Andermatt

File:Pfarrkirche St.Peter und Paul in Andermatt.jpg

File:ETH-BIB-Andermatt, Oberalpstrasse-Inlandflüge-LBS MH01-006189.tif (1931)]]

Andermatt is in the Urseren valley, on the headwaters of the river Reuss and surrounded by the Adula Alps. Immediately to the north of Andermatt, the Reuss flows through the steeply descending Schöllenen Gorge (or "the Schöllenen") to Göschenen and further down the Reuss Valley to the north. It then flows, near Altdorf, into the Urnersee, part of Lake Lucerne. In the other three directions, the valley is linked by three Alpine passes: the Oberalp Pass (6,706 ft; 2,044 m) to the east, the St Gotthard Pass (6,909 ft; 2,106 m) to the south and the Furka Pass (7,992 ft; 2,436 m) to the west.{{cite map |url=https://s.geo.admin.ch/73b32384b1 |title=Andermat |map=4 - Map sheet 4 SE |map-url=https://shop.swisstopo.admin.ch/en/products/maps/national/lk200?layer=ch.swisstopo.landeskarte200_papier.metadata&product=4&productIdentifier=4#product-4 |scale=1:200'000 |series=National Map 1:200'000 |edition=2014 |publisher=Federal Office of Topography, Swiss Confederation – swisstopo |location=Wabern, Switzerland |isbn=978-3-302-00004-6 |via=map.geo.admin.ch |access-date=2017-07-05}}

Andermatt has an area, {{as of|2006|lc=on}}, of {{convert|62.2|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. Of this area, 40.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 5.5% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.7% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (52%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains). {{as of|1993|alt=In the 1993/97 land survey}}, 0.4% of the total land area was heavily forested, while 5.1% is covered in small trees and shrubbery. Of the agricultural land, 4.3% is used for orchards or vine crops and 36.5% is used for alpine pastures. Of the settled areas, 0.5% is covered with buildings, and 1.1% is transportation infrastructure. Of the unproductive areas, 0.5% is unproductive standing water (ponds or lakes), 1.0% is unproductive flowing water (rivers), 30.9% is too rocky for vegetation, and 19.7% is other unproductive land.[http://www.ur.ch/dateimanager/09.06.10_02_areal92_97_gemeinden.pdf Canton Uri - Ground use statistics] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707004706/http://www.ur.ch/dateimanager/09.06.10_02_areal92_97_gemeinden.pdf |date=2011-07-07 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 8 September 2009

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Andermatt serves as a crossroads between southern Switzerland and the north as well as between eastern Switzerland (i.e. Graubünden/Grisons) and western Switzerland, (i.e. Valais, Bern and the Swiss Romande). The village is connected by three Alpine passes: the Oberalp Pass (6,706 ft; 2,044 m.) to the east connecting the Surselva in the canton of Graubünden, the St Gotthard Pass (6,909 ft; 2,106 m.) to the south connecting with the Valle Leventina in canton of Ticino, and the Furka Pass (7,992 ft; 2,436 m.) to the west connecting with the Obergoms in canton of Valais. To the north the steeply descending Schöllenen Gorge links Andermatt with Göschenen and is the location of the famous Devil's Bridge.

Since the opening of the Schöllenen route, around 1200, Andermatt has been on the Gotthard route.

The town is served by a Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB) owned and operated railway station. The station is connected with Brig and Visp (Valais) and with the western terminus of the Rhaetian Railway at Disentis/Mustér (Grisons). There is also a very short branch line, the Schöllenenbahn, nowadays part of MGB, between Andermatt and Göschenen, at the northern end of the Gotthard Rail Tunnel, connecting with the Gotthard railway line.

File:Andermatt 9122.jpg

File:Gotthard Post.jpg

Archaeological finds dating back to 4000 BC indicate that the Urseren was already populated in the Neolithic period. During Roman times this Alpine valley was probably inhabited by some Helvetic Celtic tribes. However, the origins of Andermatt can only be traced back to Alemannic tribes, the Walsers, who established settlements in the area, where the current town of Andermatt is situated.

