One of my favorite sights in Switzerland is the "queen of the mountains" called the Rigi. Located at the heart of Central Switzerland between the lake Lucerne and the lake Zug, mount Rigi is easily accessible from all four points of the compass. With its height of around 1800 meters (5'905 feet) above sea level, the Rigi can not be counted among the highest mountains in Switzerland, however it offers a breathtaking view, if you are lucky with the weather.
"picture I took at the top of the Rigi"
Location of the mountain
The whole mountain massif is almost entirely surrounded by the waters of three lakes, namely the Lake Zug, the Lake Lucerne and the Lake Lauerz. The mountain itself is divided between the three cantons (similar to the different states in the US) of Schwyz and Lucerne, although the main summit, called the Rigi Kulm lies within the canton of Schwyz.
History and naming of the mountain
Already in the Middle Ages the first living things inhabited the Rigi. Cave bears and hyenas sought shelter in the caves of the mountain. Due to its beauty and vast plant diversity one became aware of the mountain early on. On foot or in sedan chairs people tried to climb up the mountain to enjoy its beauty.
First mentioned in 1479 by (Albrecht von Bonstetten), who was a high catholic priest - the name Rigi was attributed from the Latin word (Regina montium), which roughly translated means "The Queen of the Mountains", which was supposed to characterize the majesty and beauty of the mountain.
The "Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn", a new cog railway was introduced in May 1871, as the first mountain railway in Europe. This made the trip up the Rigi more comfortable and accessible to everyone.
On the picture (1) you can see the steam locomotive of the Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn, when it was introduced in 1871. The second picture (2) is a picture I took of the new train, which runs since 1937 on electricity
What can you see on the Rigi?
First and foremost the Rigi offers a stunning and unforgettable view over Central Switzerland. I spent the day hiking with my grandparents and taking pictures of the scenery and was absolutely thrilled of the view. There is also a small restaurant at the top called the Rigi Kulm hotel with traditional Swiss meals, such as Fondue. If you are interested in a Spa weekend, there is a Hotel "Rigi-Kaltbad" with an outside pool, where you can see the beauty of the mountains, however be prepared to pay a lot ;).
"pictures of the Rigi I took"
What are the prices?
A normal day pass for the "Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn" will set you back 36 CHF (around 37 USD or 30 EUR). The meals in the restaurant are however a bit pricey. It can cost up to 30 Dollars for a normal lunch, so it is worth it to take your own picnic with you. The average cost per night and person at the Spa hotel Rigi Kaltbad is around 150-200 USD. However there is also a day admission for the Mineralbad & Spa area for around 37 CHF (38 USD or 31 EUR), so be prepared to pack your bathing suit with you ;).
Last short words
I hope you guys enjoyed the post. If you are interested about visiting the Rigi and want to have some more information about it you can visit the Rigi main page or if you want to know more about the Hotel just take a look here: Rigi Kaltbad. I also found a cool page for 360 photos of the Rigi in winter here.
I would be very glad for some feedback and if you guys would like to see more such posts about Switzeland. So if you want to see more, don't forget to:
Sources:
https://www.rigi.ch/
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigi