Switzerland’s Matterhorn Lights up With Messages of Hope During Coronavirus Lockdown

Switzerland is lighting up its most famous mountain with messages of inspiration and resilience during its coronavirus lockdown.

On the snow peak of Matterhorn, messages like “Stay at Home” and “Hope” beamed out for Switzerland (and the world thanks to social media) to see atop the Zermatt mountain village.

Projections also included an image of the Swiss flag and of the Italian flag as Italy has suffered the highest number of deaths in any country due to the virus.

Switzerland, which shares a border with Italy, has been working to contain the spread of COVID-19. There are currently more than 15,475 cases in the country and 333 deaths.

It’s been four weeks since Switzerland banned large gatherings and advised against travel. Schools have closed and all non-essential businesses shut down until further notice. On March 16, the Swiss government declared a state of emergency that is due to last until April 19, according to The Local Switzerland.

A country known for its lavish events, Switzerland has been forced to cancel highlights on its calendar, including the Geneva Motor Show and the Basel Watch Fair, according to The BBC.

Other Swiss landmarks are also responding to the global pandemic. The night watchmen of the city of Lausanne rang out a 16th-century warning bell as the Swiss coronavirus death toll increases. The gigantic steel bell at Lausanne Cathedral, which dates back to 1518, is typically only ever rung when the city is facing peril, according to The Associated Foreign Press. Now, every hour from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., a night watchman rings the bell for a full three minutes to remind people of lockdown measures.

"There is a real calm which resembles what it would have been like in the past, before there was all this traffic noise,” night watchman Renato Haeusler told AFP. "There is perhaps just one last thing that would bring us right back to how things were in the Middle Ages: turning out the lights."