Stelvio Pass
Encyclopedia
The Stelvio Pass located in Italy
, at 2757 m (9045 feet) is the highest paved mountain pass
in the Eastern Alps
, and the second highest in the Alps
, slightly below the Col de l'Iseran
(2770 m, 9088 feet).
in the province of Sondrio
and south of Stilfs
in South Tyrol
, some 75 km (47 mi) from Bolzano, close to the Swiss
border, as the Umbrail Pass
runs northwards from the Stelvio's western ramp. The "Three languages peak" (Dreisprachenspitze) above the pass is so named because this is where the Italian, German and Romansh languages meet.
The road connects the Valtellina
with the upper Adige
valley (Vinschgau) and Meran. The most important mountain range next to the Stelvio is the Ortler Alps
. Adjacent to the pass road there is a large summer skiing area. Important mountains nearby include Ortler
, Monte Livrio, Monte Scorluzzo, and Monte Zebrù
.
to connect the former Austrian province of Lombardia with the rest of Austria, covering a climb of 1871 m. The engineer and project manager was Carlo Donegani (1775-1845). Since then, the route has changed very little. Its sixty hairpin turn
s, 48 of them on the northern side numbered with stones, are a challenge to motorists. Even Stirling Moss
went off the road here during a vintage car event in the 1990s, with an onboard video of his incident being shown on satellite TV.
Before the end of World War I
, it formed the border between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Italian Kingdom
. Even the Swiss
had had an outpost and a hotel (which was destroyed) on the Dreisprachenspitze. During World War I
, fierce battles were fought in the ice and snow of the area, with gun fire even crossing the Swiss area at times. The three nations made an agreement not to fire over Swiss territory, which jutted out in between Austria (to the north) and Italy (to the south). Instead they could fire down the pass, as Swiss territory was up and around the peak. After 1919, with the expansion of Italy, the pass lost its strategic importance.
The Stelvio Pass retains an importance for sport when it is open from June to September. Countless cyclists and motorcyclists struggle to get to the highest stretch of road in the Eastern Alps. The Giro d'Italia
often crosses the Stelvio Pass (it was crossed by the Giro for the first time in 1953
, when Coppi
beat Koblet
). The last winner on the pass was José Rujano
in 2005, when the Stelvio was crossed for the ninth time in Giro history. Every year, the pass is closed on one day in late August for the traffic, then about 8000 cyclists ride on the Stelvio. www.stelviobike.com
Bormio
regularly hosts World Cup
ski racing; its Pista Stelvio is among the most challenging men's downhill courses on the circuit.
The Stelvio Pass was also picked by the British automotive show Top Gear as its choice for the "greatest driving road in the world", although their search was concentrated only in Europe.
This conclusion was reached after the team went in search of a road that would satisfy every "petrolhead's" driving fantasies in the premiere of the show's 10th season. Top Gear later decided
that the Transfăgărăşan
Highway in Romania
was possibly a superior driving road.
In 2008, Moto Guzzi
started selling a Stelvio model, named after the famous mountain pass.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, at 2757 m (9045 feet) is the highest paved mountain pass
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 Eastern Alps
Eastern Alps
Eastern Alps is the name given to the eastern half of the Alps, usually defined as the area east of the Splügen Pass in eastern Switzerland. North of the Splügen Pass, the Posterior Rhine forms the border, and south of the pass, the Liro river and Lake Como form the boundary line.-Geography:The...
, and the second highest in the 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....
, slightly below the Col de l'Iseran
Col de l'Iseran
Col de l'Iseran is the highest paved mountain pass in the Alps. A part of the Graian Alps, it is situated in the department of Savoie in France near the border with Italy. It is crossed by the D902....
(2770 m, 9088 feet).
Location
It is located in the Italian Alps north of BormioBormio
Bormio is a town and comune located in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy. It has a population of 4,200...
in the province of Sondrio
Province of Sondrio
The Province of Sondrio is in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the town of Sondrio.It has an area of 3,212 km², and a total population of 176,856...
and south of Stilfs
Stilfs
Stilfs is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is located near the northern ramp of the Stelvio Pass....
in South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
, some 75 km (47 mi) from Bolzano, close to the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
border, as the Umbrail Pass
Umbrail Pass
Umbrail Pass is a high mountain pass on the Swiss-Italian border connecting Santa Maria in Val Müstair with Bormio in the Adda valley. On the Italian side, it connects to the Stelvio Pass road.-See also:* List of highest paved roads in Europe...
runs northwards from the Stelvio's western ramp. The "Three languages peak" (Dreisprachenspitze) above the pass is so named because this is where the Italian, German and Romansh languages meet.
The road connects the Valtellina
Valtellina
Valtellina or the Valtelline valley ; is a valley in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, bordering Switzerland. Today it is known for its skiing, its hot spring spas, its cheeses and its wines...
with the upper Adige
Adige
The Adige is a river with its source in the Alpine province of South Tyrol near the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland. At in length, it is the second longest river in Italy, after the River Po with ....
valley (Vinschgau) and Meran. The most important mountain range next to the Stelvio is the Ortler Alps
Ortler Alps
The Ortler Alps are a mountain range in the central Alps of Italy. They are considered to be part of the Central Eastern Alps or the Southern Limestone Alps....
