The name Rigi is from Swiss Old High German*rigî "horizontal stratification, strip, band", from OHG rîhan "gird; pleat, string", cf. OHG rîga ":wikt:row#Etymology 1|row, stripe, furrow", after the horizontal rock ledges and grass strips surrounding the mountain from west to east. The name is first recorded in 1350 as Riginun. The name was interpreted as Regina montium "queen of mountains" by Albrecht von Bonstetten, who however gives Rigena as alternative form. Bonstetten's interpretation as Regina was influential in the 17th century, and was still repeated in 18th-century travelogues. Karl Zay criticized this latinization, arguing for mons rigidus instead. Later in the 19th century, many authors repeated either rigidus or regina as the name's supposed origin. The two possibilities were also adduced as explanation the name's grammatical gender alternating between masculine and feminine. Brandstetter finally discredited these interpretations and established the origin in Old High Germanrîga.
Transport
There are multiple public transport options available to ascend Mt. Rigi:
By rack railway from Arth-Goldau and Vitznau, operated by the Rigi Bahnen. The Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn started operation on May 21, 1871 and was the first mountain railway in Europe. On June 4, 1875 the Arth-Rigi-Bahn was finished, allowing access from the other side of the mountain. They were electrified in 1937 and 1907 respectively, with the Arth-Rigi-Bahn becoming the first electrified standard gauge rack-railway in the world. Both lines go all the way to the summit, Rigi Kulm.
By cable-car from the Kräbel station on the Arth-Rigi-Bahn line to Rigi-Scheidegg.
Recreation
Mt. Rigi offers an area for recreation and sports measuring approximately offering a variety of well-maintained walking trails or mountain hikes where visitors can have a panoramic view of from various marked points. There are also numerous public grilling stations located near the hiking trails. Rigi is also a perfect destination for people practising winter sports and other winter recreation activities.
Mt. Rigi in culture
Mt. Rigi has been featured in many works of art, including both paintings and literary publications. Perhaps the most famous paintings of the Rigi were a series by JMW Turner, including The Blue Rigi, Sunrise, several of which are in the collection of the Tate Britain art gallery in London. Mark Twain also visited Rigi during his tour of Central Europe in the late 1870s, and wrote about his travels in chapter 28 of his "A Tramp Abroad." There is a Catskills resort called the Rigi Kulm in Abraham Cahan's novel The Rise of David Levinsky. The Rigi, a downhill road in Wellington, New Zealand, is named for the mountain and for many years was used as a main thoroughfare for coach riders. On 9 July 1868, during a three-week tour through Switzerland, Gerard Manley Hopkins ascended Rigi-Kulm, the highest peak of the Rigi massif: "From Lucerne by steamer to Küssnacht, thence walk across to Immensee, thence by steamer over lake of Zug to Arth, whence up the Rigi."
