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53-663: The Jungfrau Region (German: Jungfrauregion ) is a region of the Bernese Oberland , at the foot of the Bernese Alps . It consists of two valleys south of Interlaken : that of Grindelwald and that of Lauterbrunnen , both drained by the Lütschine . The Jungfrau Region is named after the highest mountain in the area: the Jungfrau . It is also notably dominated by the Eiger and Mönch . It

106-514: A civil war with Lower Valais, where the "Young Swiss" party, hostile to the Church, were in control. The party friendly to the Church conquered, it is true, and the influence of the Church over teaching was, at first, preserved, but on account of the defeat of the Sonderbund , with which Valais had united, a radical Government gained control in 1847. The new administration at once showed itself unfriendly to

159-401: A diversification of the economy. After 1950 a new wave of hotel construction of hotels and holiday homes and apartments, led to a strong population growth. Starting in the 1930s and increasingly after 1950 funiculars , cable cars and chair lifts opened up many of the high alpine villages for winter sports and tourism. The Bernese Oberland designates primarily an area around the upper valley of

212-790: A high Alpine hiking pass, and further to the Kander Valley via the Hohtürli , another high Alpine hiking pass, on the north flank of the Blümlisalp range. Kandersteg , at the north entrance of the old Lötschberg Tunnel (1913, 14 km), which connects the Bernese Oberland with the German-speaking part of the Valais, opens up to the north to Frutigen where it is joined by the Entschligetal from

265-514: A major north-south axis through the Alps, links the region with both the capital of the canton, Bern , and its sizable southern neighbour, the canton of Valais . The flag of the Bernese Oberland consists of a black eagle in a gold field (in reference to the region's old status as reichsfrei ) over two fields in the cantonal colours of red and black. The Swiss German dialects spoken in the Bernese Oberland are Highest Alemannic German , contrasting with

318-654: A struggle against the supremacy of France, was incorporated into the Helvetic Republic , and Prince-bishop Joseph Anton Blatter (1745-1807) went into exile in Novara . During the sway of Napoleon the Valais was separated from Switzerland in 1802 as the Rhodanic Republic , and in 1810 was annexed by France . In 1814 Valais threw off French supremacy, when the Allies entered the territory; in 1815 it joined Switzerland as one of

371-645: Is a Latin Catholic ecclesiastical territory in the canton of Valais , Switzerland . It is the oldest bishopric in the country and one of the oldest north of the Alps. The history of the Bishops of Sion, of the Abbey of St. Maurice of Valais as a whole are inextricably intertwined. The see was established at Octodurum, now called Martigny , the capital of the Roman province of Alpes Poeninae . The first authentically historical bishop

424-830: Is a major tourist destination in Switzerland and the Alps, renowned for its mountains and lakes (in particular Lake Thun and Lake Brienz ). Both valleys are served by several railways: the Bernese Oberland Railway , the Wengernalp Railway and the Jungfrau Railway . The region also includes numerous cable transports and other facilities. There are also smaller towns, with the population not exceeding 30 people. 46°36′58″N 7°55′41″E  /  46.616°N 7.928°E  / 46.616; 7.928 Bernese Oberland The region essentially coincides with

477-572: Is one of the few valleys on the right side of the Aare. South of Interlaken the short valley of the Lütschine opens to the most well-known valleys of the Bernese Oberland, namely the Lauterbrunnental to the south, and the valley of the Schwarze Lütschine to the east with Grindelwald situated just below the Eiger , Schreckhorn , and Wetterhorn . Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen are separated by

530-512: The Aare with its many larger and smaller side-valleys. It makes up the northern side the Bernese Alps and includes most of its highest peaks: Finsteraarhorn (4,274 m (14,022 ft)), Jungfrau (4,158 m (13,642 ft)), Mönch (4,110 m (13,480 ft)), Schreckhorn (4,078 m (13,379 ft)), Gross Fiescherhorn (4,049 m (13,284 ft)) and Lauteraarhorn (4,042 m (13,261 ft)). Other lower ranges partially in

