Zermatt is most famous for the Matterhorn and, in particular, its historic first summit by Edward Whymper on the 14th of July 1865. The race to become the first to climb the pyramidal peak gave the small farming town global recognition and slowly it developed into the town we know today. Plenty come to climb or see the famous mountain still today. The ski area is huge, varied and usually has fantastic snow, due to the altitude.