Jon Mathieu

Jon Mathieu is a prominent Swiss historian and mountain researcher, known for his extensive study of the Alps and their geological phenomena. He serves as the founding director of the 'Istituto di Storia delle Alpi' at the Università della Svizzera italiana and has held various guest professorships, including at ETH Zurich. An emeritus professor at the University of Lucerne, Mathieu has authored several notable works, including 'Die Alpen,' which was awarded the Science Book of the Year in 2016. His recent book, 'Mount Sacred – eine kurze Globalgeschichte der heiligen Berge seit 1500,' explores the cultural significance of sacred mountains. Mathieu gained attention for his insights into the recent rockfall in Blatten, which he described as a visually unprecedented natural phenomenon in Swiss history.