. Adjacent to the pass road there is a large summer skiing area. Important mountains nearby include Ortler
Ortler
Ortler is, at above sea level, the highest mountain in the Eastern Alps outside the Bernina Range. It is the main peak of the Ortler Range. It is the highest point of the Southern Limestone Alps, of the Italian province of South Tyrol, of Tyrol overall, and, until 1919, of the Austrian-Hungarian...
, Monte Livrio, Monte Scorluzzo, and Monte Zebrù
Monte Zebrù
Monte Zebrù is a mountain of Lombardy, Italy....
.
History
The original road was built in 1820-25 by the Austrian EmpireAustrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
to connect the former Austrian province of Lombardia with the rest of Austria, covering a climb of 1871 m. The engineer and project manager was Carlo Donegani (1775-1845). Since then, the route has changed very little. Its sixty hairpin turn
Hairpin turn
A hairpin turn , named for its resemblance to a hairpin/bobby pin, is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn almost 180° to continue on the road. Such turns in ramps and trails may be called switchbacks in American English, by analogy...
s, 48 of them on the northern side numbered with stones, are a challenge to motorists. Even Stirling Moss
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
went off the road here during a vintage car event in the 1990s, with an onboard video of his incident being shown on satellite TV.
Before the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, it formed the border between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Italian Kingdom
History of Italy as a monarchy and in the World Wars
This articles covers the history of Italy as a monarchy and in the World Wars.-Italian unification :Modern Italy became a nation-state during the Risorgimento on March 17, 1861 when most of the states of the Italian Peninsula and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies were united under king Victor...
. Even the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
had had an outpost and a hotel (which was destroyed) on the Dreisprachenspitze. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, fierce battles were fought in the ice and snow of the area, with gun fire even crossing the Swiss area at times. The three nations made an agreement not to fire over Swiss territory, which jutted out in between Austria (to the north) and Italy (to the south). Instead they could fire down the pass, as Swiss territory was up and around the peak. After 1919, with the expansion of Italy, the pass lost its strategic importance.
The Stelvio Pass retains an importance for sport when it is open from June to September. Countless cyclists and motorcyclists struggle to get to the highest stretch of road in the Eastern Alps. The Giro d'Italia
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
often crosses the Stelvio Pass (it was crossed by the Giro for the first time in 1953
1953 Giro d'Italia
The 1953 Giro d'Italia was the 36th edition of Giro, held from 12 May to 2 June 1953, consisting of 21 stages. It was won by Fausto Coppi ....
, when Coppi
Fausto Coppi
Angelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...
beat Koblet
Hugo Koblet
Hugo Koblet was a Swiss champion cyclist. He won the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia as well as competing in six-day and pursuit races on the track. He won 70 races as a professional...
). The last winner on the pass was José Rujano
José Rujano
José Humberto Rujano Guillen is a Venezuelan professional road bicycle racer who is currently riding for UCI Professional Continental team ....
in 2005, when the Stelvio was crossed for the ninth time in Giro history. Every year, the pass is closed on one day in late August for the traffic, then about 8000 cyclists ride on the Stelvio. www.stelviobike.com
Bormio
Bormio
Bormio is a town and comune located in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy. It has a population of 4,200...
regularly hosts World Cup
Alpine skiing World Cup
The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the top international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, launched in 1966 by a group of ski racing friends and experts which included French journalist Serge Lang and the alpine ski team directors from France and the USA...
ski racing; its Pista Stelvio is among the most challenging men's downhill courses on the circuit.
The Stelvio Pass was also picked by the British automotive show Top Gear as its choice for the "greatest driving road in the world", although their search was concentrated only in Europe.
This conclusion was reached after the team went in search of a road that would satisfy every "petrolhead's" driving fantasies in the premiere of the show's 10th season. Top Gear later decided
Top Gear (series 14)
Top Gear returned for a 14th series, aired on BBC Two and BBC HD, on 15 November 2009, with the usual presenting team of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and The Stig. The series contained 7 episodes...
that the Transfăgărăşan
Transfagarasan
The Transfăgărășan or DN7C, also known as Ceaușescu's folly is the second-highest paved road in Romania, and considered by some to be the most dramatic...
Highway in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
was possibly a superior driving road.
In 2008, Moto Guzzi
Moto Guzzi
Moto Guzzi is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer. It is one of seven brands owned by Piaggio.Established in 1921 in Mandello del Lario, Italy, the company is noted for its central historic role in Italy's motorcycling manufacture, its prominence worldwide in motorcycle racing, and a series of...
started selling a Stelvio model, named after the famous mountain pass.
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes
- TrollstigenTrollstigenTrollstigen is a mountain road in Rauma, Norway, part of Norwegian National Road 63 connecting Åndalsnes in Rauma and Valldal in Norddal. It is a popular tourist attraction due to its steep incline of 9% and eleven hairpin bends up a steep mountain side...
