Mürren is a tiny village in the Alpine country of Switzerland. It is the gateway to Schilthorn, one of the highest peaks in the country; within the Bernese Alps group of mountains.
Atop Schilthorn is Piz Gloria, a very popular attraction in these parts of Switzerland.
Location
Schilthorn and Piz Gloria in Mürren – Switzerland are located within Bernese Orberland, in the Bern canton.
Getting There
To reach Schilthorn and Piz Gloria in Mürren – Switzerland, take a train from Interlaken Ost Station. Take one that goes to the village of Lauterbrunnen. From here, take a cable car that goes all the way up to Grutschalp.
From Grutschalp, take another train that will get you to Mürren. From Mürren, there is a cable car that will take you up to Schilthorn and Piz Gloria in Mürren – Switzerland.
What to See and Do
Piz Gloria is a revolving restaurant sitting atop the summit of Schilthorn. The ride up on the cable car will already give you spectacular views of the surrounding areas down below but when you reach the summit, the views are even more magnificent.
You can see the beautiful snow-covered mountains from the viewing deck atop Schilthorn.
For Bond aficionados, this place is even more interesting and intriguing as this is where some of the most memorable scenes from the 1969 James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, were filmed.
As you dine inside the restaurant, you get a spectacular 360-degree view of the surrounding snow-covered mountains as the restaurant slowly revolves.
In keeping with the Bond connection of the restaurant, there is a special James Bond breakfast served from 8 up to 11 in the morning. For the famous “shaken, not stirred” Martini, head over to the James Bond Bar and take a sip of Bond’s favorite cocktail.
There is likewise a small photo exhibit of the movie depicting scenes as they were being filmed at the Piz Gloria.
Brief History
For decades, beginning in the early nineteenth century, plans to build a railway across Schilthorn were being constantly conceptualized; but most of these came to no avail.
Finally, in the early 1960s, a group of pioneers led by Ernst Feuz, a local of Mürren, determined to make Schilthorn easily accessible by the public; designed an aerial cableway that will take guests all the way to the summit.
In the year 1967, the longest aerial cableway was completed and opened to the public.
Piz Gloria actually got its name from the Ian Fleming Bond novel, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. It was a building atop a mountain that served as a hideout for the novel’s main antagonist, Ernst Stavro Blofeld.
The film’s production team discovered the restaurant that was already partially constructed under the leadership of Ernst Feuz. The producers donated a considerable amount of money to complete the restaurant and in return, they will have exclusive rights to use the location for the said Bond film.
Cost
Rides on the aerial cableway going up to Schilthorn and Piz Gloria in Mürren – Switzerland basically are generally as follow: to Mürren, CHF 10.80, one-way and CHF 20.80, two-way; to Birg, CHF 34.80, one-way and CHF 61.20, two-way; and then to Schilthorn, CHF 55.20, one-way and CHF 94.80, two-way.
Other Information
Availability of the aerial cableway going to Schilthorn and Piz Gloria in Mürren – Switzerland may vary depending on weather conditions.
It is recommended that you check first the weather conditions prior to your visit to ensure that you will be given access to the cableway and visit the summit and the restaurant.
