Grosser Aletschgletscher and the long curve of ice above Fiesch
Published on 08/30/2026 at 12:04 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Grosser Aletschgletscher above Fiesch is a long, curving river of ice in the Swiss canton of Valais, running between high peaks of the Bernese Alps. It forms the central glacier body of the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch World Heritage landscape, where ice, rock and high summits meet in a single sweeping view.
The great glacier above Fiesch
Grosser Aletschgletscher lies on the southern side of the Bernese Alps in south-western Switzerland, within the canton of Valais. The glacier occupies a high valley that drops from the accumulation basin at Konkordiaplatz down towards the Rhône valley above the village of Fiesch.The glacier lies in Valais and forms a broad band of ice framed by rocky ridges and subsidiary glaciers.
In geographical terms, Grosser Aletschgletscher sits between several well-known Alpine summits. The Jungfrau and the Mönch mark the northern boundary of the glacier basin, while the Aletschhorn rises on its western side in the high Bernese Alps.The Aletschhorn stands to the west, and the Gross Fiescherhorn and Gross Wannenhorn line parts of the eastern side. Seen from viewpoints above Fiesch, the glacier forms a pronounced arc that leads the eye from the firn fields at the top down towards the lower tongue.
Dimensions, ice and UNESCO status
Grosser Aletschgletscher is the largest glacier in the Alps in both length and area.It reaches a length of about 23 km (14 mi), with an ice volume measured in several cubic kilometres. At the broad basin of Konkordiaplatz the ice forms a thick plateau where several tributary glaciers merge into one continuous body of ice.At Konkordiaplatz the ice reaches several hundred metres in thickness, creating a striking contrast between the smooth ice surface and the steep rock walls surrounding it.
The glacier lies within the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch site, which was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001 as a high-alpine landscape shaped by ice, snow and rock.The Great Aletsch Glacier is described there as the largest and longest glacier in the Alps, forming the icy core of a protected region that stretches around the high peaks. Elevations in the glacier basin range from well over 1,500 m (4,921 ft) to more than 4,000 m (13,123 ft), which gives the ice tongue a long vertical drop from its upper accumulation area down to its lower reaches above the Rhône valley.Height data for the glacier corridor underline this range.
Views from Eggishorn and the Aletsch Arena
Fiesch forms one of the access points to the Aletsch Arena, a group of high terraces and viewpoints strung along the southern side of Grosser Aletschgletscher. From the village, mountain transport leads to Fiescheralp, a high plateau above the valley, and from there higher lifts climb towards Eggishorn, one of the best-known viewpoints on the southern rim of the glacier basin.Eggishorn lies close to 2,900 m above sea level above the glacier.
From the Eggishorn view point, visitors see Grosser Aletschgletscher across almost its full visible upper length, including the long arc of the ice and the broad white expanse of Konkordiaplatz.Eggishorn view point is described as giving a complete glacier experience, with Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau on the horizon. The panorama from this ridge brings together the glacier’s curve, the dark rock of the valley sides and, in clear weather, distant peaks including the Matterhorn far to the west.
Visiting Grosser Aletschgletscher: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Grosser Aletschgletscher lies above the village of Fiesch in the canton of Valais in southern Switzerland. Fiesch stands in the upper Rhône valley, south of the Bernese Alps.
- From Fiesch, lifts lead to the high terrace of Fiescheralp and onwards to Eggishorn, which forms a well-known viewpoint on the southern rim of the glacier basin.
- The terrain around the viewpoints is alpine, with high altitude, rocky paths and sections of steps. The air becomes thinner at the highest platforms, and sturdy footwear is advisable.
- Marked mountain paths in the Aletsch Arena run along sections of the southern flank above the glacier, linking viewpoints such as Riederalp, Bettmeralp and Fiescheralp.
- The official language in this part of Switzerland is German and the currency is the Swiss franc.
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Frequently asked questions about Grosser Aletschgletscher
Where is Grosser Aletschgletscher located?
Grosser Aletschgletscher lies in the Bernese Alps in the Swiss canton of Valais, above the upper Rhône valley and the village of Fiesch.
What can visitors expect when viewing the glacier?
From high terraces such as Eggishorn and Fiescheralp, visitors see a long, curving glacier framed by steep rock walls and high peaks, with wide views across the Jungfrau-Aletsch region.
What makes Grosser Aletschgletscher distinctive compared with other Alpine glaciers?
Its combination of great length, broad ice basin at Konkordiaplatz and inclusion in the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch World Heritage landscape gives Grosser Aletschgletscher a rare sense of scale.
