Grindelwald is a pearl of a mountain village with a rich history, nestled in the Swiss Alps. It has a long tradition of alpinism and was once a refuge for pioneers of mountaineering. Today, this enchanting village still offers fascinating insights into the history of mountain sports. Delve into the stories of the adventurers of the past as you explore the breathtaking nature and charming culture of Grindelwald. Plan your visit and experience the history and beauty of this unique place!
Martinsloch (Martin’s Hole) on the Eiger
One of the things that makes Grindelwald special is its rock window, known as the Martinsloch or Martin’s Hole, through which the sun (or moon) shines at certain times. The rock window is located at the easternmost end of the Eiger, below the Ostegg. You can see the light shining through the Martinsloch from near the church on the 27th and 28th of November, as well as from the 13th to the 16th of January. You can also see it in the area around Hotel Kirchbühl soon after the New Year. The spectacle begins at about 12.30 pm (Central European Time) and lasts between three and thirty minutes (depending on the observer’s point of view). If the weather is good, you can see this phenomenon every day around midday between the 24th of November and the 22nd of January.
Mountain communities and naming of areas
The mountain communities here are named after pieces of land under each of the seven Alps that have mining rights attached to them. They extend from the Alphag at the top down to the Lütschine at the bottom of the valley.
Therefore, going clockwise, starting in Burglauenen, there are the mountain communities of outer and inner Bussalp (Schwendi/Bachsbort), Bach, Holzmatten, Grindel and Scheidegg.
These are the five on the sunny side. On the shady side, there is Wärgistal and Itramen.
The mountain communities function independently in many respects. The Grindelwald mountain community system is more than half a millennium old. The Taleinungsbriefe (“valley letters”) that established it date from 1404/1538. They were last updated on the 25th of March 2002 and retain the same basic features to this day. It’s certainly a time-tested system!
Bench patronage
Treat yourself or a loved one to something extra special: choose a bench in your favourite spot and make someone special its patron. The annual price for a bench is CHF 300. This includes engraving, care and maintenance. The commitment is for five years (you make a one-off payment of CHF 1500 at the beginning of the patronage period).
Your cow, your cheese
Your cow will spend the summer on the mountain, grazing on healthy grass and herbs. The dairy farmer will milk the cow and process the milk into delicious cheese right on the mountain. In the autumn, you can pick up your cheese at the “Chästeilet” festival or by arrangement with the Alpine dairy farmer.
Agriculture and tourism
In 2018, around 748,600 litres of cow’s milk was produced on the Alps. Of this amount, 668,600 litres were made into Alpine cheese and Alpmutschli. The remaining 80,000 litres were taken down into the valley for further processing.
Info about Grindelwald
Here you will find some facts and figures, key historical events, and information about our twin towns.
FACTS AND FIGURES
4,113 inhabitants
1,050 metres above sea level
171 km2 municipal area
1,344,927 overnight stays in 2019
8000 guest beds
44 mountain railways and ski lifts
214 km of ski slopes
50 km of sledging runs
300 km of summer hiking and trail running trails
70 km of winter hiking trails
160 km of mountain biking trails
GUESTS OF HONOUR
Grindelwald Tourism treats guests who regularly spend their holidays in the Eiger village of Grindelwald as guests of honour. Guests receive a special recognition award after ten years. In recognition of twenty years of loyalty, Guests of Honour are presented with a certificate and a gold pin. Over 4,000 loyal visitors to Grindelwald have been made Guests of Honour so far! Your host in Grindelwald is responsible for nominating you as a Guest of Honour. If for some reason you have missed out, please get in touch with Grindelwald Tourism.
As a Guest of Honour, you will be invited to join the “Guests of Honour Club”. So why not support the club by joining? You will also benefit from various discounts on the gold club card.
Guests of Honour Club
The Guests of Honour Club was founded in 1992. It was started by Guest of Honour Walter Dürig, Christian Brawand, the then president of the Spa Association, and Joe Luggen, who was a spa Director for many years. Walter Dürig served as the first president of the club. All of Grindelwald’s Guests of Honour are invited to join the Guests of Honour Club.
Find out more on the website.
TWINNED TOWNS
- Matsumoto, Japan
- Myoko, Japan
- Nara, Japan
WIR GRINDELWALDER
Grindelwald’s local holiday home landlords’ association
In 1972, 73 owners of holiday homes came together to form Grindelwald’s local holiday home landlords’ association, then known as the VVFG. This meant that Grindelwald’s spa association at the time had a point of contact for local holiday flats as well as for hotels. The organisation was renamed “Wir Grindelwalder” in 2010. All 166 members live in Grindelwald. These expert hosts will be happy to advise you during your holiday and show you how to make memories that last a lifetime in the Grindelwald valley.
ASSOCIATION OF CHALET AND HOLIDAY APARTMENT OWNERS (VEREIN DER CHALET- & WOHNUNGSBESITZER – VCWG)
Our members have been spending their leisure time and holidays in this beautiful glacier village for years – in some cases for generations. The association has many close and friendly ties with local residents, as well as with various organisations such as Grindelwald Tourism and the Guests of Honour Club. We want to continue to nurture these relationships going forward. If you own a holiday apartment or a chalet and live elsewhere, we would be delighted to welcome you as a new member of our association. Interested?