Welcome back to Today in the Past, where we take a look back at moments in history that changed the world, one day at a time.
On this day, October 6th, in 1889, the first known ascent of the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro was completed. Africa's highest peak was conquered by German climber Hans Meyer and Austrian mountaineer Ludwig Purtscheller.
Mount Kilimanjaro stands in Tanzania, rising to 5,895 metres above sea level. It is the tallest free standing mountain in the world and one of the famous Seven Summits. For centuries, it was a mystery to the outside world. Local peoples knew the mountain well, but European explorers only began taking a serious interest in the mid nineteenth century.
Hans Meyer was a geographer and explorer who had already attempted the summit once before, in 1887. That attempt failed because of altitude sickness and the difficulty of the route. He returned two years later with Ludwig Purtscheller, an experienced alpinist and one of the best climbers in Austria at the time.
The two men set out with a large support team, including local guides and porters. They established a series of camps along the way, allowing them to acclimatise to the altitude and wait out bad weather. The final push to the summit took them to the highest point of the Kibo crater, which is now known as Uhuru Peak.
For Meyer and Purtscheller, reaching the summit was a triumph of endurance and planning. The mountain had claimed lives before, and many had failed where they succeeded.
It is important to note that the mountain was not "discovered" by them. The Chagga people and other local communities had lived in the shadow of Kilimanjaro for generations. They knew it, respected it, and in many cases had climbed parts of it long before any European set foot on the slopes. What Meyer and Purtscheller did was complete the first recorded ascent of the highest point.
Their achievement opened the way for others. Today, tens of thousands of people attempt to climb Kilimanjaro every year. It has become a symbol of adventure, endurance, and the human desire to reach the top.
That is it for this episode of Today in the Past. Tune in next time for another look back at the moments that shaped our world.
Slán go fóill,
The Fatican.