The Great St Bernard Pass is the third highest road pass in Switzerland, at an elevation of 2,469 m (8,100 ft). It connects Martigny in the canton of Valais in Switzerland with Aosta in the region Aosta Valley in Italy. It is the lowest pass lying on the ridge between the two highest mountains of the Alps, Mont Blanc and Monte Rosa. It is located on the main watershed that separates the basin of the Rhône from that of the Po.
View of the pass and hospice from Great St Bernard Lake with Mont Vélan in background
View of the pass from the international border. A Swiss Customs post is visible on the left
Great St Bernard Hospice at the top of the Great St Bernard Pass, occupying both sides of the modern road. The old Roman road, serving as hiking path, is visible on the left.
St Bernard dog with barrel
A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since mountain ranges can present formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both human and animal migration throughout history. At lower elevations it may be called a hill pass. A mountain pass is typically formed between two volcanic peaks or created by erosion from water or wind.
Sani Pass in Mokhotlong, Lesotho
Idealised mountain pass represented as the green line; the saddle point is in red.
Col between Kensgriff and Yarlsidine in the Howgill Fells, England
Stelvio Pass in the Alps (Italy)
