Monte Leone is the highest mountain of the
Lepontine Alps
The Lepontine Alps (, , ) are a mountain range in the north-western part of the Alps. They are located in Switzerland (Valais, Ticino, Canton of Uri, Uri and Graubünden) and Italy (Piedmont and Lombardy).
The Simplon Tunnel, Simplon rail tunnel ...
and is located on the border between
Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
and
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. The mountain stands on the extreme west of the Lepontine Alps, a few kilometres east of
Simplon Pass
The Simplon Pass (; ; ; ; ; ) is a high mountain pass between the Pennine Alps and the Lepontine Alps in Switzerland. It connects Brig, Switzerland, Brig in the canton of Valais with Domodossola in Piedmont (Italy). The pass itself and the villag ...
.
Etymology
''Leone'' in
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
means ''lion'', and the mountain's name is said to come from the look of its south face's profile. A different origin of the name could be ''Munt d'l'Aiun'', which in the local dialect means ''Aiun's mountain''; Aione is a nearby village and Mount Leone is situated close to
meadows
A meadow ( ) is an open habitat or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non-woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as they maintain an open character. Meadows can occur naturally under favourable condition ...
traditionally owned by the villagers.
Geography
In the
SOIUSA (''International Standardized Mountain Subdivision of the Alps'') the mountain belongs to an alpine subsection of
the Lepontine Alps called ''"North-Western Lepontine Alps"'' (
It:''Alpi del Monte Leone e del San Gottardo'';
De:''Monte Leone-Sankt Gotthard-Alpen'').
See also
*
List of mountains of Valais
This is a list of mountains of the Cantons of Switzerland, Swiss canton of Valais. Valais is a very mountainous canton and includes the highest mountains of Switzerland. The highest mountain ranges are the Pennine Alps, the Bernese Alps and the M ...
*
List of mountains of Switzerland
*
List of most isolated mountains of Switzerland
References
External links
Monte Leone on Summitpost
Mountains of the Alps
Alpine three-thousanders
Mountains of Switzerland
Mountains of Piedmont
Italy–Switzerland border
International mountains of Europe
Mountains of Valais
Lepontine Alps
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