The Pennine Alps contain the Matterhorn, the distinctive peak on the Switzerland–Italy border.
The Matterhorn rises to 4,478 metres and is one of the most recognizable mountains in the world because of its near-symmetrical pyramid shape. It stands above Zermatt in Switzerland and Breuil-Cervinia in Italy.
The Pennine Alps form a section of the western Alps. They include the Monte Rosa massif, whose Dufourspitze is the highest peak in Switzerland, as well as important Alpine passes such as the Great St Bernard Pass.
The Matterhorn’s first recorded ascent took place in 1865, led by Edward Whymper. Four members of the successful party died during the descent, an event that helped make the mountain famous in the history of mountaineering. The peak’s Italian name is Cervino.