Principal passes of the Alps

Detailed lists of passes are given by Alpine subdivision, see the following articles: Main chain, from west to east: Notable other tunnels: Main chain, from west to east: Notable other railway passes and tunnels: Places where the Alps were crossed are called passes, and are points at which the alpine chain sinks to form depressions, up to which deep-cut valleys lead from the plains and hilly pre-mountainous zones.

Romans, once having found an "easy" way across the chain, did not trouble to seek for harder and more devious routes.

In fact the central portion of the Alps was by far the least Romanised region until the early Middle Ages.

Thus the Simplon is first definitely mentioned in 1235, the St Gotthard in 1236, the Lukmanier in 965, the San Bernardino in 941; of course they may have been known before, but authentic history is silent as regards them till the dates specified.

A few passes (e.g. the Semmering, the Brenner, the Col de Tende and the Arlberg) had carriage roads constructed before 1800, while those over the Umbrail and the Great St Bernard were not completed till the early years of the 20th century.