In the middle of the vast European continent, there is a majestic mountain range. The top of the mountain is snow-capped all year round. This is the Alps, known as the backbone of Europe.
Is the highest, largest, and longest stretching mountain range in Europe. The Alps cover southeastern France, the northern border of Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, southern Germany, Austria, and Slovenia from west to east.
Since the Alps are located between temperate and subtropical latitudes, they also have 128 peaks that are more than 4,000 meters above sea level. It provides excellent conditions for the breeding of various natural ecosystems and is known as the palace of nature.
The Alps emerged during the Alpine orogeny. Alpine orogeny began about 70 million years ago, near the end of the Mesozoic.
During the Mesozoic, rivers washed and deposited eroded materials on the sea floor, where they slowly turned into horizontal rock layers consisting of limestone, clay, shale, and sandstone. These layers were gradually lifted several tens of kilometers to cover the rocks that were originally higher on the surface.
This is how those famous horizontal folds in the Alps were formed. After the massive extrusion of the strata ended, more than a billion years of weathering led to the magnificent wonders of the Alps today.
The highest peak in the Alps is Mont Blanc, at 4,810 meters above sea level. The highest mountain in Western Europe and the highest mountain in Europe, known as Europe's backbone. This peak is covered with snow all year round and is the origin of many rivers.
Among the many mountains in the Alps, there is another distinctive peak that looks like a young girl standing on her head, and that is the famous Jungfrau.
At an altitude of 4,185 meters, Maiden Peak is known as the top of Europe and is listed on the United Nations Natural Heritage List, along with the Aletsch Glacier, which is located at its foot.
The Maiden's Peak, with its year-round snow, is named for its beauty and purity and is often surrounded by clouds, making it look like a mysterious and shy girl.
The Jungfrau is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Switzerland. With more than 100 years of experience, the Jungfrau Tooth Train transports visitors directly from the base of the mountain to the highest train station in Europe at an altitude of 3,454 meters.
During the two-and-a-half-hour journey to the iceberg, visitors will be able to take in the beautiful scenery outside their windows.
The Alps are also home to one of Switzerland's longest glaciers, the Aletsch Glacier. Located in the Bernese Mountains in south-central Switzerland, the Aletsch Glacier is the largest and longest glacier in the Alps.
Fourteen miles long, 900 meters deep, and weighing approximately 27 billion tons, the Aletsch Glacier looks like a frozen highway that cuts across the mountain range.
The snowy peaks, glaciers, and sea of clouds of the Alps form a magnificent picture rarely seen in the world, and the Alps have become one of nature's most outstanding works of art.