Chavez Fountain, Brig

Chavez Well, Brig
Geo Chavez
On September 23, 1910, the Peruvian Jorge Chavez Dartnell (generally known as "Geo Chavez") took off from Ried-Brig for a flight over the Simplon as part of a price competition advertised by an Italian newspaper. It was the first time that a pilot flew over the Alps. During the stopover in Domodossola, the «Blériot XI» broke apart; Chavez was able to bring the small plane to the ground with a 50 hp engine, but suffered injuries and died on September 27, 1910 in a hospital in Domodossola at the age of 23. Chavez and his pioneering work went down in history. In 2010 Brig-Glis and Ried-Brig celebrated their 100th anniversary. Geo Chavez's flight over the Simplon (which should have continued as far as Milan) generated enormous public interest. The organizing committee under Dr. Alexander Seiler had his hands full with the accommodation and care of the numerous illustrious guests in Brig. Among them was, for example, the Italian composer Giacomo Puccini. The extremely engaging Geo Chavez, who came from Peru and lived in Paris, sparked a huge wave of sympathy with his daring undertaking. His tragic death was received with disbelief and great sympathy. More than 100,000 people are said to have attended the funeral in Paris. In his home country, Chavez is considered a hero of aviation. Lima Airport is named after him and the Peruvian Air Force keeps his memory alive - as does the Chavez Foundation in Brig and the permanent exhibition in the Stockalper Palace on the subject of “Passage Simplon”, where a model of his “Blériot” is also located. The Brig also erected a memorial fountain on Sebastiansplatz. Today's version is a faithful replica after the severe weather disaster of 1993.
Source: 800 years of Brig / 800yearsbrig.ch
Text / source: Brig Simplon Tourismus AG
brig-simplon.ch/regionorte/brig-glis/sehenswerte/chavez-brunnen.php

Beautiful place to visit

On September 23, 1910, the Peruvian Geo Chavez was the first to fly an airplane over the Alps from Ried-Brig to Domodossola. Shortly before landing in Domodossola, both wings of the Blériot folded upwards and man and machine fell to the ground from a height of almost twenty meters. Geo Chavez died on September 28, 1910. The fountain with Icarus on Sebastiansplatz has commemorated this daring flight since 1920. To this day, the largest airport in Peru bears the name of its proud pilot, Geo Chavez.
Source: brig-simplon.ch/poi/chavez-brunnen