HIGH ALTITUDE RESEARCH STATIONS - JUNGFRAUJOCH

The Jungfraujoch is accessible all year round by the Jungfrau Railway. Possible routes: Interlaken East - Lauterbrunnen - Kleine Scheidegg - Jungfraujoch/Interlaken East - Grindelwald - Kleine Scheidegg - Jungfraujoch. The spectacular Jungfraujoch - the Sphinx Observatory - lies between the two peaks Jungfrau and Mönch at an altitude of 3,466 m in the Bernese Alps, on the border between the cantons of Bern and Valais, not far from the Aletsch glacier. It can be reached by the Jungfrau Railway from the Kleine Scheidegg railway pass, with a partly underground route that is worth the detour alone, which passes through the rock of the Eiger and Mönch, arriving at the railway station located at an altitude of 3,454 m, the highest in Europe!

The construction of the railway line made it possible to build such an infrastructure in such an incredible location. The beginnings of such a project date back to the inauguration of Mount Washington (New Hampshire, USA) in 1869, the first cog railway in the world, even before that of Mount Rigi in Switzerland, dating from 1871, the first cog railway in Europe. One of the main constraints encountered in its construction was not technical, but physiological: at the time, people wondered how the human body would react to such a rapid ascent to such an altitude It was finally in 1893 that Adolf Guyer-Zeller, an industrialist and railway enthusiast from the Zurich Oberland, imposed his plan: he advised that the railway line should not start from the valley near Lauterbrunnen, but from the station at the top of the Wengernalp railway line at Kleine Scheidegg. This was an ambitious project, crossing exceptional mountain ranges, with four stations created along the way. Adolf Guyer also insisted that the train's engine be powered by electricity, a technology that was still in its infancy at the time. The final go-ahead was given when reassuring physiological tests were carried out during various expeditions from Zermatt, with guinea pig travellers being placed in sedan chairs on mules and then rapidly ascended to high altitude (!). Construction began in 1896 and proceeded in successive stages. Several tragedies delayed the progress of the work, including the sudden death of Adolf Guyer-Zeller, only six months after the opening of the first section, and the accidental explosion of 30 tons of dynamite in 1908! The railway line was finally completed in 1912, almost 10 years late. Now modernized, this train allows passengers to travel quickly and safely to the observatory. Opening this incredible place to scientists from all over the world was a feat in the 1930s when countries were closing in on themselves. The site is steeped in history and consists of several buildings. First, the High Altitude Research Station, inaugurated in 1931, where scientists work on vast research in fields as diverse as physiology, meteorology, glaciology, radiation, astronomy, etc. The Sphinx Observatory, the site's landmark, dates from 1937; its astronomical dome from 1950. The research station includes five laboratories, a pavilion for research on cosmic rays (a particularly favourable area at high altitude), a mechanical workshop, a library, a kitchen, a living room, ten bedrooms, two bathrooms and accommodation for the guards. The Sphinx Observatory includes two large laboratories, a meteorological observation station, a workshop, two terraces for scientific experiments, an astronomical and meteorological dome. The astronomical dome is no longer used for astronomical research but is still equipped with a 76 cm diameter telescope. Many scientific advances have been made at the station, such as the measurement of cosmic radiation. It was also at an altitude of more than 3,400 m that Marcel Migeotte (Belgian) succeeded in determining the solar spectrum with precision. At present, the meteorological station focuses all its missions on the environment and climate and on the analysis of the air composition. The values of the research centre are maintained through the joint work of international teams. At 3,470 m above sea level, it is necessary to get used to working at high altitude. Researchers stay for an average of several weeks and have to work as a team on a simple, comfortable platform in close quarters. Everything is more difficult, such as heating the water, because at this altitude the water boils at 86 degrees, not 100! The Jungfraujoch has to be earned and adopted, and not everyone can do this.

Unfortunately, these scientific areas are not accessible to the public... But the site is so spectacular, and the view of the mountains so splendid (it is essential to do it in good weather), that it would be unfortunate not to live such an experience. All the more so as other surprises await the visitor on site, such as the Ice Palace, a surprising panoramic cinema, walks towards the glaciers, etc.