Splügen Pass, Switzerland Sep 16, 2023

Splügen Pass, Switzerland

With their twists and turns, record heights and breathtaking vistas, mountain roads like Umling La and Pico de Veleta are steeped in history. One such route of the Lepontine Alps - Splügen Pass - is pictured here today. Located on the border of Switzerland and Italy, the 2,114-metre-high pass is one of the highest paved roads in Europe. Although its modern form was built between 1818-1823, the Splügen Pass is rich in history with links to Roman times. The pass has been much quieter since the nearby San Bernardino road tunnel opened in 1967. The now quiet pass, which has 51 marked hairpin bends, remains closed during winter. So, if spectacular mountainside views and picturesque lakes tickle your fancy, you can enjoy this ascent between June and mid-October. Has your interest in a Swiss-sational time "peaked" yet?

© Roberto Moiola/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Nimble and stealthy
Sep 16, 2024Wallabies at sunrise, Australia
Sep 16, 2025Nighttime view over the Gulf Coast

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 15, 2024Yi Peng lantern festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Mar 29, 2026Peggys Point Lighthouse, Atlantic Coast, Nova Scotia, Canada
Feb 21, 2025Champaka Sarasi, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
Aug 23, 2024Prasat Phanom Rung temple ruins, Thailand
May 4, 2025Mysuru Palace, Mysuru, Karnataka
Nov 14, 2024Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria, Italy
Jun 9, 2024Bardenas Reales Biosphere Reserve and Natural Park, Navarra, Spain
Aug 20, 2025The citadel in Bonifacio, Southern Corsica, France
Jan 28, 2026Whanganui National Park, Retaruke, New Zealand
Feb 18, 2024Sperm whale pod surfacing
A plant for all occasions
Fourth rock from the sun
Stealthy pollinators
We’ve identified these ‘flying objects’
When just a pinch of salt won’t do
Postcard from Italy
Come on, guys, this way!
Sep 28, 2024Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida, USA
What are these predators doing?
Jan 9, 2024Gayathri Reservoir, Karnataka, India
Im ready for my close-up, Mr. DeSquirrel
Aug 19, 2025Spotted eagle rays
Why is this cliffside ablaze?
Oct 2, 2024Gandhi Jayanti
Oct 29, 2024Great horned owl
103 years of Zion
May 12, 2025An iris garden in Tokyo, Japan
Mar 8, 2024International Womens Day
Jul 9, 2025Independence Day of the Argentine Republic
Apr 28, 2026Spectacled bear resting in tree, Ecuador