La history of San Bernardo it is full of doubts and speculation. Its origin is unknown with certainty, although the different versions link the birth of this breed to ancient Rome, Greece and Switzerland. We will probably never know for sure where it came from, but the interesting legends that surround it are worth knowing.
One of the most popular is the one that states that its origin dates back to the ancient Roman dogs, known as molossi. It is said that there were two varieties of these dogs, those of Illyria and those of Babylon, and that they were brought by the Roman army to Helvetia (Switzerland). From them comes not only the Saint Bernard, but also the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.
In approximately AD 1.000, these dogs settled in the Swiss Alps, where they were used for missions of war, surveillance, herding, search and rescue. At that time they were also known as Talhunds (valley dogs) or Bahuerhunds (farm dogs), and their appearance increasingly resembled that of today's Saint Bernard.
Of Figure Archdeacon Bernardo de Mentón is key in this whole story. At the end of the XNUMXth century, he created a hospice in the Swiss Alps, which served as a refuge for soldiers and merchants, and which is currently a famous tourist spot in the area. It also welcomed and fed a large number of dogs of this breed, which fulfilled important protection and work functions. In addition, they were capable of sensing avalanches, thus saving the lives of hundreds of people.
Hence, these dogs were called "St. Bernard”. It is worth mentioning Barry ("Bear" in Bernese dialect), the most famous dog of the hospice, who saved more than 40 people and whose body is still preserved in the Natural History Museum in Bern. He died tragically after being mistaken for a wolf, leaving behind countless successful search missions. Today it is a true legend associated with this breed.