
8. , With. 178-179.
9. , With. 179.
10. , With. 97.
11. , With. 179-180.
12. , With. 99.
13. , With. 97-99.
14. , With. 29.
15. , With. 5.
16. Der Grose ADAC Alpenführer- 1992. ADAC Verlag GmbH, München. ISBN 3-87003-470-X
17. Chatre, Baptiste, et. al. (2010), 8
18. Reynolds, Kev. (2012) The Swiss Alps. Cicerone Press. ISBN 978-1-85284-465-3 pp. 43-45

Literature

• Pierre-Charles de Graciansky, David G. Roberts, Pierre Tricart. The Western Alps, from Rift to Passive Margin to Orogenic Belt. An Integrated Geoscience Overview. - Elsevier, 2010. - T. 14. - 432 p. - ISBN 0444537252.
• Giorgio V. Dal Piaz, Andrea Bistacchi, and Matteo Massironi(English) // Episodes Journal of International Geoscience. - 2003. - Vol. 3, no. 26 . - P. 175-180.
• Nicholas Shoumatoff, Nina Shoumatoff. The Alps: Europe's Mountain Heart. - University of Michigan Press, 2001. - 265 p. - ISBN 978-0-472-11111-4.
• Schmid, Stefan(English) // Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae. - 2004. - No. 97 . - P. 93-117.

Links

• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.

An excerpt characterizing the Alps

X
After her father's funeral, Princess Marya locked herself in her room and did not let anyone in. A girl came up to the door to say that Alpatych had come to ask for orders to leave. (This was even before Alpatych's conversation with Dron.) Princess Marya got up from the sofa on which she was lying, and through the closed door she said that she would never go anywhere and asked to be left alone.
The windows of the room in which Princess Mary lay were to the west. She lay on the sofa facing the wall and, fingering the buttons on the leather pillow, saw only this pillow, and her vague thoughts were focused on one thing: she thought about the inevitability of death and about that spiritual abomination of hers, which she had not known until now and which came out during her father's illness. She wanted, but did not dare to pray, did not dare, in the state of mind in which she was, to turn to God. She lay in this position for a long time.
The sun had set on the other side of the house, and with slanting evening rays through the open windows illuminated the room and part of the morocco pillow, which Princess Marya was looking at. Her train of thought suddenly stopped. She unconsciously got up, straightened her hair, got up and went to the window, involuntarily breathing in the coolness of a clear but windy evening.
“Yes, now it’s convenient for you to admire in the evening! He is gone, and no one will bother you, ”she said to herself, and, sinking into a chair, she dropped her head on the windowsill.
Someone in a gentle and quiet voice called her from the side of the garden and kissed her on the head. She looked back. It was m lle Bourienne, in a black dress and pleats. She quietly approached Princess Marya, kissed her with a sigh, and immediately burst into tears. Princess Mary looked at her. All previous encounters with her, jealousy of her, were remembered by Princess Marya; I also remembered how he had recently changed to m lle Bourienne, could not see her, and, therefore, how unfair were the reproaches that Princess Mary made to her in her soul. “And whether I, whether I, who wanted him dead, should condemn anyone! she thought.
Princess Mary vividly imagined the position of m lle Bourienne, recently distant from her society, but at the same time dependent on her and living in a strange house. And she felt sorry for her. She looked meekly inquiringly at her and held out her hand to her. M lle Bourienne immediately began to cry, began to kiss her hand and talk about the grief that had befallen the princess, making herself a participant in this grief. She said that the only consolation in her grief was that the princess allowed her to share it with her. She said that all former misunderstandings must be destroyed before the great grief, that she felt pure in front of everyone, and that from there he saw her love and gratitude. The princess listened to her, not understanding her words, but occasionally looking at her and listening to the sounds of her voice.
“Your situation is doubly terrible, dear princess,” m lle Bourienne said after a pause. – I understand that you could not and cannot think of yourself; but I am obliged to do this by my love for you ... Alpatych was with you? Did he talk to you about leaving? she asked.
Princess Mary did not answer. She did not understand where and who was supposed to go. “Is it possible to do something now, to think about something? Doesn't it matter? She didn't answer.
“Do you know, chere Marie,” said m lle Bourienne, “do you know that we are in danger, that we are surrounded by the French; driving is now dangerous. If we go, we will almost certainly be taken prisoner, and God knows ...
Princess Mary looked at her friend, not understanding what she was saying.
“Ah, if anyone knew how I don’t care now,” she said. - Of course, I would never want to leave him ... Alpatych told me something about leaving ... Talk to him, I can’t do anything, I don’t want to ...
- I spoke to him. He hopes that we will have time to leave tomorrow; but I think it would be better to stay here now,” said m lle Bourienne. - Because, you see, chere Marie, to fall into the hands of soldiers or rebellious peasants on the road - it would be terrible. - M lle Bourienne took out from her reticule an announcement on a non-Russian unusual paper by the French General Rameau stating that the inhabitants should not leave their homes, that they would be given due protection by the French authorities, and submitted it to the princess.
“I think it is better to address this general,” said m lle Bourienne, “and I am sure that you will be given due respect.
Princess Marya read the paper, and dry sobs twitched her face.
- Through whom did you get it? - she said.
“Probably they knew I was French by name,” m lle Bourienne said, blushing.
Princess Mary, paper in hand, got up from the window and with a pale face left the room and went to the former study of Prince Andrei.
“Dunyasha, call Alpatych, Dronushka, or someone to me,” said Princess Mary, “and tell Amalya Karlovna not to come in to me,” she added, hearing the voice of m lle Bourienne. – Hurry up to go! Drive faster! - said Princess Mary, horrified at the thought that she could remain in the power of the French.
“So that Prince Andrei knows that she is in the power of the French! So that she, the daughter of Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky, asked Mr. General Ramo to protect her and enjoy his blessings! - This thought horrified her, made her shudder, blush and feel attacks of anger and pride that she had not yet experienced. Everything that was difficult and, most importantly, insulting in her position, was vividly presented to her. “They, the French, will settle in this house; Mr. General Ramo will take the office of Prince Andrei; will sort out and read his letters and papers for fun. M lle Bourienne lui fera les honneurs de Bogucharovo. [Mademoiselle Bourienne will receive him with honors in Bogucharovo.] They will give me a little room out of mercy; soldiers will ravage the fresh grave of their father in order to remove crosses and stars from him; they will tell me about the victories over the Russians, they will pretend to express sympathy for my grief ... - thought Princess Mary, not with her own thoughts, but feeling obliged to think for herself with the thoughts of her father and brother. For her personally, it didn't matter where she stayed and whatever happened to her; but at the same time she felt herself a representative of her late father and Prince Andrei. She involuntarily thought with their thoughts and felt with their feelings. Whatever they said, what they would do now, she felt it necessary to do the very thing. She went to Prince Andrei's office and, trying to penetrate his thoughts, pondered her position.
The demands of life, which she considered destroyed with the death of her father, suddenly arose before Princess Mary with a new, still unknown force and seized her. Excited, blushing, she walked around the room, demanding to her first Alpatych, then Mikhail Ivanovich, then Tikhon, then Dron. Dunyasha, the nanny and all the girls could not say anything about the extent to which what m lle Bourienne announced was true. Alpatych was not at home: he went to the authorities. The summoned Mikhail Ivanovich, the architect, who appeared to Princess Mary with sleepy eyes, could not say anything to her. With exactly the same smile of consent with which he had been accustomed for fifteen years to answer, without expressing his opinion, the appeals of the old prince, he answered the questions of Princess Marya, so that nothing definite could be deduced from his answers. The called old valet Tikhon, with a sunken and haggard face, bearing the imprint of incurable grief, answered “I am listening with” to all the questions of Princess Marya and could hardly refrain from sobbing, looking at her.
Finally, the headman Dron entered the room and, bowing low to the princess, stopped at the lintel.
Princess Mary walked across the room and stopped in front of him.
“Dronushka,” said Princess Mary, seeing in him an undoubted friend, that very Dronushka who, from his annual trip to the fair in Vyazma, brought her every time and served his special gingerbread with a smile. “Dronushka, now, after our misfortune,” she began and fell silent, unable to speak further.
“We all walk under God,” he said with a sigh. They were silent.
- Dronushka, Alpatych has gone somewhere, I have no one to turn to. Are they telling me the truth that I can't even leave?
“Why don’t you go, your excellency, you can go,” said Dron.
- I was told that it was dangerous from the enemy. My dear, I can’t do anything, I don’t understand anything, there’s no one with me. I certainly want to go at night or tomorrow early in the morning. Drone was silent. He glanced frowningly at Princess Marya.
“There are no horses,” he said, “I also told Yakov Alpatych.
- Why not? - said the princess.
“All from God’s punishment,” said Dron. - What horses were dismantled under the troops, and which died, now what a year. Not to feed the horses, but not to die of hunger ourselves! And so they sit for three days without eating. There is nothing, ruined completely.
Princess Mary listened attentively to what he was saying to her.
Are the men ruined? Do they have any bread? she asked.
“They die of starvation,” said Dron, “let alone carts…
“But why didn’t you say, Dronushka?” Can't help? I will do everything I can ... - It was strange for Princess Mary to think that now, at such a moment, when such grief filled her soul, there could be people rich and poor and that the rich could not help the poor. She vaguely knew and heard that there was master's bread and that it was given to peasants. She knew, too, that neither her brother nor her father would have denied the need to peasants; she was only afraid to make a mistake somehow in her words about this distribution of bread to the peasants, which she wanted to dispose of. She was glad that she had an excuse for caring, one for which she was not ashamed to forget her grief. She began to ask Dronushka for details about the needs of the peasants and about what is masterful in Bogucharov.
“We have the master’s bread, bro?” she asked.
“The Lord’s bread is whole,” Dron said proudly, “our prince did not order to sell it.
“Give him to the peasants, give him everything they need: I give you permission in the name of your brother,” said Princess Mary.
Drone did not answer and took a deep breath.
- You give them this bread, if it will be enough for them. Distribute everything. I command you in the name of a brother, and tell them: whatever is ours, so is theirs. We will spare nothing for them. So you say.
Drone gazed at the princess intently while she spoke.
“Fire me, mother, for God’s sake, send me the keys to accept,” he said. - He served twenty-three years, did not do anything bad; quit, for God's sake.
Princess Mary did not understand what he wanted from her and why he asked to be fired. She answered him that she never doubted his devotion and that she was ready to do everything for him and for the peasants.

