Schilthorn and Piz Gloria above Lauterbrunnen’s high alpine ridge
Published on 09/11/2026 at 17:59 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Schilthorn is a high alpine peak above Lauterbrunnen in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland, capped by the revolving Piz Gloria complex at about 2,970 m (9,744 ft). The mountain stands in the Bernese Alps in the canton of Bern and looks down into the steep Lauterbrunnen Valley, pairing rugged rock with a distinctly constructed skyline at its summit.
Schilthorn’s high ridge above Lauterbrunnen
Schilthorn forms part of the Bernese Alps north of the Sefinenfurgge Pass, where its summit creates a marked high point on the chain above the Lauterbrunnen Valley. The peak’s upper slopes and summit lie within the municipality of Lauterbrunnen, while western flanks extend towards Reichenbach im Kandertal in the same canton.Bernese Alps setting The Lauterbrunnen Valley below is a deep glacial trough with nearly sheer walls, giving Schilthorn a dramatic drop towards the valley floor.
Above the car-free village of Mürren, Schilthorn’s rocky ridge carries cableway pylons and summit buildings while leaving surrounding slopes largely in their natural state. The mountain’s elevation of around 2,970 m (9,744 ft) places it among the higher accessible viewpoints in the Bernese Oberland, with lines of sight towards the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau and many further peaks on the skyline.2,970 m panoramic summit
Piz Gloria: a revolving summit restaurant from 1969
At the very top of Schilthorn stands Piz Gloria, a revolving restaurant structure aligned with the mountain’s summit terrace. The building takes the form of a low complex with a circular dining level that turns on its axis, giving diners changing views of more than 200 surrounding alpine peaks as the restaurant completes a full rotation in about 45 minutes.360-degree revolving restaurant Piz Gloria sits at roughly the same elevation as the summit itself, placing the restaurant at about 2,970 m (9,740 ft) above sea level.
Piz Gloria opened in 1969 as a purpose-built revolving restaurant on Schilthorn’s summit and later became widely associated with the James Bond film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, which used the complex for key scenes.1969 opening and film location Inside, seating is arranged around the rotating floor, while exterior terraces and viewing platforms wrap around the building, linking the restaurant to open-air viewpoints where the skyline of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau is visible across the valley.revolving dining level
Cableways and high-altitude viewpoints
Access to Schilthorn runs by aerial cableways from the valley village of Stechelberg, where lines climb in stages through stations such as Gimmelwald and Mürren to reach high-altitude stops like Birg and finally the summit. Mürren itself stands on a ledge above the valley and is reached by mountain transport rather than direct road access, making the sequence of cableways and railways an integral part of a visit to Schilthorn.aerial cableway route from Stechelberg
On the summit plateau, terraces create several levels of viewpoints above the steep slopes that fall towards Lauterbrunnen and the surrounding valleys. From these platforms the outline of the UNESCO-recognised area around the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau can be seen, together with long views across the Bernese Oberland.views towards Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau Interpretation displays and themed installations linked to the James Bond film give the summit complex an additional layer beyond the pure viewing function, while the surrounding ridge and snowfields retain the character of a high mountain environment.
Visiting Schilthorn: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Schilthorn stands in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland above Lauterbrunnen, with valley access from Stechelberg and onward cableways through Mürren to the summit.
- The terrain at the top is high alpine, with exposed terraces, steps between viewing levels and steep drops beside built paths and platforms.
- From Mürren and Birg, further viewpoints overlook the Lauterbrunnen Valley and adjoining peaks, adding intermediate stops to a visit beyond the summit complex.
- Switzerland’s official languages in this region include German; the national currency is the Swiss franc.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Schilthorn
Where is Schilthorn located?
Schilthorn is a mountain in Switzerland’s Bernese Alps above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, within the canton of Bern and reached from the village of Stechelberg.
What can visitors expect on a visit to Schilthorn?
Visitors encounter high-altitude terraces, the revolving Piz Gloria restaurant at the summit, wide views towards Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, and staged cableway ascents from the valley.
What makes Schilthorn distinctive among Alpine viewpoints?
The combination of a 2,970 m summit, a revolving restaurant opened in 1969 and strong ties to the James Bond film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” gives Schilthorn a particular character among accessible peaks.
