Lauterbrunnen, 72 Waterfalls, Walser and monastery Inter lacus

14 January 2025

Nomen est omen: Lauterbrunnen (canton of Bern) takes its name from its many waterfalls and the babbling sound of streams and springs. The municipality of Lauterbrunnen consists of the villages of Lauterbrunnen, Gimmelwald, Isenfluh, Mürren, Stechelberg, and Wengen. The Staubbachfall, the highest waterfall in Switzerland The Inter lacus monastery in Interlaken was also the major … Read more » “Lauterbrunnen, 72 Waterfalls, Walser and monastery Inter lacus”

Kleinlützel, Lucelle, Felsplatte and European History

5 January 2025

Where there is a (Grand-) Lucelle or (Gross-) Lützel, there is also a Kleinlützel, Petit-Lucelle (Solothurn canton). Lucelle (France) is a town in the Sundgau (Alsace) and borders the canton of Jura. Kleinlützel  Habsburg, France, the diocese of Basel, and successive German states (1871-1918, 1940-1945) contested this region for centuries. A Roman road between Kleinlützel, … Read more » “Kleinlützel, Lucelle, Felsplatte and European History”

Along the Rhine with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

17 December 2024

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) was an enthusiastic hiker and admirer of nature in Switzerland. However, the Geneva-born writer mainly stayed in French-speaking Switzerland. His German contemporary, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), also enjoyed staying and hiking in the German-speaking part of the country. He was particularly impressed by the Rhine Falls (Rheinfall) near Neuhausen (canton Schaffhausen) … Read more » “Along the Rhine with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe”

Hiking with Jean-Jacques Rousseau

7 December 2024

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) was one of the most influential philosophers of the Enlightenment (second half of the 18th century). His political, educational, and literary works, as well as his novels, were bestsellers during his lifetime. It brought him not only fame but also trouble with the authorities. His passion for hiking, however, is less well-known. … Read more » “Hiking with Jean-Jacques Rousseau”

Waldenburg, the SAC-Waldweidhütte and Bergwirtschaft Waldweide

29 November 2024

Waldenburch was first mentioned in a document in 1244. The name originates from Walenburg, which translates to “castle of the Welscher,” referring to the French-speaking people of Switzerland. In the early Middle Ages, the Alsatian monastery of Murbach owned the Waldenburg area. The Lords of Froburg were their successors. After the opening of the Gotthard … Read more » “Waldenburg, the SAC-Waldweidhütte and Bergwirtschaft Waldweide”

Le Landeron and its environment

24 November 2024

Before Le Landeron was founded, another town, Nugerol, was established by the Count of Neuchâtel to defend his county against the nearby bishopric of Basel. Nugerol was destroyed in the 12th century during a border dispute between the count and the bishop. In 1325, the count began rebuilding the destroyed city on a new site. … Read more » “Le Landeron and its environment”

Miracles, Castles, Hellikon, Fricktal, Nature, Canton Aargau and Geoffrey Boltwood

10 November 2024

In 1415, the Eidgenossenschaft of eight cantons (Bern, Zurich, Lucerne, Zug, Uri, Unterwalden, Schwyz, and Glarus) conquered Aargau, the homeland of the Habsburgs. The village of Habsburg and the castle near Brugg are reminders of this history. All of Aargau? No, the Fricktal remained Habsburg until 1798 ( the Helvetic Republic). The Fricktal remained Catholic … Read more » “Miracles, Castles, Hellikon, Fricktal, Nature, Canton Aargau and Geoffrey Boltwood”

Diemtigen, wooden Doric columns, houses, agriculture and nature park

29 October 2024

Most villages in Switzerland display one or more historical, cultural, architectural or natural attractions. Diemtigen (canton of Bern) has all four. Diemtigen is derived from the Alemannic names ‘Thenno’, ‘Thietmar’, or ‘Diemo’. A document from 1257 mentions the village as belonging to the Bishop of Sitten, who transferred the castle (castrum) of Diemtigen to the … Read more » “Diemtigen, wooden Doric columns, houses, agriculture and nature park”

Bubendorf, Afghanistan, Separation, Wildenstein Castle and its Oaks

26 October 2024

When you think of Bubendorf (canton of Basel-Landschaft), you don’t immediately associate the village with Afghanistan or a health resort. And yet, this village of over 4,000 inhabitants is home to the most extensive collection of Afghan literature, scientific publications, documentaries, photographs, videos, and pictures in Europe at the Biblioteca Afghanica. Bubendorf was a small … Read more » “Bubendorf, Afghanistan, Separation, Wildenstein Castle and its Oaks”

St. Peter’s Island in Lake Biel, Erlach and the Jura Water Correction

22 October 2024

St. Peter’s Island (St. Peters Insel/l’île Saint-Pierre) in Lake Biel (Bielersee/lac de Bienne) was an island until 1868 and the largest in Switzerland. Between 1868 and 1875, the lake level was lowered by more than two metres during the first Jura water correction (Juragewässerkorrektion/La correction des eaux du Jura). This project created the passage (4.5 km) and … Read more » “St. Peter’s Island in Lake Biel, Erlach and the Jura Water Correction”