An hour later, Dunyasha came to the princess with the news that Dron had come and all the peasants, on the orders of the princess, had gathered at the barn, wanting to talk with the mistress.
“Yes, I never called them,” said Princess Marya, “I only told Dronushka to distribute bread to them.
- Only for God's sake, Princess Mother, order them to drive away and do not go to them. It’s all a deception,” Dunyasha said, “but Yakov Alpatych will come, and we’ll go ... and you don’t mind ...
- What kind of deception? the princess asked in surprise.
“Yes, I know, just listen to me, for God’s sake. Just ask the nanny. They say they do not agree to leave on your orders.
- You don't say anything. Yes, I never ordered to leave ... - said Princess Mary. - Call Dronushka.
Dron, who came, confirmed Dunyasha's words: the peasants came at the order of the princess.
“Yes, I never called them,” said the princess. You must have told them wrong. I only told you to give them the bread.
Drone sighed without answering.
“If you tell them to, they will leave,” he said.
“No, no, I will go to them,” said Princess Mary
Despite Dunyasha's and the nurse's dissuades, Princess Mary went out onto the porch. Dron, Dunyasha, the nurse, and Mikhail Ivanovich followed her. “They probably think that I am offering them bread so that they remain in their places, and I myself will leave, leaving them to the mercy of the French,” thought Princess Mary. - I will promise them a month in an apartment near Moscow; I am sure that Andre would have done even more in my place, ”she thought, approaching the crowd in the pasture near the barn at dusk.
The crowd, crowding together, began to stir, and hats were quickly taken off. Princess Mary, lowering her eyes and tangling her feet in her dress, went close to them. So many varied old and young eyes were fixed on her and there were so many different faces that Princess Mary did not see a single face and, feeling the need to suddenly talk to everyone, did not know what to do. But again, the realization that she was the representative of her father and brother gave her strength, and she boldly began her speech.
“I am very glad that you have come,” Princess Marya began, without raising her eyes and feeling how quickly and strongly her heart was beating. “Dronushka told me that the war ruined you. This is our common grief, and I will spare nothing to help you. I am going myself, because it is already dangerous here and the enemy is close ... because ... I give you everything, my friends, and I ask you to take everything, all our bread, so that you do not have a need. And if you were told that I am giving you bread so that you stay here, then this is not true. On the contrary, I ask you to leave with all your property to our suburban area, and there I take upon myself and promise you that you will not be in need. You will be given houses and bread. The princess stopped. Only sighs could be heard in the crowd.
“I am not doing this on my own,” the princess continued, “I am doing this in the name of my late father, who was a good master to you, and for my brother and his son.
She stopped again. No one interrupted her silence.
- Woe is our common, and we will divide everything in half. Everything that is mine is yours,” she said, looking around at the faces that stood before her.
All eyes looked at her with the same expression, the meaning of which she could not understand. Whether it was curiosity, devotion, gratitude, or fear and distrust, the expression on all faces was the same.
“Many are pleased with your grace, only we don’t have to take the master’s bread,” said a voice from behind.
- Yes, why? - said the princess.
No one answered, and Princess Mary, looking around the crowd, noticed that now all the eyes she met immediately dropped.
- Why don't you want to? she asked again.
Nobody answered.
Princess Marya felt heavy from this silence; she tried to catch someone's gaze.
- Why don't you speak? - the princess turned to the old old man, who, leaning on a stick, stood in front of her. Tell me if you think you need anything else. I'll do anything," she said, catching his eye. But he, as if angry at this, lowered his head completely and said:
- Why agree, we do not need bread.
- Well, should we quit everything? Do not agree. Disagree... There is no our consent. We pity you, but there is no our consent. Go on your own, alone…” was heard in the crowd from different directions. And again the same expression appeared on all the faces of this crowd, and now it was probably no longer an expression of curiosity and gratitude, but an expression of embittered determination.
“Yes, you didn’t understand, right,” said Princess Marya with a sad smile. Why don't you want to go? I promise to accommodate you, feed you. And here the enemy will ruin you ...
But her voice was drowned out by the voices of the crowd.
- There is no our consent, let them ruin! We do not take your bread, there is no our consent!
Princess Mary tried again to catch someone's gaze from the crowd, but not a single glance was directed at her; her eyes obviously avoided her. She felt strange and uncomfortable.
“Look, she taught me cleverly, follow her to the fortress!” Ruin the houses and into bondage and go. How! I'll give you bread! voices were heard in the crowd.
Princess Mary, lowering her head, left the circle and went into the house. Having repeated the order to Dron that there should be horses for departure tomorrow, she went to her room and was left alone with her thoughts.

