Gornergrat Kulm Hotel, Hotel and astronomical observatory at Gornergrat, Switzerland
Gornergrat Kulm Hotel is a combined accommodation and research facility standing at 10,170 feet (3,100 meters) in the Swiss Alps. Two observatory towers house telescopes used for studying space and celestial objects.
A simple structure first appeared here in 1896 near the railway line. The current main building was constructed between 1897 and 1907 to accommodate the rising number of visitors and researchers.
Scientists and astronomers gather at the hotel's observatory throughout the year to conduct research using the KOSMA telescope in the southern tower.
Visitors reach the building by taking a cogwheel train from Zermatt to the mountaintop station. Expect cold weather and thin air at this elevation, so bring warm layers and move slowly if you are not accustomed to altitude.
The two observation towers were added in 1996, allowing scientific research and guest stays to operate side by side on the same mountaintop. This combination of professional astronomy work and tourism at this altitude is uncommon.
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