hospice of Saint Bernard
Quick Summary
The Hospice of Saint Bernard is a historic refuge located at the summit of the Great St. Bernard Pass, one of the highest Alpine passes, on the Swiss-Italian border. Founded in the 11th century by Saint Bernard de Menthon, it originally served as a resting place and shelter for pilgrims and travelers crossing the dangerous mountains. The hospice is also known for the St. Bernard dogs, bred there to aid lost travelers.1234
While the hospice's role has diminished due to modern transportation like tunnels and helicopters, it continues to offer shelter and rescue services. The term "hospice" itself originated in the Middle Ages to describe such charitable guesthouses, often run by monastic orders, providing care and refreshment to those in need.12
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
Great St. Bernard PassA famous hospice on the pass, founded by St. Bernard in the 11th century, still provides a resting place and rescue services to travelers, though helicopter rescue and a new road have diminished the hospiceās role. The old road (1823) has been partly superseded by a tunnelā¦
Read MoreA famous hospice on the pass, founded by St. Bernard in the 11th century, still provides a resting place and rescue services to travelers, though helicopter rescue and a new road have diminished the hospiceās role. The old road (1823) has been partly superseded by a tunnelā¦
Read More- hospice
ā¦of them, the hospice of St. Bernard, still functions as a shelter for travelers passing over the Pennine Alps.
Read Moreā¦of them, the hospice of St. Bernard, still functions as a shelter for travelers passing over the Pennine Alps.
Read More