Matterhorn & Toblerone: History, Logo, Photo Ops

Toblerone Chocolate bar

Everyone knows Toblerone chocolate. It is a very famous Swiss product. And, you see it everywhere around the world and often at airport duty free as well!

It’s that chocolate with a strange triangular shape and huge red lettering. Oh, and that mountain on the front as well.

Toblerone History

Toblerone is actually named after the founder – Theodor Tobler. He was born in 1876 in the Swiss capital of Bern and died in 1941 during World War II–1941) in Bern in Switzerland.

The Toberlone chocolate bar was created way back in 1908 by Theodor Tobler and his cousin Emil Baumann. Baumann came up with the recipe – milk chocolate with nougat, almonds and honey. Tobler came up with the unique triangular shape of both the chocolate bar and the packaging.

The Toblerone Logo

Toblerone Milk Chocolate with Logo
Toblerone Logo on the chocolate bar

There is a lot of mystery and speculation surrounding the Toblerone logo for various reasons.

First, there is a hidden symbol inside the mountain on the logo. If you look closely at the image above you will see a white bear. This is a homage to Bern, Toblerone’s home which has the symbol of the bear in its cantonal flag as well as a long history with bears in the city.

The Matterhorn & Toblerone

A special "I Love Zermatt" Toblerone found in Zermatt, Switzerland
A special “I Love Zermatt” Toblerone found in Zermatt, Switzerland

Second, there is the image of the Matterhorn next to the name Toblerone. There was some confusion that Tobler made the Toblerone chocolate triangular because of the famous Matterhorn mountain. However, he is said to have denied this was true.

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Instead, the Matterhorn has become associated with this chocolate bar later in its history, because of their similar shape. And the fact that it is truly a unique and recognizable Swiss product, just like the mountain.

In fact, the Matterhorn did not appear on the packaging of the original Toblerone and was only added to the ends of the box in 1970. Many years later it appeared next to the Toblerone name.

The Toblerone Photo of The Matterhorn

Toblerone photo spot on the Gornergrat in Zermatt
Toblerone photo spot on the Gornergrat in Zermatt (Image from Gornergrat.ch)

The Matterhorn is so closely associated with Toblerone now that there is actually a photo you can take in Zermatt. It is at the top of the Gornergrat

Frequently Asked Questions

Where Does The Toblerone Name Come From?

The name Toblerone is a combination of the founder’s name (Tobler) and the Italian word for nougat made from honey and almond (Torrone). So, Tobler + Torrone becomes Toblerone.

Where is Toblerone mountain?

The Toblerone mountain is located high above the Swiss town of Zermatt. It is called the Matterhorn and it is 4,478 m / 14691 ft high.

Note: Header image from Wikimedia

Written by Ashley Faulkes
As a twenty-year resident of Switzerland, I am passionate about exploring every nook and cranny of this beautiful country, I spend my days deep in the great Swiss outdoors, and love to share these experiences and insights with fellow travel enthusiasts.

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