For a long time that night, Princess Marya sat by the open window in her room, listening to the sounds of peasants talking from the village, but she did not think about them. She felt that no matter how much she thought about them, she could not understand them. She kept thinking about one thing - about her grief, which now, after the break made by worries about the present, has already become past for her. She could now remember, she could cry and she could pray. As the sun went down, the wind died down. The night was calm and cool. At twelve o'clock the voices began to subside, a rooster crowed, the full moon began to emerge from behind the linden trees, a fresh, white dew mist rose, and silence reigned over the village and over the house.
One after another, she imagined pictures of the close past - illness and the last moments of her father. And with sad joy she now dwelled on these images, driving away from herself with horror only one last idea of ​​​​his death, which - she felt - she was unable to contemplate even in her imagination at this quiet and mysterious hour of the night. And these pictures appeared to her with such clarity and in such detail that they seemed to her either reality, or the past, or the future.
Then she vividly imagined the moment when he had a stroke and he was being dragged from the garden in the Bald Mountains by the arms and he was muttering something in an impotent tongue, twitching his gray eyebrows and looking restlessly and timidly at her.
“He wanted to tell me even then what he told me on the day of his death,” she thought. “He always thought what he said to me.” And now she remembered with all the details that night in the Bald Mountains on the eve of the blow that happened to him, when Princess Mary, anticipating trouble, stayed with him against his will. She did not sleep and went downstairs on tiptoe at night and, going to the door to the flower room, where her father spent the night that night, she listened to his voice. He was saying something to Tikhon in an exhausted, tired voice. He seemed to want to talk. "Why didn't he call me? Why didn't he allow me to be here in Tikhon's place? thought then and now Princess Marya. - He will never tell anyone now all that was in his soul. This moment will never return for him and for me when he would say everything that he wanted to express, and I, and not Tikhon, would listen and understand him. Why didn't I come into the room then? she thought. “Perhaps he would have told me then what he said on the day of his death. Even then, in a conversation with Tikhon, he asked twice about me. He wanted to see me, and I was standing there, outside the door. He was sad, it was hard to talk with Tikhon, who did not understand him. I remember how he spoke to him about Liza, as if alive - he forgot that she was dead, and Tikhon reminded him that she was no longer there, and he shouted: "Fool." It was hard for him. I heard from behind the door how, groaning, he lay down on the bed and shouted loudly: “My God! Why didn’t I go up then? What would he do to me? What would I lose? Or maybe then he would have consoled himself, he would have said this word to me. And Princess Marya uttered aloud that affectionate word that he had spoken to her on the day of his death. “Dude she nka! - Princess Marya repeated this word and sobbed tears that relieved her soul. She saw his face in front of her now. And not the face she had known since she could remember, and which she had always seen from afar; and that face - timid and weak, which on the last day, bending down to his mouth in order to hear what he was saying, for the first time examined closely with all its wrinkles and details.
"Darling," she repeated.
What was he thinking when he said that word? What does he think now? - suddenly a question came to her, and in response to this she saw him in front of her with the expression on his face that he had in the coffin on his face tied with a white handkerchief. And the horror that seized her when she touched him and became convinced that it was not only not him, but something mysterious and repulsive, seized her even now. She wanted to think about something else, she wanted to pray, and there was nothing she could do. She gazed with large open eyes at the moonlight and the shadows, every second she expected to see his dead face, and she felt that the silence that stood over the house and in the house chained her.
- Dunyasha! she whispered. - Dunyasha! she cried in a wild voice and, breaking out of the silence, ran to the girls' room, towards the nanny and girls running towards her.

