Editing Simplon Pass (section)

==History==
[[File:Das Simplon Hospiz mit regem Verkehrsbetrieb - CH-BAR - 3238903.tif|thumb|left|[[Simplon Hospice|The hospice]] in 1914]]
[[File:Postauto, Haltestelle Simplon Hospiz, Hospiz.jpg|thumb|left|[[PostBus Switzerland|Post bus]] at the hospice]]
There had been a locally used passage through the mountains here for several centuries, but the pass acquired international significance during the Napoleonic occupation. Between 1801 and 1805 the Simplon Road was constructed by the engineer [[Nicolas Céard]] at the direction of [[Napoleon|the emperor]] in order to transport artillery pieces through the pass between the [[River Rhône|Rhône]] valley and [[Italy]]. Since then, the pass has been usable by road vehicles: first [[stage coach|post carriages]], replaced early in the twentieth century by [[Postauto|post buses]].

The road was periodically improved and in 1950 the cantonal authorities created a plan whereby the pass could be kept open all through the year, and not closed to traffic between October and late April, like most Alpine passes at this altitude.<ref name=Autocar197101>{{cite journal| journal = [[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]] |volume = 134 (nbr 3902) |title =Simplon Pass: Always Open: Switzerland spends 180 million francs to keep the famous Alpine crossing in year-long use|pages =  38–39| date = 7 January 1971}}</ref> The improvements included several lengthy avalanche shelters along the more exposed stretches of road and the expansion of certain road tunnels to accommodate full size tourist coaches which were significantly taller than the [[post bus]]es used for local passengers.<ref name=Autocar197101/> In October 1970, a party of journalists was invited to inspect the improvements and it was announced that the necessary improvements had been implemented on {{convert|37|km|0|abbr=on}} of the {{convert|42.5|km|1|abbr=on}} between [[Brig, Switzerland|Brig]] in [[Valais]] and the Italian frontier at [[Gondo (Switzerland)|Gondo]], that 110 of the 180 million Swiss francs budgeted to the project had been spent and that, while a further five years would be needed to complete all the projected improvements, the Simplon Pass could now be used safely all through the year.<ref name=Autocar197101/> The former [[Simplon (département)|Simplon département]] (the Swiss canton [[Valais]]) was named after the pass.

The Simplon Pass was also outfitted with rails for train service. The {{cvt|20|km|mi}}-long [[Simplon Tunnel]] was opened in 1906. The historic [[Orient Express]] used the Simplon route intermittently during the twentieth century, as it carried passengers between [[Istanbul]] and [[Paris]].<ref name="Seat61">{{cite web | url = http://www.seat61.com/OrientExpress.htm#.UUAFExw9TTo | title = A history of the Orient Express | access-date = 2013-03-13 | last = Smith | first = Mark | work = Seat Sixty One | publisher = www.seat61.com}}</ref>

The [[Simplon Hospice|''Hospice du Simplon'']], at the top of the pass, is owned by the Congregation of Canons Regular at Grand-Saint-Bernard.