Formation of Alps in Switzerland - Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona 1179; Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps 1363; Avalanche risk management 01380; Alpinism 01471; Alpine pasture season 01966
What and Why
The Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona (German: Weltnaturerbe TektonikArena Sardona) is a major mountain thrust fault caused by the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates 100 million years ago! This major shearing action not only formed the mountain range Alps as we know it, but also created various geological formations around the Alpine region, the Glarus thrust (Glarner Überschiebung) being one of them. The Glarus thrust is an area of intense geological activities that took place during the same period when older mountain ranges of 250 million years old were pushed upwards and folded in the inside on top of younger, 50 million year-old, ranges. This geological feature is clearly visible by a clear horizontal 100 km line, as picture below, with the older darker rocks sitting on top of a younger paler rocks.
The total area of this tectonic activities covers more than 320 million m2 of land and mountain ranges, known as the Sardona Tectonic Arena with the entire map below. Much of the area sits above 3 km in altitude with the peak known as Piz Sardona, the word 'piz' being the Romansh word for 'peak'. The mountain range gives crucial clues to how mountains are formed and of course becomes an important area for scientific activities. Expectedly the region is extremely scenic and it also provides a focal area for agriculture, tourism and various alpine activities or alpinism, one of the ICHs.
Toponymy
The name Glarus comes from its old Latin name Clarona. This in turn is derived from the word 'clārōnam' meaning 'clear'.
Sardona derives from the same Latin word which alludes to a plant from the island of Sardinia. The plant, when consumed, will produce uncontrolled laughter leading to the english word 'sardonic'. How this plant eventually became adopted as a local toponym is untraceable.
See
As the map above suggests the area is massive and vast and there is no way to cover the entire region. During our road trip we drove from the blogged Saint Gallen (Sankt Gallen) and reached Maienfeld and then to Piz Sardona. We shall follow the reverse route to illustrate where we had been.
Piz Sardona
Piz Sardona is 3 km high peak that overlooks the entire region. Incredibly the climb is moderately easy and it takes slightly more than three hours for the ascent from the station Sardona Hut (Sardonahütte). We lazy people only drove the station, took a picture and continued driving to other locations.
The drive from Sardona to our next station Saint Moritz (Sankt Moritz) via the Albula Pass (Albulapass) is an adventurous journey of its own, as if we were driving in Mars, reminding me of the movie Interstellar. The journey was forced upon us as our original route via Davos was closed due to snow. See for yourself.
Along the way we saw a large number of structures to control avalanche, for instance the snow fence (Schneezaun) or snow bridge (Schneebrücke), and various plantations to manage the disaster. These permanent structures slow, stop, divert, or prevent snow from moving; or in anyway reduce the amount of snow or destructive force resulted. The above picture we saw along one of the mountain slopes near Piz Sardona shows a series of snow bridge, which holds the snow along its slanted side.
The way Swiss has dealt with snow and avalanche is not limited to technologies and engineering. There are practices, education and rituals that have been passed on generations after generations through formal and informal means, and eventually it becomes a culture and subject of its own. The Swiss have clearly earned themselves a reputation of snow experts and even managed to establish these techniques and know-hows of avalanche management as an entry to ICH.
Heidiland
Heidi, written by Johanna Spyri in the 1880 CE, is one of the world's best-selling children novel and is probably the best-known Swiss literature. Since Heidi is a story based in Maienfeld, it is natural to build a theme park around the novel in the town, and that was where we went for a short break. However it must be said that the park is nothing short of a disappointment, compared to the novel itself.
The highlight of this side trip turns out to be our encounter with Alpine pasture season. The pasture season starts in May and ends in October every year when cattles are driven up to high altitude (above 500 m altitude) to take advantage of the extra forage. This practice started since the Middle Ages and is well documented. In particular cheesemaking is a major economic activity that is conducted during this period.
