The Great St. Bernard Pass connects Switzerland to Italy. At 2,473 metres, it
is the highest mountain pass in Europe. The famous monastery of St. Bernard,
which was founded in eleventh century, lies about a mile away. For hundreds of
years, St. Bernard dogs have saved the lives of travellers crossing the
dangerous Pass. These friendly dogs, which were first brought from Asia, were
used as watchdogs even in Roman times. Now that a tunnel ahs been built
through the mountains, the Pass is less dangerous, but each year, the dogs are
still sent out into the snow whenever a traveller is in difficulty. Despite
the new tunnel, there are still a few people who rashly attempt to cross the
Pass on foot.#
During the summer months, the monastery is very busy, for it is visited by
thousands of people who cross the Pass in cars. As there are so many people
about, the dogs have to be kept in a special enclosure. In winter, however,
life at the monastery is quite different. The temperature drops to -30 degrees
and very few people attempt to cross the Pass. The monks prefer winter to
summer of they have more privacy. The dogs have greater freedom, too, for they
are allowed to wander outside their enclosure. The only regular visitors to
the monastery in winter are parties of skiers who go there at Christmas and
Easter. These young people, who love the peace of mountains, always receive a
warm welcome at St. Bernard's monastery.&