The Gornergrat Bahn (originally the Gornergrat-Monte-Rosa Railway) was the first cog rack railway built in Switzerland operated by electricity and made Zermatt and the surrounding area of the southern Swiss Alps one of the most popular mountain destinations. Opening in 1898, the Gornergrat Bahn was the first cog system rack railway run by electricity to be built in Switzerland and served to make Zermatt and this area of the Swiss Alps one of the best Swiss mountain destinations. At the top of the ride at 10,134 ft altitude, is a viewing plaza to observe the glaciers and peaks. A short walk beyond and above the rail terminus is the Gornergrat Kulm Hotel, the highest of the classic mountaintop hotels in Switzerland. The hotel was built in 1905 and completely renovated in 2005, after a hundred years and is one of the most unique hotel stays in Europe, with the mountain peaks and snows just outside the room windows.