On August 17, Rostov and Ilyin, accompanied by Lavrushka and the escort hussar, who had just returned from captivity, from their Yankovo ​​camp, fifteen miles from Bogucharov, went riding - to try a new horse bought by Ilyin and find out if there is hay in the villages.
Bogucharovo had been between the two enemy armies for the last three days, so that the Russian rearguard could just as easily enter there as the French avant-garde, and therefore Rostov, as a caring squadron commander, wanted to take advantage of the provisions that remained in Bogucharov before the French.
Rostov and Ilyin were in the most cheerful mood. On the way to Bogucharovo, to the princely estate with a manor, where they hoped to find a large household and pretty girls, they first asked Lavrushka about Napoleon and laughed at his stories, then they drove, trying Ilyin's horse.
Rostov did not know and did not think that this village to which he was going was the estate of that same Bolkonsky, who was his sister's fiancé.
Rostov and Ilyin let the horses out for the last time in the cart in front of Bogucharov, and Rostov, having overtaken Ilyin, was the first to jump into the street of the village of Bogucharov.
“You took it ahead,” said Ilyin, flushed.
“Yes, everything is forward, and forward in the meadow, and here,” answered Rostov, stroking his soaring bottom with his hand.
“And I’m in French, Your Excellency,” Lavrushka said from behind, calling his draft horse French, “I would have overtaken, but I just didn’t want to shame.
They walked up to the barn, where a large crowd of peasants was standing.
Some peasants took off their hats, some, without taking off their hats, looked at the approachers. Two long old peasants, with wrinkled faces and sparse beards, came out of the tavern and with smiles, swaying and singing some awkward song, approached the officers.
- Well done! - said, laughing, Rostov. - What, do you have hay?
“And the same ones…” said Ilyin.
- Weigh ... oo ... oooh ... barking demon ... demon ... - the men sang with happy smiles.
One peasant left the crowd and approached Rostov.
- Which one will you be? - he asked.
“French,” answered Ilyin, laughing. "That's Napoleon himself," he said, pointing to Lavrushka.
- So, the Russians will be? the man asked.
- How much of your power is there? asked another small man, approaching them.
“Many, many,” answered Rostov. - Yes, what are you gathered here for? he added. Holiday, huh?
“The old men have gathered, on a worldly matter,” answered the peasant, moving away from him.
At this time, two women and a man in a white hat appeared on the road from the manor house, walking towards the officers.
- In my pink, mind not beating! said Ilyin, noticing Dunyasha resolutely advancing towards him.
Ours will be! Lavrushka said with a wink.
- What, my beauty, do you need? - said Ilyin, smiling.
- The princess was ordered to find out what regiment you are and your names?
- This is Count Rostov, squadron commander, and I am your obedient servant.
- Be ... se ... e ... du ... shka! sang the drunk peasant, smiling happily and looking at Ilyin, who was talking to the girl. Following Dunyasha, Alpatych approached Rostov, taking off his hat from a distance.
“I dare to disturb, your honor,” he said with deference, but with relative disdain for the youth of this officer, and putting his hand in his bosom. “My lady, the daughter of General-in-Chief Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky, who died this fifteenth day, being in difficulty on the occasion of the ignorance of these persons,” he pointed to the peasants, “asks you to come in ... if you don’t mind,” Alpatych said with a sad smile, “move off a few, otherwise it’s not so convenient when ... - Alpatych pointed to two men who were rushing around him from behind, like horseflies near a horse.

Alps from A to Z for tourists and skiers. Maps, countries, resorts and hotels for skiing and mountain holidays.

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The snowy edge of the boots of the Apennine boot, the Alps is the highest mountain system in Western Europe, to the picturesque peaks of which eight countries have access at once: France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Slovenia and Monaco. The 1,200-kilometer stretch of the Alpine mountain range is more than enough of comfortable slopes, crystal clear lakes, idyllic villages and historical sights. So there is nothing surprising in the fact that the Alpine countries unanimously derive the maximum benefit from these beneficial geographical conditions: in winter, the region is deservedly considered the number one destination for ski tourism, and in the summer it does not lag behind in terms of medical, health and eco-tours.

The Alps serve as the climatic boundary of Europe: to the north and west of them are territories with a temperate climate, and to the south - the blessed Mediterranean subtropics.

Geographically, the Alpine mountain system is divided into the Eastern and Western Alps, which are separated by the Rhine River Valley, which in turn is located between Lake Como and Lake Constance. The Western Alps can boast of considerable heights (including the highest peak - Mont Blanc), while the Eastern Alps are lower, with gentle slopes and wide picturesque valleys. Among other things, the Alps are the most "icy" mountains in Europe: there are more than 1200 glaciers with total area over 4000 km! Thanks to them, the skiing season in many regions begins already in early November - the cooling "substrate" contributes to the rapid formation of snow cover and its good stability throughout the winter, until the end of March.

Regions of the Alps are called by nearby city or geographical feature: Ligurian, Provencal, Bernese, Zillertal, etc.

There is no need to talk at length about the merits of skiing on the slopes of the Alps: winter Italy, France and Switzerland have long been associated primarily with skis, lifts and fun parks. For example, in France alone there are more than 100 ski resorts for every taste, budget and level of skiing, while being equipped with the most modern equipment and offering ample opportunities for accommodation - from economy class chalets to luxury hotels. In addition, a large number of excursion programs and après-ski entertainment will make your vacation varied and informative.

An exceptionally pleasant alpine skiing bonus is the combination of ski areas into one huge "circumnavigation" - moving from lift to lift, you can practically ski around all the Alps (fortunately, a single visa regime allows).

It is impossible not to say about the universality of the Alps as a tourist destination: "snowless" trips to the mountains are no less popular among those who understand than ski voyages. In summer, a unique microclimate reigns here: low humidity and comfortable air temperature without strong night drops, the healing air of the peaks is one of the leading healing factors for those who come to the Alps to improve their health, the presence of mineral springs and the amazing beauty of glacial lakes, the water in which although cool for swimming, it is exceptionally tasty and healthy.

And finally, we will mention the increasing accessibility of the Alps for the average tourist. With a reasonable approach to business, you can come here with almost any budget - you just need to choose the right tour and not aim at expensive (and often unnecessary) services.

Alps- highest mountains Western Europe- occupy part of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Slovenia.

A complex system of ridges and massifs, stretching in a convex arc to the northwest from mediterranean sea to the Middle Danube Plain. The length is approximately 1200 kilometers (about 750 kilometers along the inner edge of the arc). Width up to 260 kilometers. The transverse valley between Lake Constance and Lake Como is divided into the higher Western Alps (up to 4807 meters high, Mount Mont Blanc) and the lower and wider Eastern Alps (up to 4049 meters, Mount Berdina).

In the Alps - the sources of the Rhine, Rhone, Po, Adige, right tributaries of the Danube. Numerous lakes of glacial and tectonic-glacial origin (Bodenskoye, Geneva, Como, Lago Maggiore and others).

