San Bernardino Pass
Encyclopedia
San Bernardino Pass is a high mountain pass
in the Swiss Alps
connecting the Hinterrhein
and the Mesolcina (Misox) valleys between Thusis
(Graubünden
) and Bellinzona
(Ticino
). Located in the far eastern side of the Western Alps
it is not to be confused with the Great St. Bernard Pass
and the Little St. Bernard Pass. The top of the pass represents both the Italo-German language frontier and the watershed (drainage divide) between the Po
basin and the Rhine basin.
The route first became important as a mule track in the fifteenth century when the route between Thusis
and Splügen
was known as the Via Mala. A road for wheeled vehicles was opened in 1770; this road was significantly improved between 1821 and 1823, financed in part by the Kingdom of Sardinia
, keen to improve a trade route connecting Genoa
and Piedmont
to the Graubünden
that was not directly controlled by Austria.
Traffic flow was much facilitated when in 1967, the San Bernardino road tunnel
was completed, since then vehicle traffic on the pass has been reduced, benefiting those taking the time to avoid the tunnel. The pass road is only open in summer.
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
in the Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
connecting the Hinterrhein
Hinterrhein
Hinterrhein can refer to:* Hinterrhein , a tributary of the Rhine* Hinterrhein, Switzerland, a municipality* Hinterrhein , the district including that Swiss municipality...
and the Mesolcina (Misox) valleys between Thusis
Thusis
Thusis is a municipality in the district of Hinterrhein in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.-Geography:Thusis has an area, , of . Of this area, 18% is used for agricultural purposes, while 58.2% is forested...
(Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
) and Bellinzona
Bellinzona
Bellinzona is the administrative capital of the canton Ticino in Switzerland. The city is famous for its three castles that have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000....
(Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
). Located in the far eastern side of the Western Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
it is not to be confused with the Great St. Bernard Pass
Great St. Bernard Pass
Great St. Bernard Pass is the third highest road pass in Switzerland. It connects Martigny in the Canton of Valais in Switzerland to Aosta in Italy. It is the lowest pass lying on the ridge between the two highest summits of the Alps, Mont Blanc and Monte Rosa...
and the Little St. Bernard Pass. The top of the pass represents both the Italo-German language frontier and the watershed (drainage divide) between the Po
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
basin and the Rhine basin.
The route first became important as a mule track in the fifteenth century when the route between Thusis
Thusis
Thusis is a municipality in the district of Hinterrhein in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.-Geography:Thusis has an area, , of . Of this area, 18% is used for agricultural purposes, while 58.2% is forested...
and Splügen
Splügen
Splügen may refer to:* Splügen, a municipality in the Swiss alps* Splügen Pass, an Alpine pass between Switzerland and Italy...
was known as the Via Mala. A road for wheeled vehicles was opened in 1770; this road was significantly improved between 1821 and 1823, financed in part by the Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
, keen to improve a trade route connecting Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
and Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
to the Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
that was not directly controlled by Austria.
Traffic flow was much facilitated when in 1967, the San Bernardino road tunnel
San Bernardino (road tunnel)
The San Bernardino road tunnel is a road tunnel on the A13 motorway/expressway in southeastern Switzerland, completed in 1967 and replacing the San Bernardino Pass road. It begins near the town of San Bernardino, Graubünden and ends north in Hinterrhein....
was completed, since then vehicle traffic on the pass has been reduced, benefiting those taking the time to avoid the tunnel. The pass road is only open in summer.
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes
- List of the highest Swiss passes