Alps
Name Height Range Country Name Height Range Country
Mont Blanc 4,810 m ( 15,781 ft ) Graian Alps ITA FRA Dent d'Hérens 4,171 m ( 13,684 ft ) Pennine Alps ITA CHE
Monte Rosa 4,634 m ( 15,203 ft ) Pennine Alps ITA CHE Jungfrau 4,158 m ( 13,642 ft ) Bernese Alps CHE
Dom 4,545 m ( 14,911 ft ) Pennine Alps CHE Aiguille Verte 4,122 m ( 13,524 ft ) Graian Alps FRA
Weisshorn 4,506 m ( 14,783 ft ) Pennine Alps CHE Mönch 4,107 m ( 13,474 ft ) Bernese Alps CHE
Matterhorn 4,478 m ( 14,692 ft ) Pennine Alps ITA CHE Barre des Écrins 4,102 m ( 13,458 ft ) Dauphiné Alps FRA
Dent Blanche 4,357 m ( 14,295 ft ) Pennine Alps CHE Schreckhorn 4,078 m ( 13,379 ft ) Bernese Alps CHE
Grand Combin 4,314 m ( 14,154 ft ) Pennine Alps CHE Ober Gabelhorn 4,063 m ( 13,330 ft ) Pennine Alps CHE
Finsteraarhorn 4,273 m ( 14,019 ft ) Bernese Alps CHE Gran Paradiso 4,061 m ( 13,323 ft ) Graian Alps ITA
Grandes Jorasses 4,208 m ( 13,806 ft ) Graian Alps ITA FRA Piz Bernina 4,049 m ( 13,284 ft ) Bernina Range ITA CHE
Rimpfischhorn 4,199 m ( 13,776 ft ) Pennine Alps CHE Weissmies 4,017 m ( 13,179 ft ) Pennine Alps ITA CHE
Aletschhorn 4,193 m ( 13,757 ft ) Bernese Alps CHE Lagginhorn 4,010 m ( 13,156 ft ) Pennine Alps ITA CHE
`` Four-thousanders '' and ascents
See also : List of Alpine four-thousanders The Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme ( UIAA ) has defined a list of 82 `` official '' Alpine summits that reach at least 4,000 m ( 13,123 ft ) . [ 41 ] The list includes not only mountains , but also subpeaks with little prominence that are considered important mountaineering objectives . Below are listed the 22 `` four-thousanders '' with at least 500 m ( 1,640 ft ) of prominence . While Mont Blanc was first climbed in 1786 , most of the Alpine four-thousanders were climbed during the second half of the 19th century ; the ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 marked the end of the golden age of alpinism . Karl Blodig ( 1859–1956 ) was among the first to successfully climb all the major 4,000 m peaks . He completed his series of ascents in 1911 . [ 42 ] The first British Mont Blanc ascent was in 1788 ; the first female ascent in 1819 . By the mid-1850s Swiss mountaineers had ascended most of the peaks and were eagerly sought as mountain guides . Edward Whymper reached the top of the Matterhorn in 1865 ( after seven attempts ) , and in 1938 the last of the six great north faces of the Alps was climbed with the first ascent of the Eiger Nordwand ( north face of the Eiger ) . [ 43 ]
The Alps (/ælps/; French: Alpes [alp]; German: Alpen [ˈalpn̩] (listen); Italian: Alpi [ˈalpi]; Romansh: Alps; Slovene: Alpe [ˈáːlpɛ]) are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe,[note 1] and stretching approximately 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia. The mountains were formed over tens of millions of years as the African and Eurasian tectonic plates collided. Extreme shortening caused by the event resulted in marine sedimentary rocks rising by thrusting and folding into high mountain peaks such as Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. Mont Blanc spans the French-Italian border, and at 4,810 m (15,781 ft) is the highest mountain in the Alps. The Alpine region area contains about a hundred peaks higher than 4,000 metres (13,000 ft). The altitude and size of the range affects the climate in Europe; in the mountains precipitation levels vary greatly and climatic conditions consist of distinct zones. Wildlife such as ibex live in the higher peaks to elevations of 3,400 m (11,155 ft), and plants such as Edelweiss grow in rocky areas in lower elevations as well as in higher elevations. Evidence of human habitation in the Alps goes back to the Palaeolithic era. A mummified man, determined to be 5,000 years old, was discovered on a glacier at the Austrian-Italian border in 1991. By the 6th century BC, the Celtic La Tène culture was well established. Hannibal famously crossed the Alps with a herd of elephants, and the Romans had settlements in the region. In 1800, Napoleon crossed one of the mountain passes with an army of 40,000.