The altitudinal zonality of landscapes is well expressed. Up to a height of 800 meters, the climate is moderately warm, on the southern slopes - Mediterranean, there are many vineyards, orchards, fields, Mediterranean shrubs and broad-leaved forests. At an altitude of 800-1800 meters the climate is temperate, humid; broad-leaved forests of oak and beech are gradually replaced by coniferous ones upwards. Up to a height of 2200-2300 meters, the climate is subalpine, cold, with long-term snow. Shrubs and tall grass meadows predominate; summer pastures. Above, to the border of eternal snows, there is an alpine belt with a cold climate, with a predominance of low-grass sparse alpine meadows, covered with snow for most of the year. Higher - nival belt with glaciers, snowfields, rocky slopes.

The Alps are an area of ​​international mountaineering, tourism, and skiing.

Main ski resorts: Megeve (France), Chamonix (France), Courchevel (France), Zermatt (Switzerland), Grindelwald (Switzerland), St. Moritz (Switzerland), Davos (Switzerland), Lech (Austria), St. Anton (Austria), Kitzbühel (Austria), Seefeld (Austria), Cortina d'Ampezzo (Italy), Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany).

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Alps

Description of the Alps

Location of the Alps mountain system on the world map

(the limits of the mountain system are approximate) The Alps are the highest and longest mountain range among the systems that lie entirely in Europe. At the same time, the Caucasus Mountains are higher, and the Ural Mountains are longer, but they also lie on the territory of Asia.

The Alps are a complex system of ridges and massifs, stretching in a convex arc to the northwest from the Ligurian Sea to the Middle Danube Lowland.

Where are the Alps located? Coordinates, map and photo.

The Alps are located on the territory of 8 countries: France, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Slovenia. The total length of the Alpine arc is about 1200 km (about 750 km along the inner edge of the arc), and the width is up to 260 km. The highest peak of the Alps is Mont Blanc, at 4,810 meters above sea level, located on the border between France and Italy. In total, about 100 four-thousander peaks are concentrated in the Alps.

The Alpine mountains are one of the main European cities.

Where are the Alps: interesting facts about the mountains

Not only fans of skiing come here, but also those who want to enjoy clean air and healing waters from local thermal springs. Eight European countries that host alpine reefs and arches are participating for the first time in creating attractive conditions for tourists.

How to make an itinerary for visiting the Alps so that you can see all the interesting things for a short vacation?

Iitoria in the mountains

Covered in snow and surrounded by mist peaks of the alpine mountains gave the name to the mountainous area.

It is assumed that it comes from the Latin word "albus" ("white").

Age of the Alpine mountains feature cannot be determined.

Between 34 and 23 million years ago, a tectonic collision occurred that caused the longest European mountain region to emerge. Length of the Alps is 1200 kilometers.

For many years the Alps have been an inevitable natural barrier.

They restricted the movement of trade and military expeditions. locals avoided climbing to higher altitudes, as they could encounter avalanches, storms and frosts.

The study of the Alpine mountains began only in the second half of the 18th century.

Enthusiast scientists studied the flora, fauna, glaciers and geology of the range. At the same time, the term "alpinism" was born, which at that time meant walking on the slopes without special equipment. In 1786 he was first conquered highest alpine mountain— Mont Blanc.

The history of the Alps as a tourist center dates back to the 19th century.

Then the rich people came in mountain hotels to enjoy unusual views and swim from the waters of thermal springs. End of XIX. Over the centuries, winter sports have been gaining popularity. In the Alpine mountains there ice rink and ski championships.

The Alpine Mountains were the site of the first Winter Olympics and remain the most popular.

Developed infrastructure suitable weather and the availability of modern sports facilities have always offered locations in the Alps for the Winter Olympics.

Today Mountain landscape is one of the largest in the world tourist centers. More than 100 million people visit these places every year. Nature of the Alps not only attracts lovers extreme species sports.

Fresh air, healing properties of springs and unique local culture provide a constant flow of tourists at any time of the year.

Attractions in the Alps

Most tourists go to the Alpine mountains to enjoy unique views, try their hand at the mountainside and swim in the local resources.

But the Alpine region is a place where several European cultures meet at the same time. Eat interesting objects with architectural, historical and religious value.

Prices for flights and tickets

In the immediate vicinity of the Alpine mountains there is no major airports.

Airlines sometimes organize flights to Bolzano (Italy) and Innsbruck (Austria), but these connections are seasonal. Most tourists prefer to book a ticket to one of the nearest major airports, and the rest of the route is taken by bus or train.

The Alpine Mountains are easier to reach from international airports located in the following locations:

1. Munich;
2. Milan;
3. Verona;
4. Innsbruck;
5. Salzburg;
6. Venice;
7. Vein;
8. Bolzano;
9. Bologna;
10. Klagenfurt;
11. Friedrichshafen;
12. Bergamo;
13. Brescia.

The most suitable routes for Russian tourists are the airports of Munich and Milan.

They are associated with regular flights with the largest cities of Russia. Depending on the distance from the selected Alpine settlement, the route from the airport can take from 1 to 2 hours.

Travel from Munich to popular ski region can be overtaken on the road: the city is connected to the Alps with three modern buses.

From Munich Airport to the mountains, it is advisable to get to the S-Banh suburban line. In this case you will be in 40 minutes.

If you decide to visit western part Alpine mountains, your trip will take place at the airports of Milan or Verona.

Milan has good communication with Russian cities, but you still need to get to the Alps through Verona. If you don't find a direct flight to Romeo and Juliet, don't give up: the Milan route will be comfortable. At both Milan International Airports, Milan's direct buses are at Milan Station, where you can buy your ticket to Verona.

The trip from Verona to the Alps can be beaten by car, traveling on a two hour trip or by train.

Trains run from 5.00 to 22.00, every half an hour they are cured from the platform. Tickets cost from 10 euros, and they will have to spend 1.5-2 hours on the road.

Alps

Alps(French les Alpes, German die Alpen, t. le Alpi, Slovenian Alpe, from lat. montes albes - white mountains, the name of Celtic origin is also possible alb - high, or alpa - hill) - the highest mountain system in Western Europe, extends in an arc from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea to the Middle Danube Lowland on the territory of European countries Austria, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Slovenia, France, Switzerland.

The length of the mountain system is 1200 km, width - 130-260 km, height up to 4807 m (Mount Blanc). The arc is convex to the northwest with a transverse depression, within which lie Lakes Constance and Como. There are Western and Eastern Alps.