File:Joseph Mallord William Turner 028.jpg

The parish of Andermatt was not mentioned until 1203; it was held by the Benedictine Disentis Abbey. This first mention refers to it as de Prato. In 1290 it was mentioned as A der Matte. In 1649, with the emergence of an independent Swiss Confederation, the ecclesiastical rights of the Disentis monastery were revoked in favour of civil legislation.{{clarify|date=December 2024}}

In the Flight of the Earls, Irish earls lost a fortune in gold at the Devil's Bridge crossing the ravine on St Patrick's Day 1608. It has never been recovered and is known as the Lost Treasure of the St Gotthard Pass.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

Nearby Schöllenen Gorge is the site of a memorial commemorating the 1799 campaign of the Russian general Alexander Suvorov.

Between 1818–1831 the nearby St Gotthard Pass was made accessible to stagecoaches. As the last resort before the pass, Andermatt flourished economically and became a popular spa town.

However the opening in 1881 of the St Gotthard railway tunnel reversed the village's fortunes, as the tunnel runs immediately beneath it, connecting the Central Swiss town of Göschenen with Airolo in Ticino. Some Andermattians who worked on the tunnel were killed during its construction. A strike by the tunnel workers, furthermore, was put down by military force, killing a further four workers.

Since 1885, Andermatt has been a garrison town of the Swiss Federal Army. Here the infrastructure for the High Command of the Swiss Federal Army in the event of war was built. Today it is the location of a training centre of the Swiss army.{{cite web | url=http://www.heer.vbs.admin.ch/internet/heer/de/home/uber/ausbildung/kompzengebda.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070128150333/http://www.heer.vbs.admin.ch/internet/heer/de/home/uber/ausbildung/kompzengebda.html | archive-date=2007-01-28 | title=Komp Zen Geb D A }}

Plans to build a series of reservoirs in the valley of Andermatt, the Urseren, encountered fierce resistance by the locals in 1946 and were abandoned four years later.[https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/schweizer-geschichte/krawallnacht-rettet-andermatt-vor-dem-untergang-1.18695371 «Krawallnacht» rettet Andermatt vor dem Untergang] |Neue Zürcher Zeitung, February 15, 2016 A huge reservoir was built instead in the next valley, the Göschenertal.{{cite journal | url=http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-44946 | doi=10.5169/seals-44946 | date=1963 | last1=Ringwald | first1=Fritz | title=Das Kraftwerk Göschenen : Geographische Studie über die Nutzbarmachung der Reuss | journal=Geographica Helvetica | volume=18 | issue=4 | page=305 }}

Several avalanches, in particular in the winters of 1951 and 1975, have caused havoc in some residential areas of Andermatt, killing some residents.{{citation needed|date=January 2016}}

File:Hotel Furkablick East side 2.jpg, east side]]

By the 1930s the village's income from tourism had seriously declined, and many of the Ursental's hotels were abandoned or changed use. The Grand Hotel Bellevue, which was built by the aristocratic Müller family from neighbouring Hospental (who at one time or another owned many other hotels nearby including the Hotel Furkablick and Hotel Furka Passhöhe - as well as hotels in Flüelen, Alpnachstad, Herisau and Neuchâtel) was converted in the 1970s into apartments, but by 1990 it had been abandoned and was demolished with explosives. By the turn of the 21st century, as an alternative to the expensive ski resorts St Moritz and Gstaad, Andermatt steadily expanded its ski resort.{{citation needed||date=April 2025}} Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis are now three interconnected all-season resorts and serviced by the Glacier Express train.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250407-best-european-vacation-destinations | title=Nine European vacation destinations to visit in 2025 if it's not your first time | author1=Stacey Leasca | publisher=BBC Travel | date=9 April 2025 }}

Andermatt has a population (as of {{Swiss populations date|CH-UR}}) of {{Swiss populations|CH-UR|1202}}.{{Swiss populations ref|CH-UR}} {{as of|2007}}, 10.0% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years{{when|date=December 2024}} the population has decreased by −8.8%. Most of the population ({{as of|2000|lc=on}}) speaks German (95.2%), with Portuguese being second most common (1.0%) and Italian being third (0.9%).[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105172441/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html |date=2016-01-05 }} accessed 08-Sep-2009 {{as of|2007}} the gender distribution of the population was 50.8% male and 49.2% female.[http://www.ur.ch/dateimanager/09.06.09_01_espop_2007.pdf Uri Population statistics] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707004722/http://www.ur.ch/dateimanager/09.06.09_01_espop_2007.pdf |date=2011-07-07 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 8 September 2009

In Andermatt about 75.2% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule).