The alpine pasture season has given rise to the knowledge and skills needed to maintain the sites, cattles and utensils, as well as to a variety of social practices. These include rituals, costumes, local calendar celebrations such as the Alpaufzug (alpine cattle ascent in late Spring), Alpabzug (alpine cattle descent in Autumn) and, depending on the region, cow beauty pageant. These customs are passed on within the families and through practice and become part of the local culture, other than being agronomy alone.
One interesting thing to notice about cow-husbandry is each cow's own cowbell. It turns out that each cowbell is unique so shepherds can identify the movement of each individual cow through the tunes from each bell. Different bells have specific sounds to identify important characteristics of the animals, such as age, sex, and species. When these cows graze the fields together, the ringing of these cowbells do make a beautiful tune that actually accompanies the equally scenic landscape, as movie above. Never thought about that before coming to Maienfeld.
Glarus
While the entire WHS is centred around the city Glarus, the city itself is rather small and uninteresting. The only reason to come to the city is to visit the main visitor centre Naturzentrum Glarus to prepare for the hike up Piz Sardona. The city itself is one of the smallest cities in Switzerland (Schweiz) with a population of around 70,000.
Glarus however retains one of the oldest form of direct democracy where everyone's view really counts, called Landsgemeide. Every year the citizens of the city assemble on the main square in Glarus and discuss, vote and decide openly on state businesses together in person. As many as 50% of the citizens will take part in the Landsgemeide event in Glarus, and they cast non-secret ballots by raising their hands. Clearly one cannot be part of Landsgemeide, but there are actually visitor stands to watch the unfolding of the event!
Rappelswil-Jona-Technikum
The site Rappelswil-Jona-Technikum is one of the many sites of prehistoric pile dwellings in Europe as blogged in Constance (Konstanz). This set of pile dwellings have now fully submerged in the lake and are no longer visible. What remains is just a reconstruction of a wooden causeway, called Holzbrücke Rapperswil-Hurden that leads to a view of these former settlements, which apparently is the longest wooden bridge in the country. This bridge is a reconstruction of a similar causeway that dates back to the Bronze Age.
Buy and Do
Toboggan
The mountainous terrain of Switzerland offers a unique attraction: toboggan. These toboggans are not the usual snow-based one, but rather a sledge on a metal track or rail like a modern roller coaster. In general, while it does look dangerous, it is actually reasonably safe and is good for children. The view and the ride are both worth the price.
The secret to ride on these toboggan is actually not to slow. Slowing or braking too much actually increases the chance of flipping the sleigh; not to mention the likelihood of being hit by the sleigh behind. It is therefore also important to ensure sufficient spacing between sleighs to avoid collisions.
One thing to note: it is forbidden to carry your phone or do any videography during the ride, although many youtubers ignore this advice. This is extremely dangerous: not only will one loses grip of one's phone and sleigh, the device may actually fly and the passengers get hit behind and there had been a number of injuries like this. The best bet is perhaps a head-worn Gopro.
We tried the one in Chur called the Churwalden Pradaschier, which at 3 km is the longest in Switzerland. Well worth the money!
Glarner Tüechli
Glarus is famous for its traditional red handkerchief called Glarner Tüechli, with a special pattern. The handkerchief does make a good souvenir.
Travel Suggestions and Logistics
We continued our road trip and hence drove all the way. It does not look possible that you would be able to reach any part of Sardona via public transport only. For a seasoned hiker or mountaineer, Sardona will have lots to offer and will easily take a few days to travel.
UNESCO Inscriptions
The Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona in the north-eastern part of the country covers a mountainous area of 32,850 ha which features seven peaks that rise above 3,000 m. The area displays an exceptional example of mountain building through continental collision and features .excellent geological sections through tectonic thrust, i.e. the process whereby older, deeper rocks are carried onto younger, shallower rocks. The site is distinguished by the clear three-dimensional exposure of the structures and processes that characterize this phenomenon and has been a key site for the geological sciences since the 18th century. The Glarus Alps are glaciated mountains rising dramatically above narrow river valleys and are the site of the largest post-glacial landslide in the Central Alpine region.
