An excursion to the stars

The observatory on the Gornergrat offers breathtaking views of space. Urs and Leandra took part in the trip to the stars. 

On the trail of the constellations 

It is a clear and cloudless night when Urs arrives in the dome room together with his granddaughter, the two of them holding hands. Together with other guests, the two listen to Peter Salzmann. He is a star guide and tells them everything about the constellations. 

Urs is a passionate astronomer. Even as a young boy, he was fascinated by the sky and the solar system. His father gave him his first telescope at the age of 9. Since then, Urs has been under the spell of the stars. He is delighted to share this passion with his granddaughter Leandra. The 8-year-old looks through the telescope in the observatory and is able to see the stars up close.  

The most beautiful night sky in Central Europe 

The Kulmhotel on the Gornergrat is ideally suited for viewing the stars.  

The Kulmhotel: a special place 

When Urs and his granddaughter return to the valley on the Gornergrat Railway, Leandra wants to find out more about the town.  

”The Kulmhotel we just visited is the highest hotel in the Swiss Alps. It took 10 years to build and has 22 rooms,” explains Urs. “I used to come here a lot with your grandmother. This is where we started many mountaineering tours to the many surrounding peaks.” Leandra is amazed. “The construction of the cog railway brought many tourists to the top of the Gornergrat, which is why the municipality of Zermatt built the Kulmhotel,” Urs continues. “I'm pleased about that! Now we can even see the Milky Way from here,” says Leandra.  

Gornergrat Bahn

125 years of fascination