Zermatt is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a population of about 5,800 inhabitants. The village is situated at the end of Mattertal at an altitude of 1,620 m, at the feet of Switzerland's highest peaks. It lies about 10 km from the over 10,800 ft high Theodul Pass bordering Italy. Zermatt is famed as a mountaineering and ski resort of the Swiss Alps. Until the mid 19-th century, it was predominantly an agricultural community; the first and tragic ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 was followed by a rush on the mountains surrounding the village, leading to the construction of many tourist facilities.