Andermatt has an unemployment rate of 0.9%. {{as of|2005}}, there were 51 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 22 businesses involved in this sector. 90 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 13 businesses in this sector. 599 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 78 businesses in this sector.

Between 1991 and 2020 Andermatt had an average of 139.4 days of rain per year and on average received {{convert|1423|mm|in|abbr=on}} of precipitation. The wettest month was November, with an average of {{convert|142|mm|in|abbr=on}} of precipitation and an average of 11.8 days with precipitation. The month with the most days of precipitation was June, with an average of 13.2, but with only {{convert|131|mm|in|abbr=on}} of precipitation. The driest month of the year was February with an average of {{convert|91|mm|in|abbr=on}} of precipitation over 11.4 days.{{cite web|url=http://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/web/de/klima/klima_schweiz/tabellen.html |title=Temperature and Precipitation Average Values-Table, 1961-1990 |access-date=8 May 2009 |publisher=Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology - MeteoSwiss |language=de, fr, it |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090627163841/http://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/web/de/klima/klima_schweiz/tabellen.html |archive-date=27 June 2009 }}. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Andermatt has a subarctic climate, abbreviated "dfc" on climate maps.[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=590604&cityname=Andermatt%2C+Uri%2C+Switzerland&units= Climate Summary for Andermatt]

{{Weather box

|location = Andermatt, elevation {{convert|1435|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020)