Division of the Alps

The Western Alps consist of the Maritime, Kotsky, Savoy, Bernese Alps. Their average height is 3.000-4.000 m. Individual peaks reach more than 4000 m:

Mont Blanc (the highest peak of the Alps and Europe) 4.809 m,
Monte Rosa 4.638 m,
Weisgorn 4.512 m and others.
The Western Alps are characterized by a well-discovered arched shape of the ridges, a sharp asymmetry of slopes - inner steep, outer gentle, a large development of glaciers.

In the Eastern Alps, the Bernese, Rhaetian, Dolomitic and Carnic ridges, which extend in width, stand out especially.

The average height of the Eastern Alps is 2.500-3.500 m, there are also fewer glaciers.

In addition to the division into Western and Eastern, the Alps are also divided in the latitudinal direction: into the Northern Prealps - (limestone and slate mountains), the Central Alps - (crystalline ridges) and the Southern Prealps - (limestone and sandstone mountains).

The Alps were formed during the day of the Alpine folding.

The axial zone of the Alps is composed of crystalline and metamorphic rocks, along the periphery - flysch and molas formations. Deposits of iron, manganese, magnesite and polymetallic ores, rock salt (in the Eastern Alps).

Also insignificant deposits of brown and hard coal. The Alps have numerous spring outlets mineral water including warm, on the basis of which resorts were built (Baden-Baden, Bad Weslau, Badgastein, Ischl, Reichengal, Ex-Lebena and others).

About 1,200 glaciers (with a total area of ​​over 4,000 km2). There are many lakes of tectonic-glacial origin.

Where are the Alps located?

The Alps have many convenient passes - Mont Cenis, St. Bernard, Simplon, St. Gotthard, Bernina, Brenner, Tauern. Tunnels were laid through the Alps: Simplonsky, St. Gotthard and others.

The climate and soil and vegetation cover of the Alps have a clearly pronounced vertical zonality: up to 1200 m the climate is moderately warm, broad-leaved forests grow; from 1300 to 1700 m the climate is temperate, vegetation - coniferous forests; 1700-2300 m - subalpine zone; 2300-3200 m - alpine zone with a temperate cold climate, above - the zone of eternal snow.

highest peaks

4.809 m: Mont Blanc
4.478 m: Matterhorn, Apennine Alps
3.970 m: Eiger, Bernese Alps
4.166 m: Jungfrau, Bernese Alps
Rivers

Rhine
Rhone
Po, a tributary of the upper Danube;
lakes

Geneva
garda
Lago Maggiore
Constance
Glaciers (glaciers)

The line of eternal snow lies in the north at an altitude of 2.500 m, and in the south - 3.000-3.200 m.

The total area of ​​modern glaciation is 4140 km2. Glaciers in the Alps ca. 1200, the largest is Aletsch in the Bernese Alps with an area of ​​169 km2. Rivers originate from glaciers: Rhone, Rhine, Adi-je, Inn, Drava, etc.

About 1200 glaciers (the largest is Aletsch);

Main rail and road routes

Mont Cenis, Simplon, Saint Gotthard, Arlberg, Brenner, Semmering;

tourism, winter sports, mountaineering.

Geography of Italy

Italy map Topographic map Italy Italian cities and shtetl Photo from space.

Southern Italy and Sicily on the map 1849 p. Italy (Italia) is a state in the south of Europe, in the Mediterranean. DETAILS

Western Alps

Western Alps, part of the Alps mountain system.

located to the west of the line from lake constance north to Lake Como south, within Italy, France and Switzerland. Western Alps - the most DETAILS

Kotian Alps

Monte visa Cotes Alps (fr. Alpes Cottiennes t. Cozie) - mountains, part of the Western Alps in France and Italy. The Kotian Alps are separated from the Alpes-Maritimes (in the south) by the Larcher Pass (Maddalena), DETAILS

Graian Alps

Graian Alps Graian Alps

Alpes Grees (Graies), t. Alpi Graie mountains, part of the Western Alps in France (Savoie), Italy (Piedmont and Valle-Daosta) and Switzerland (west of the Valais canton).

Lepontine Alps

Lepontinsky Alps (Italian: Alpi Lepontine mountains, part of the Western Alps in Switzerland (cantons of Valais, Ticino and Grisons) and Italy (Piedmont).

The Lepontinsky Alps are separated from the Bernese Alps (more

Eastern Alps

Eastern Alps, part of the Alps mountain system. To the east of the line passing through the Alps from Lake Constance in the north along the valleys of the rivers Rhine and Posterior Rhine to the Splügen Pass, the year of Liro and Peace to the lake DETAILS Our site was created for those who want to gain knowledge.
There are so many more interesting things, places, thoughts, bright ideas in our world that you need to know about!

Where are the Alps located?

ALPINE MOUNTAINS

Coordinates, map and photo.

The Alps are located in Central Europe
and are located in the territories of southern Austria, northern Italy, the southern half of Switzerland and the eastern outskirts of France.

On the map below, the Alps are highlighted in a darker color than the adjacent plains. To see the snow-covered ridges of the Alps, switch the map to satellite mode in its upper corner.

Coordinates:
46.5082512 northern latitude
10.8489056 east longitude

Alps on interactive map which can be controlled:

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Let's talk about alluring slopes in more detail.

What is the Swiss Alps?

Perhaps the Alps are the most studied mountains on the planet. Surrounded by developed European countries, the Alps have been studied and conquered for more than one millennium. The little one practically lies among these marvelous mountains, because about 60% of its entire territory is the famous Swiss Alps, stretching for almost 200 kilometers. Geographically, this is the western group of the Alps. There are many mountain lakes and glaciers, snowy peaks and sloping slopes.

It is worth noting such a moment that of the entire classification of the Alpine mountains, the Swiss Alps are the highest, the average mark does not fall below 2000 meters above sea level, and almost all the highest peaks are located here. The highest point in Switzerland is Monte Rosa peak at 4634 meters. The Swiss Alps are a huge fun area in the mountains for all skiers, snowboarders, climbers and outdoor enthusiasts. winter views sports and summer alpine meadows. And the most amazing thing tourist season in Switzerland lasts all year round. Do not forget about the alpine beauty, which reveals amazing landscapes with every step you take.

We can safely say that the entire mountainous area of ​​the country is a continuous resort for body and soul. The government of the confederation classifies the Swiss Alps into:

• Western Swiss Alps (in the cantons of Vaud and Fribourg);
• the Bernese Alps (in Canton);
• the Alps in the canton of Valais/Vallis;
• Central Swiss Alps (in the cantons of Schwyz, Glarus, Nidwalden and Obwalden);
• Alps in the cantons of Graubünden and;
• Alps of the canton of Ticino/Tessin.

