Soon to become the ultimate luxury destination in the Swiss Alps, the town of Andermatt has had a rich and colourful past. Now, thanks to visionary real estate developers Orascom Development, the town’s fate is changing once again, and so we thought we’d take a look back at the most memorable parts of Andermatt’s history….

Andermatt’s amazing location nestled in the heart of the Alps and its connection to three Alpine passes (the Oberalp Pass to the east, the St Gotthard Pass to the south, and the Furka Pass to the West), first established the town as a top destination, but the construction of the Gotthard Railway Tunnel in 1882 altered Andermatt’s fortunes and forced many visitors to sadly by-pass the region altogether.

In the 1920s and 30s however, Andermatt experienced an exciting come-back when it became a bolt hole for royalty and aristocracy who fell in love with the valley and with its landmark hotel The Grand Bellevue. In its heyday, The Grand Bellevue was the Swiss Alpine hotel to reside in, offering a chic mountainside experience to the rich and famous. Click here to see photographs and illustrations of the Grand Hotel Bellevue.

When World War II broke out the Swiss Army chose Andermatt as their base and settled there until early 2000. As Zermatt, St Moritz and Verbier shot to the heights of ski resort fame, Andermatt remained a sleepy underdeveloped destination. But the discreet and quiet nature of Andermatt did appeal to some high-profile guests. In 1964 the James Bond epic ‘Goldfinger’ used the town as the setting for the famous action scene at a local petrol station, which is still in existence today. The well-known alpine road up to Andermatt has always attracted photographers and film crews, as the hair-pin bends and dramatic drops to the valley below make for memorable shots.

The development of Andermatt Swiss Alps alongside the existing village is guaranteed to revive and restore the destination to its former glory. The resort will boast luxury apartments and chalets, world-class sporting and leisure facilities, and a mixture of six four and five star hotels. The resort’s landmark hotel, The Chedi Andermatt, will sit on the much admired site of the Grand Hotel Bellevue, and will surely become just as iconic as its predecessor.