Matterhorn, Italian 'Monte Cervino', French 'Mont Cervin', is one of the best-known mountains (14,692 feet /4,478 metres) in the Alps, straddling the frontier between Switzerland and Italy, 6 miles (10 km) southwest of the village of Zermatt, Switzerland.

The name of the mountain comes from the German words Matte, meaning valley or meadow, and Horn, which means peak.

After a number of attempts, chiefly on the Italian side, the Matterhorn was first conquered from the Swiss arête on July 14, 1865, by the British explorer Edward Whymper, but four of his party fell to their deaths on the descent. Three days later it was scaled from the Italian side by a party of men from the village of Valtournanche, Italy, led by the Italian guide Giovanni Antonio Carrel. It is frequently ascended in summer, especially from Zermatt.

An arête is a narrow ridge of rock which separates two valleys.

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