Top 20 Mountain Passes in Leventina

The equestrian statue of Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov on the Gotthard Pass is a modern monument commemorating the historical crossing of the Alps by the Russian field marshal in 1799. It is not the well-known Suvorov monument in the Schöllenen gorge near Andermatt, but an independent equestrian statue in Ticino, created by the Russian sculptor Dmitri Nikitovich Tugarinov and inaugurated in 1999.

The old hospice on the Gotthard Pass was converted and extended into a 3-star hotel between 2008 and 2010. Architects Miller & Maranta and civil engineers Conzett Bronzini Gartmann created, in close collaboration, a modern structure that appears to have always existed in this location. It integrates naturally into the spatial and historical context, and its simplicity is reflected in the architecture and the supporting structure.

The Gotthard Pass is one of Switzerland's most famous and historic Alpine passes. Located at an altitude of 2,106 meters above sea level in the Lepontine Alps, it connects Central Europe to Southern Europe. Specifically, it serves as a direct road link between the Canton of Ticino (Airolo) and the Canton of Uri (Hospental). The summit and the massif can be crossed in various ways depending on travel needs: The New Pass Road: This is the modern, paved road variant, scenic and smooth during the summer months. La Tremola: The famous historic southern slope, characterized by 24 hairpin bends paved with porphyry, much loved by cyclists, motorcyclists, and nostalgics. The Road Tunnel (A2): The 16.9 km long motorway tunnel, open all year round, fast but often subject to traffic and queues. The Railway Tunnels: Including the pioneering tunnel from 1882 and the modern Gotthard Base Tunnel, at very high speed.

pretty here, very pretty

pretty here, very pretty

General Alexandr W. Suworow Monument, San Gottardo Alexander Suvorov 1729 or 1730 –1800) was a Russian general in service of the Russian Empire. He was the last Generalissimo of the Russian Empire. Suvorov is considered one of the greatest military commanders in Russian history. He was awarded numerous medals, titles, and honors by Russia, as well as by other countries. Suvorov secured Russia’s expanded borders and renewed military prestige and left a legacy of theories on warfare. He never lost a single major battle he had commanded. Suvorov is highly esteemed among Swiss people as he saved their country from the invasion of Napoleon. His troops took Saint Gothhard pass and the famous Devil’s Bridge, guarded by the French troops. The Swiss campaign was Suvorov’s last glorious campaign. He died soon after that in 1800. Contact, Kees van Tilburg, Kostverlorenweg 15, 1183TM Amstelveen, The Netherlands https://equestrianstatue.org/suvorov-alexander-4/

Cappella di San Gottardo - Chapel at the Gotthard Hospice The St. Gotthard Pass was first used as a pass starting in the 13th century, and the hospice, built at the behest of Milanese Archbishop Galdino (1171), also dates from this period. A chapel was built alongside the hospice on the site of a small church dating back to the 9th/10th century. It was rebuilt towards the end of the 18th century at the instigation of the Capuchins, who managed the hospice until 1799. Text / Source: Agenzia turistica ticinese SA https://www.ticino.ch/de/commons/details/Kapelle-beim-Gotthard-Hospiz/4741.html#:~:text=Der%20Sankt%20Gotthard%20wur de%20as%20Pass%C3%BCtransition%20first%20from,century%20,%20a%20chapel%20was%20built%20side%20of%20hospice%20.

St. Gotthard Pass The Gotthard Pass divides waterways and connects various cultural and linguistic areas. Its significance as an "Alpine transversal" began at the beginning of the 13th century with the construction of the legendary Devil's Bridge in the Schöllenen Gorge. For many centuries, trade caravans (trading cattle and cheese for grain, wine, rice, and salt), mercenaries, messengers, and even entire armies crossed the pass. Between 1818 and 1836, the canton of Uri, with the help of other cantons, expanded the pass road, thus achieving its predominance among Swiss Alpine passes. The Gotthard Pass has significantly shaped the economy and culture of Central Switzerland for centuries. Until the opening of the Gotthard Railway in 1882, the Gotthard Pass was also used in winter. Dozens of roadmen and shovel workers were employed for this purpose. In 1922, the post bus replaced the stagecoach, and with the introduction of gasoline duties in 1923, the expansion of the pass roads began, continuing to this day. The old pass road on the south side, the Tremola between the top of the pass and Airolo, is still preserved and passable. This stretch of road recalls more tranquil journeys over the Gotthard that occurred not so long ago. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Gotthard Pass was "condensed" into a myth, a symbol of Switzerland's independence, unity, and identity. Text / Source: Interest Group for Alpine Passes IAP, PO Box 11, 6491 Realp https://alpen-paesse.ch/de/alpenpaesse/gotthardpass