Capanna Margherita (Regina Margherita) – Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering information

At a whopping 4553 m high on the Monte Rosa massif; the Signalkuppe is the only major mountain in the alps to have a manned hut right on the summit. Incidentally, the Regina Margherita hut is also the highest building in Europe. The construction of the hut was directed by the Italian Alpine Club in 1889. The hut was pre-built in the valley, then brought to its final destination by mule and then by men, and assembled on site. It was opened on 18 August 1893, in the presence of Margherita of Savoy, Queen of Italy, to whom the hut is dedicated. The hut soon became an important research centre for high-elevation medicine, under the direction of Angelo Mosso. In 1899 a meteorological station was added. The lowest temperature registered was -41°C in the winter 1928-1929; in the recent years the lowest was -37,5°C registered on January the 25th 2005. A complete restoration started in 1977. The original hut was dismantled, and was replaced by the current hut, built in Valsesia in the town of Failungo Superiore.