History of the Alps

The valleys of the Alps have been home to people for a very long time. Over many years, a special way of life grew there, called Alpine culture. This culture is tied to a practice named transhumance. In this practice, people and animals move between high mountain pastures in the summer and lower valleys in the winter.

Today, the Alps stretch across eight countries: France, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany and Slovenia. In 1991, these countries joined together in the Alpine Convention to help protect and care for this beautiful shared region. It covers about 190,000 square kilometres.

Early history (before 1200)

The valleys of the Alps have been home to people for a very long time. Caves in the Appenzell Alps show that people lived there long ago.

During ancient times, people in the Alps moved their animals between high and low mountains each year, a practice known as transhumance. The Romans built roads through the Alps, connecting different parts of their empire. New groups like the Alemanni and Slavs also settled in the Alps.

Later Medieval to Early Modern Era (1200 to 1900)

The French historian Fernand Braudel called the Alps a special place with many resources, good people, and many roads. People have lived in the Alps for a long time, starting in the Middle Ages. At first, they farmed and raised animals. Later, they raised more cattle than sheep. In some places, farming turned into raising cattle for markets far away. Trade between different places grew, especially through passes like the Brenner. In the western and central Alps, people could only use pack animals on the passes until around 1800.

The way countries formed in the Alps was shaped by big European conflicts, like the Italian wars from 1494 to 1559. During this time, the Alpine regions developed in different ways: some became more organized under princes, some were run by local communities like in Switzerland, and others were controlled by powerful nobles in the eastern Alps.

Until the late 1800s, many Alpine valleys were mainly used for farming and raising animals. As the population grew, people used the land more, growing crops like corn and potatoes and making cheese. In the higher parts of the Alps, the short growing season made farming harder compared to the lower lands around them. In the western and central Alps, most farms were small, while in the eastern Alps, farms were bigger. People also moved to cities around the Alps, sometimes only for a short time. Cities grew slowly in the Alps themselves.

Central Alps

Further information: Old Swiss Confederacy and Highest Alemannic

In the Central Alps, an important event was the formation of the Swiss Confederacy from 1291 to 1516, especially in the mountain areas. The Grisons and the Valais later joined as full members in 1803 and 1815. The Gotthard Pass became very important after the Devil's Bridge was built around 1230. This made the valley of Uri a main route between Germany and Italy. A hospice was also built there for travelers.

In the 1400s, the Forest Cantons gained control of areas like Valle Leventina, Bellinzona, and Valle di Blenio.

Western Alps

Further information: County of Savoy and Duchy of Savoy

In the Western Alps, there was a long struggle for control between the lords of Savoy, the Dauphiné, and Provence. Over time, France took control of many areas, including parts of Nice and Piedmont. The Treaty of Utrecht (1713) was a turning point, and by 1860, France controlled the western slopes of the Alps.

Eastern Alps

The Eastern Alps were part of the Frankish Empire since the 800s. For many years, the history of the Eastern Alps was shaped by the Habsburg family. They built a large empire, winning areas like Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, Tirol, and Vorarlberg. However, their control on the southern side of the Alps was slower and less successful. After World War I, there were big changes in the Eastern Alps following the end of Austria-Hungary.

Modern history (1900 to present)

Population

In recent times, we can estimate how many people lived in the Alpine region. Within the area defined by the Alpine Convention, there were about 3.1 million people in 1500, 5.8 million in 1800, 8.5 million in 1900, and 13.9 million in 2000.

Scholars in the 1500s became more interested in mountains. They wondered how the Earth was formed. By the 1700s, people in Europe loved nature and the Alps. A famous book called "Voyages dans les Alpes" by Horace-Bénédict de Saussure described his climb up Mont Blanc. Another book, "Julie, ou la nouvelle Heloise" by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, also helped make the Alps popular. These ideas made the Alps a special place to visit, starting modern tourism. As Europe grew into cities, the Alps became a natural escape.

Economy

The economy changed a lot. Farming became less important, and people grew special crops and raised more cattle. This happened because of industrialisation in Europe during the 1800s. Iron manufacturing became limited, but new chances came with electric power. The Alps, with lots of water, became perfect for making hydroelectric power. This led to new factories.

The biggest change was in services, especially tourism. At first, people visited in summer, and by around 1850, health resorts and spas grew. Later, tourism shifted to winter, especially after ski-lifts were introduced. Railways and tunnels like the Semmering, the Brenner (1867), the Fréjus/Mont-Cenis, the Gotthard (1882), the Simplon (1906), and the Tauern (1909) changed travel. In 2016, the 57 km long Gotthard Base Tunnel opened. These changes brought new opportunities but also hurt the environment.

Milestones of railway transit across the Alps

[Brenner Pass Railway](/wiki/Brenner_Railway) (1867), maximum elevation: 1,371 m

[Fréjus Rail Tunnel](/wiki/Fréjus_Rail_Tunnel) (1871), maximum elevation: 1,338 m

[Gotthard Rail Tunnel](/wiki/Gotthard_Rail_Tunnel) (1882), maximum elevation: 1,151 m

[Simplon Tunnel](/wiki/Simplon_Tunnel) (1906), maximum elevation: 705 m

[Gotthard Base Tunnel](/wiki/Gotthard_Base_Tunnel) (2016), maximum elevation: 549 m

Political history

Like other parts of Europe, the Alpine region felt changes as nation states formed, which created tensions. During World War I, the eastern Alps were a major area of conflict.

After World War II, the Alps entered a new phase. Regional identities grew stronger, and a shared Alpine identity developed. A big step happened in 1991 with the signing of the Alpine Convention between all Alpine countries and the European Union. During the 1900s, the Alps became seen as clean and untouched places.

Tourism and alpinism

Further information: Exploration of the High Alps and Tourism in Switzerland § History

The Alps became very interesting to people from Britain, partly because they had to cross them to reach the Mediterranean for the Grand Tour. As more people traveled and new sports were invented, the Alps became a place for training and adventure. The Alps offered climbers the challenge they wanted.

These changes made Alpine tourism very important. It grew strongly from the mid-1800s and kept its importance. Railway companies, guides, and travel agents all worked together to make the Alps a famous place to visit. By 1861, Thomas Cook included the Alps in his travel catalog, helping create an international tourism industry. This industry built railways, hotels, and other services.

British tourists helped shape how people saw the Alps. A book by Leslie Stephen called the Alps “the Playground of Europe.” The book showed how popular the mountains were. In the 1900s, the Alps became part of the world’s growing tourism, with many new places to visit. British people especially loved winter sports like skiing, and this tradition continues today.

Linguistic history

Further information: Linguistic geography of Switzerland

The Alps are where French, Italian, German, and South Slavic languages meet. Old dialects like Romansh, Walser German, and Romance Lombardic are still used there. Some languages once spoken in the Alps, such as Rhaetic, Lepontic, Ligurian, and Langobardic, are no longer used.

Because of the Alps' history, languages and feelings about countries don't always match today's borders. For example, the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol area, now part of Italy, has many German speakers, especially in South Tyrol. Some people in northern Italy near the Swiss border speak Walser German. In Italy's Aosta Valley, some people speak French and Franco-Provencal. In parts of Italy near the Julian Alps, the Resia Valley, and Venetian Slovenia, some people speak Slovene, including the special Resian dialect.