This serial property of 111 small individual sites encompasses the remains of prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements in and around the Alps built from around 5000 to 500 B.C. on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands. Excavations, only conducted in some of the sites, have yielded evidence that provides insight into life in prehistoric times during the Neolithic and Bronze Age in Alpine Europe and the way communities interacted with their environment. Fifty-six of the sites are located in Switzerland. The settlements are a unique group of exceptionally well-preserved and culturally rich archaeological sites, which constitute one of the most important sources for the study of early agrarian societies in the region.
Avalanche risk management has shaped the identity of Alpine populations, as every winter they deal with the threat avalanches pose to inhabitants, tourists, means of communication and other vital infrastructure. Since the Alps are densely populated, the phenomenon of avalanches is a prime concern and a collective responsibility of the communities. For centuries, inhabitants and highlanders have developed local empirical knowledge, management and risk-avoidance strategies as well as cultural practices to guard themselves against avalanche hazards. Nowadays, modern tools such as measurement instruments and risk mapping complement traditional knowledge, which continues to be developed and adjusted on the ground by knowledge bearers. The element is entrenched in the everyday culture of the communities concerned and underscores the importance of solidarity in crisis situations. Assessing avalanche risks requires a sound knowledge of nature, especially the terrain, snow, weather conditions and past avalanches. While that knowledge was once transmitted verbally, nowadays it is the result of a dynamic process combining empirical knowledge and practical experience: knowledge is transferred from science to practice, and from the ground to research. Numerous training activities are offered, and those interested have access to a wide range of information sources such as avalanche bulletins, the media, checklists, websites, media, manuals and exhibitions.
Alpinism is the art of climbing up summits and walls in high mountains, in all seasons, in rocky or icy terrain. It involves physical, technical and intellectual abilities, using appropriate techniques, equipment and highly specific tools such as axes and crampons. Alpinism is a traditional, physical practice characterized by a shared culture made up of knowledge of the high-mountain environment, the history of the practice and associated values, and specific skills. Knowledge about the natural environment, changing weather conditions, and natural hazards is also essential. Alpinism is also based on aesthetic aspects: alpinists strive for elegant climbing motions, contemplation of the landscape, and harmony with the natural environment. The practice mobilizes ethical principles based on each individual’s commitment, such as leaving no lasting traces behind, and assuming the duty to provide assistance among practitioners. Another essential part of the alpinist mindset is the sense of team spirit, as represented by the rope connecting the alpinists. Most community members belong to alpine clubs, which spread alpine practices worldwide. The clubs organize group outings, disseminate practical information and contribute to various publications, acting as a driving force for alpinist culture. Since the 20th century, alpine clubs in all three countries have cultivated relationships through frequent bilateral or trilateral meetings at various levels.
In Switzerland, alpine pasture season refers to the period between May and October, when cattle, sheep and goats are driven to high-altitude pastures to take advantage of the extra forage. During this time, alpine farmers of all genders care for the animals, maintain the pastures, fences and buildings, process the milk into cheese and other products, and welcome visitors. The practice contributes to the preservation of natural landscapes and creates economic and social ties between the local populations and the alpine farmers. It has given rise to the knowledge and skills needed to maintain the sites, as well as to a variety of social and religious practices such as rituals, prayers and blessings, traditional clothing, livestock competitions and local festivities. The knowledge, skills, and customs of the alpine pasture season, including farming and cheesemaking, are often transmitted informally, within families and their seasonal employees or among members of alpine societies and cooperatives. They are also transmitted through regional training centres, cultural events and tourism. The alpine pasture season is a shared socio-cultural experience that unites farmers, villagers and the wider population. It is a strong identifying factor that features prominently in Swiss literature, music and visual and performing arts.
References
Comments
Please share your thoughts and comments about the blog. If you need suggestions to build a travel itinerary, please let me know. More than willing to help. I would also like to build a bespoke-travel community around UNESCO WHS and ICH.
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