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|Jan high C = 0.4

|Feb high C = 1.5

|Mar high C = 4.5

|Apr high C = 8.5

|May high C = 12.5

|Jun high C = 17.0

|Jul high C = 19.4

|Aug high C = 18.6

|Sep high C = 14.2

|Oct high C = 11.1

|Nov high C = 5.4

|Dec high C = 1.6

| year high C = 9.6

|Jan mean C = -3.7

|Feb mean C = -3.2

|Mar mean C = -0.4

|Apr mean C = 4.0

|May mean C = 7.8

|Jun mean C = 11.5

|Jul mean C = 13.8

|Aug mean C = 13.3

|Sep mean C = 9.3

|Oct mean C = 6.3

|Nov mean C = 1.5

|Dec mean C = -2.6

| year mean C = 4.8

|Jan low C = -8.1

|Feb low C = -8.2

|Mar low C = -4.3

|Apr low C = -0.4

|May low C = 3.7

|Jun low C = 6.8

|Jul low C = 8.7

|Aug low C = 8.5

|Sep low C = 5.2

|Oct low C = 2.1

|Nov low C = -2.6

|Dec low C = -6.8

| year low C = 0.4

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 99.4

|Feb precipitation mm = 91.2

|Mar precipitation mm = 102.8

|Apr precipitation mm = 108.5

|May precipitation mm = 133.9

|Jun precipitation mm = 131.3

|Jul precipitation mm = 112.5

|Aug precipitation mm = 133.7

|Sep precipitation mm = 130.0

|Oct precipitation mm = 125.3

|Nov precipitation mm = 142.2

|Dec precipitation mm = 112.5

|year precipitation mm = 1423.3

| Jan snow cm = 106.4

| Feb snow cm = 110.8

| Mar snow cm = 89.4

| Apr snow cm = 65.2

| May snow cm = 18.3

| Jun snow cm = 1.3

| Jul snow cm = 0.1

| Aug snow cm = 0.0

| Sep snow cm = 2.4

| Oct snow cm = 24.9

| Nov snow cm = 81.7

| Dec snow cm = 112.2

| year snow cm = 611.7

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

| Jan precipitation days = 11.2

| Feb precipitation days = 10.3

| Mar precipitation days = 11.5

| Apr precipitation days = 11.5

| May precipitation days = 12.9

| Jun precipitation days = 13.2

| Jul precipitation days = 12.3

| Aug precipitation days = 12.7

| Sep precipitation days = 10.4

| Oct precipitation days = 10.2

| Nov precipitation days = 11.8

| Dec precipitation days = 11.4

| year precipitation days = 139.4

|unit snow days = 1.0 cm

| Jan snow days = 11.2

| Feb snow days = 11.4

| Mar snow days = 9.9

| Apr snow days = 6.2

| May snow days = 2.0

| Jun snow days = 0.2

| Jul snow days = 0.0

| Aug snow days = 0.0

| Sep snow days = 0.4

| Oct snow days = 2.6

| Nov snow days = 7.7

| Dec snow days = 12.0

| year snow days = 63.6

| Jan humidity = 75

| Feb humidity = 75

| Mar humidity = 74

| Apr humidity = 72

| May humidity = 73

| Jun humidity = 75

| Jul humidity = 75

| Aug humidity = 77

| Sep humidity = 77

| Oct humidity = 75

| Nov humidity = 77

| Dec humidity = 77

| year humidity = 75

|Jan sun = 58.4

|Feb sun = 80.9

|Mar sun = 133.3

|Apr sun = 156.3

|May sun = 149.1

|Jun sun = 190.4

|Jul sun = 206.0

|Aug sun = 182.8

|Sep sun = 155.1

|Oct sun = 110.4

|Nov sun = 81.3

|Dec sun = 59.7

|year sun =

| source 1 = NOAA{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20241211031718/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/5.5/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Switzerland/CSV/Andermatt_06695.csv

| archive-date = 11 December 2024

| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/5.5/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Switzerland/CSV/Andermatt_06695.csv

| title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020

| work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = 11 December 2024}}

|source 2 = MeteoSwiss{{cite web

| url = https://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/product/output/climate-data/climate-diagrams-normal-values-station-processing/ANT/climsheet_ANT_np9120_e.pdf

| title = Climate Normals Andermatt (Reference period 1991−2020)

| publisher = Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, MeteoSwiss

| access-date = 20 January 2022}} Infoclimat{{cite web

| url = https://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie/normales-records/1991-2020/andermatt/valeurs/06695.html

| title = Normales et records pour la période 1991-2020 Andermatt

| publisher=Infoclimat

| access-date = 13 December 2024}}

}}

{{main|Skiarena Andermatt-Sedrun}}

Andermatt has two main ski areas in the winter. Nätschen is a mountain located on the north-east side of Andermatt. Gemsstock is a mountain located on the southern side of Andermatt. Both areas are accessible by ski lifts running up from the village, and have valley runs which are open until around mid-March. Additionally, Nätschen is accessible by the railway. There are plans to overhaul the ski areas, and connect Nätschen with the neighbouring slopes of Oberalp, which are currently only accessible by train, however they are a part of the whole ski area.

Andermatt's mountains are popular for their off-piste, deep snow characteristics.

Andermatt's concert hall became the first purpose-built arts venue in an Alpine village, with Constantinos Carydis conducting the Berlin Philharmonic on the venue's opening night. The London-based architect Christina Seilern designed the space and Samih Sawiris funded it.{{Cite news |title=Andermatt concert hall brings high culture to Alpine ski village |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jun/19/andermatt-concert-hall-alpine-ski-village |last=Tilden |first=Imogen |date=2019-06-19 |access-date=2022-06-21 |work=The Guardian}}

The gas station Aurora, near the Gemsstock departure, appears in the James Bond movie Goldfinger. Bond fills up his Aston Martin there after a car chase on the Furka pass.

In November 2012 Andermatt appeared on the British television series The Gadget Show, where presenters Jason Bradbury and Pollyanna Woodward were testing electric bicycles, scooters, and several mobile phone photo editing applications, on the hills of Nätschen.{{cite web|url=http://www.channel5.com/shows/the-gadget-show/episodes/episode-3-437|title =The Gadget Show - Switzerland}} 8 January 2013

• Felix Maria Diogg (1762–1834), Classicism portrait painter
• Bernhard Russi (born August 20, 1948), ski champion and Winter Olympics gold medallist

File:Andermatt Dorf.jpg|A view of Andermatt from Nätschen looking west through the Urseren towards Hospental in front below the Pizzo d'Orsino/Winterhorn (2661 m) and the Furka Pass (2429 m) in the back (August 2007)

File:Andermatt pl.jpg|The Unteralpreuss flowing through Andermatt

File:Andermatt from Pazola.jpg|Andermatt from Pazolastock/Piz Nurschalas (2739 m) looking west through the Urseren towards the Bernese Alps with the Finsteraarhorn (4274 m) in the middle

File:Andermatt river.JPG|The Unteralpreuss flowing through Andermatt

File:CH-NB Photoglob-Wehrli EAD-WEHR-32052-B.tiff|Andermatt by Eduard Spelterini, ca. 1903

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Category:Municipalities of the canton of Uri

Category:Ski areas and resorts in Switzerland