Alps

This is a multi view postcard showing some castles in the Alps. Starting from top left is shows Schloss Linderhof (more you can read here), Kloster Ettal, Schloss Neuschwanstein (more you can read here), Schloss Hohenschwangau, Echelsbacher Brucke, Wierkirche and Fussen.

The Alps (German: Alpen; Italian: Alpi; French: Alpes; Greek: Αλπεις; Occitan: Aups/Alps; Romansh: Alps; Slovene: Alpe) is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west.

The highest mountain in the Alps is Mont Blanc, at 4,810.45 metres (15,782 ft), on the Italian–French border. All the main peaks of the Alps can be found in the list of mountains of the Alps and list of Alpine peaks by prominence. The English name Alps was taken via French from Latin Alpes, which formerly was believed to be ultimately cognate with Latin albus ("white"). Few scholars share this opinion today. The German Albe, Alpe or Alp (f., Old High German alpâ, plural alpûn), the Occitan Alp/Aup and the French Alpage or Alpe in the singular mean "alpine pasture", and only in the plural may also refer to the mountain range as a whole. [wikipedia]