The Convent of St Gall is an example of a great Carolingian monastery, and reflects 12 centuries of continuous activity. Its library is one of the richest and oldest in the world and contains precious manuscripts such as the earliest-known architectural plan drawn on parchment.
The pyramid-shaped, wooded mountain (1,096 m above sea level), to the south of Lake Lugano in Canton Ticino is regarded as the best fossil record of marine life from the Triassic Period (245-230 million years ago).
Joint listing with Italy, two historic railway lines that cross the Swiss Alps through two passes. Opened in 1904, the Albula line in the northwest 67 km long. It features an impressive set of structures including 42 tunnels and covered galleries and 144 viaducts and bridges. The 61 km Bernina pass line features 13 tunnels and galleries and 52 viaducts and bridges.
Two towns situated close together in the remote Swiss Jura mountains comprise the watchmaking town-planning site. They were planned in the early 19th century focusing on this single industry.
Joint listing with Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, and Switzerland. This property includes 111 small individual sites with the remains of prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements in and around the Alps built from around 5000 to 500 B.C.
Lynn Salmon <>{ Last updated: October 14, 2011