There are many different tours for sale in each part of the Swiss Alps, depending on your goal and level of sports training, as well as financial solvency. For the convenience of vacationers in the Swiss Alps, mountain railways with more than 1,700 lifts have been built. There are also ski schools with eminent and experienced instructors: it is believed that local resorts equipped with the best ski equipment in the world. It was here that the first resort in Europe was opened, when simple transshipment huts began to be built in the Swiss Alps.

Resorts of the Swiss Alps

It is not surprising that for about a hundred years of the development of alpine tourism, many different resorts have been created. There is a joke that all resorts in Switzerland are divided into those where millionaires have a rest, and those where billionaires have a rest. Perhaps there is something in this. The most visited are:

1. Davos-Klosters- recognized big ski resort political and business elite, because it is here that the guests of the World Economic Forum first work and then relax. In addition, it is in these places that the main alpine base of snowboarders is located.
2. (village without cars) is not only a ski resort, but also a favorite place for climbers, as it is located in the zone of high mountain points. This is where the set starts. difficult routes and hiking, which can take you to France and even Italy. It is on the slopes of this resort that the highest railway in Europe rises. And here you can go down from one of the highest Alpine mountains -.
3. It is known at least for the fact that the Winter Olympic Games were held here twice in the first half of the 20th century. This is the most expensive ski resort in the world, a favorite vacation spot for all the top ranks and the international elite. The resort is the owner of a ski slope with a length of eight kilometers.
4. Resort line of the Bernese Alps – – Wengen(villages without cars) is considered the most comfortable for family and beginner skiers, as well as one of popular places summer holiday. The oldest British Alpine Club is also located here.
5. The resort is another great places For family vacation. There are slopes of all difficulty levels, many walking tours and cycling routes. Adelboden periodically hosts slalom and snowboard competitions.
6. Resorts – Nenda territorially occupy a very large area and have many options for slopes and trails for all levels of training. There are vertical descents and descents with a complex trajectory, as well as a mountain without preparation, where natural obstacles in the form of trees, stumps and rocks await extreme skiers on the way.
7. The Swiss resort is a favorite vacation spot for very wealthy people. We can say that there is the largest number of different slides in all the Swiss Alps. As a leisure activity, various events are constantly held in Gstaad music festivals and sports competitions.

Of course, there are a lot of Swiss resorts in the mountains and valleys, you need to have a fortune and probably more than one to enjoy all the possibilities of the Swiss Alps.

Directly ski season lasts from January to the first of April, there are especially many tourists in Switzerland for, in particular at Christmas, and in February. For mountaineering, the ideal time is from June to September, when it is warm. In the same months, pedestrians also walk here; for them, about 65 thousand kilometers of various trails are marked in the Swiss Alps.

In addition to the lifts themselves, railways, elevators and, of course, snow slopes, both representatives and tour operators can offer you other options for alpine pastime. The mountain paths lead to a web of cycling and hiking routes, you can even drive along mountain path on a local horse, feed the cows, which you probably know from chocolate labels.

Each resort offers to take mountaineering lessons or learn the basics of skiing and snowboarding for those who have no experience in these sports at all. For evening leisure, all the doors of the cafe are open and overlooking the beautiful mountains and glaciers, there are nightclubs and other popular places.

The small territory of the country allows you to visit the surrounding cities and the capital of Switzerland, get acquainted with the beautiful sights of the confederation and each region separately. In addition, even in the most sparsely populated area you can find an interesting historical monument, for example, near the village of Elm in the Swiss Alps, you will see a monument to Alexander Suvorov, who crossed the great Alps with his army in 1799.

The Alps are the highest and longest mountain range among the systems that lie entirely in Europe. At the same time, the Caucasus Mountains are higher, and the Ural Mountains are longer, but they also lie on the territory of Asia. The Alps are a complex system of ridges and massifs, stretching in a convex arc to the northwest from the Ligurian Sea to the Middle Danube Lowland. The Alps are located on the territory of 8 countries: France, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Slovenia. The total length of the Alpine arc is about 1200 km (about 750 km along the inner edge of the arc), and the width is up to 260 km. The highest peak of the Alps is Mont Blanc, at 4,810 meters above sea level, located on the border between France and Italy. In total, about 100 four-thousander peaks are concentrated in the Alps. The Alps are an international center for mountaineering, skiing and tourism. Tourism in the Alps began to develop actively in the 20th century and received a big boost after the end of the Second World War, becoming one of the main destinations at the end of the century.

Five of the eight countries (Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria and Germany) have hosted the Winter Olympics, which were held in alpine venues. Despite the active development of tourism, the Alpine region still has a distinctive traditional culture, including agriculture, woodworking and cheese making.
Due to its location in the center of Western Europe, the Alps are one of the most explored mountain systems. Many concepts are named after the Alps, in particular, the alpine climatic zone, the period of alpine folding, the alpine type of relief, alpine meadows, mountaineering.

There is no unanimously accepted opinion on the origin of the name Alps.
According to one version, the Latin word Alpes, which was formed from Albus (White), was used as early as the 1st century BC to refer to mountains covered with snow. Another suggestion suggests that the name comes from the words Al or Ar, which meant highlands. The word Alpe in modern French and Italian means Mountain peak, as well as Alp in German.
The word Alpeis, or Alpes, was used to designate high mountains and mountain ranges by scientists. Ancient Greece and Ancient Byzantium. In particular, Procopius of Caesarea, a Byzantine writer of the 6th century, calls the Alps and the Pyrenees in his writings by the same name, Geminas Alpeis. Other mountains were called by similar names (Carpathian Mountains - Basternikae Alpes). This word has been preserved unchanged in modern Greek - Άλπεις (Alpeis).
The Celtic language also contained the word Alpes, which the Celts called all the high mountains. Further it was transformed into the English Alps. Presumably, it came to the Celts from the Roman Empire.

Geography

The Alps are an important climate divide in Europe. To the north and west of them are territories with a temperate climate, to the south - subtropical Mediterranean landscapes. Precipitation on the windward western and northwestern slopes is 1500 - 2000 mm, in some places up to 4000 mm per year. Origins in the Alps major rivers(Rhine, Rhone, Po, Adige, right tributaries of the Danube), as well as numerous lakes of glacial and tectonic-glacial origin (Bodenskoe, Geneva, Como, Lago Maggiore and others).
The altitudinal zonality of landscapes is well expressed. Up to a height of 800 meters, the climate is moderately warm, on the southern slopes - Mediterranean, there are many vineyards, orchards, fields, Mediterranean shrubs and broad-leaved forests. At an altitude of 800 - 1800 meters the climate is temperate, humid; broad-leaved forests of oak and beech are gradually replaced by coniferous ones upwards. Up to a height of 2200 - 2300 meters, the climate is cold, with long-term snow (the so-called Subalpine belt). Shrubs and tall grass meadows, summer pastures predominate. Above, to the border of eternal snows - the so-called alpine belt with a cold climate, the predominance of short-grass sparse alpine meadows, covered with snow for most of the year. Even higher - nival belt with glaciers, snowfields, rocky slopes.

Climate

To the north and west of the Alps are areas with a temperate climate, to the south - subtropical Mediterranean landscapes. The climate of the various Alpine regions depends on the altitude, position and direction of the wind. In the summer in the Alps, there are hot days that change into cold evenings. It is usually sunny in the mountains in the morning, clouds roll up in the afternoon. Winter brings frequent snowfalls and extended periods of low temperatures. The climate on the north side of the Alps is colder and more humid, while on the south side, on the contrary, it is warmer and drier. The average temperature in July is below +14 °C, in January - up to -15 °C. 1000 mm of precipitation falls per year. Snow stays on the plains for one to six months a year. Fog lingers in the valleys for most of the winter. The Alps are characterized by local winds. The most important of them is a warm and dry foehn, which is formed as a result of the descent of air masses along the mountain slopes and their compression, accompanied by adiabatic heating. This significantly increases the local temperature, which leads to a sharp melting of snow and frequent avalanches, which poses a threat to human life and can cut off entire mountainous regions from the outside world. At the same time, the foehn creates conditions for agriculture at much higher absolute heights than in those places where it does not exist.
The climate and soil and vegetation cover of the Alps have a clearly defined vertical zonality. The Alps are divided into five climatic zones, each with a different type of environment. Climate, flora and fauna have differences in different climatic zones of the Alps. The zone of the mountain range above 3000 meters is called the nival zone. This area, which has a cold climate, is constantly covered with perennial snow. Therefore, there is practically no vegetation in the nival zone.
Alpine meadows lie at an altitude of 2000 to 3000 meters. This zone is less cold than the nival zone. Alpine meadows are characterized by specific, low-growing vegetation, as well as vegetation that forms "grass cushions". This brings this type of ecosystems closer to tundra ones, due to which alpine meadows are also called "mountain tundra".
Just below the alpine zone is the subalpine zone, at an altitude of 1500 to 2000 meters. Spruce forests grow in the subalpine zone, the ambient temperature slowly rises. The temperature in the subalpine zone rises in summer to a maximum of +24 °C on hot sunny days, and usually does not reach +16 °C. Frosts are possible at any time of the year.
At an altitude of 1000 to 1500 meters there is a temperate zone. Millions of oak trees grow in this zone. They are also involved in agriculture.
Below 1000 meters - lowland, characterized by a wide variety of vegetation. The villages are also located in the lowlands, since the temperature regime is suitable for the life of people and animals.

Flora of the Alps

In the regions of the Alpine mountains, scientists have identified 13,000 plant species. Alpine plants are grouped by habitat and soil type, which can be calcareous (limestone) or non-calcareous. Plants inhabit a wide range of natural conditions, from meadows, swamps, forests (deciduous and coniferous) and areas not affected by screes and avalanches, to rocks and ridges. Due to the presence of altitudinal zonality, the diversity and specificity of the alpine flora mainly depends on the height above sea level. In the Alps, there are a variety of biotopes - meadows, which are covered with flowers of bright colors in the valleys, and high mountain areas with modest vegetation. Coniferous trees grow up to an altitude of 2400 meters above sea level. Above, up to 3200 meters, there are still dwarf trees. One of the most famous mountain plants is the glacial ranunculus, which holds the record among plants and is found up to a height of 4200 meters. Small groups of plants are found at an altitude of 2800 meters. Many of them, such as forget-me-not and tar, have a special cushion shape that protects them from herbivores living at these heights and moisture loss. Thus, young shoots are also protected from wind and frost. The well-known edelweiss is covered with a layer of white hairs that retain heat well.

Fauna of the Alps

The Alps are home to 30,000 animal species. All mammals live in the Alps year-round, but some of them hibernate during the winter. Only a few bird species remain in the mountains throughout the year. Individual species of birds living in the Alps have perfectly adapted to this rather inhospitable environment. For example, the snow finch (Oenanthe deserti) builds nests in rock crevices, above the forest boundary, and searches for its food (seeds and insects) on mountain slopes. The Alpine Jackdaw (Pyrrocorax graculus) also nests on rocks well above the forest line. In winter, alpine jackdaws form large flocks and gather around tourist bases and stations, where they feed mainly on waste. The nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes) prepares for winter in a special way. In autumn, this bird stores seeds and nuts, which it buries into the ground. Before the start of winter, Kedrovka collects more than 100,000 seeds, which he hides in about 25,000 caches. Thanks to its amazing memory, the nutcracker finds most of its hiding places in winter under a layer of snow, the thickness of which can be more than one meter. The nutcracker also feeds its nestlings with seeds from pantries.
The conservation of the fauna is ensured through the national parks located in the Alps.

Tourism

The Alps are an area of ​​international mountaineering, skiing and tourism. The Alps are popular both in summer and winter as a place for tourism and sports. Alpine skiing, snowboarding, sledding, snowshoeing, ski tours are available in most regions from December to April. During the summer, the Alps are popular with hikers, cyclists, paragliders, climbers, while the many Alpine lakes attract swimmers, yachtsmen and surfers. The low-lying regions and major cities of the Alps are well connected by motorways and expressways, but higher up, mountain passes and highways can be dangerous even in summer. Many mountain passes are closed in winter. The development of tourism is facilitated by a large number of airports throughout the Alps, as well as good rail links with all neighboring countries. The Alps are usually visited by over 50 million tourists annually.

Information

• Countries: France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Slovenia, Monaco
• Period of education: Mesozoic
• Square: 190,000 km²
• Length: 1,200 km
• Width: up to 260 km
• highest peak: Mont Blanc
• Highest point: 4810 m

Source. wikipedia.org