583-665: The Brienzer Rothorn , the highest summit of the 30-kilometre-long (19 mi) prominent mountain range dominating the north shore of the Lake Brienz as far as its western end above Interlaken with the Harder . The easternmost section of the ridge constitutes the border with the canton of Lucerne (LU) , but the western part is fully in Bernese territory. The region of Habkern , north of the Harder,

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636-661: The Brünig , Susten (with a Roman mansio ), Grimsel , Lötschen , Gemmi , Rawil , Sanetsch and the Col du Pillon . During the High Middle Ages , a number of Bernese Oberland villages grew around valley parish churches which were religious and cultural centers within each surrounding valley. During the Middle Ages, the Bernese Oberland first belonged to the Kingdom of Burgundy followed by

689-562: The Carolingian era , and certainly from the 11th century. In the early 17th century, the Seven Tithings began to mint their own coin, which was vigorously opposed by the bishops until they finally had to cede temporal power to the Republic in 1634. Sion and the district of the Valais were constantly drawn into wider struggles. Walter II of Supersaxo (1457-1482) had taken part in the battles of

742-747: The Gadmertal , on its most eastern point culminates at the Susten Pass just south of the Titlis ( OW ) connecting with the valley of the Alpine Reuss (UR), the northern part of the St. Gotthard Route . The Joch Pass to the northeast at the beginning of the Gental , a foot pass west of the Titlis connecting to the canton of Nidwalden (NW) and further down to the resort Engelberg in

795-586: The High Alemannic Bernese German spoken in Bern and the northern parts of the canton. In the short-lived Helvetic Republic (1798–1803), the Bernese Oberland was a separate canton . Prehistorically the Bernese Oberland was crossed by hunters or traders, but the first known settlements were from the Roman era . The Romans settled along the river and the lakes. They used a number of alpine passes including;

848-665: The Kleine Scheidegg pass, which is accessible from both sides via a rack railway, and which is the starting point of the Jungfrau Railway to the Jungfraujoch , a saddle between the Jungfrau and Mönch (literally, German Joch translates to yoke ). On the southeastern side of the mountain range formed by Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau lies the head of the largest glacier of the Alps, the Aletsch Glacier , which however entirely lies on

901-609: The Stockhorn by cable cars to the west, the one summit of the Bernese Oberland with the probably most unobstructive view over the Bernese Lowlands and Thun . Not far from Erlenbach, one can access the Diemtigtal to the south with the Gsür to its very south end, also rising directly above Adelboden. Zweisimmen also connects to Saanen and Gstaad via the small pass of Saanenmöser , with

954-451: The canton of Obwalden (OW) . North and above of Meiringen is the ski and hiking resort Hasliberg just on the other side of the ski resort Melchsee-Frutt (OW). The low Brünig Pass to the north connects Meiringen and the Haslital with the upper canton of Obwalden and further down to Central Switzerland and Lucerne (LU). Above of Brienz on the northeastern shore of Lake Brienz soars

1007-549: The rebellion of 1415–1420 . Bishop William IV of Raron (1437-1457) was obliged to relinquish civil and criminal jurisdiction over the sieben Zehnten by the Treaty of Naters in 1446, while a revolt of his subjects compelled Bishop Jost of Silinen (1482-1496) to flee from the diocese. In 1428-1447, the Valais witch trials raged through the area. The bishops of Sion minted their own money from earliest times, possibly from as early as

1060-518: The 19th century many residents of the Simmen valley and the Interlaken district emigrated to North America, Germany or Russia. In the late 19th century, new transportation links made it easier for people to travel into the valleys. The Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon railway opened in 1913 and became the largest privately owned railroad in Switzerland. The collapse of the hotel industry during both world wars forced

1113-603: The 19th century, by the Bishop of Sion . The expansionist policy of the city of Bern led them into the Bernese Oberland. Through conquest, purchase, mortgage or marriage politics Bern was able to acquire the majority of the Bernese Oberland from the indebted local barons between 1323 and 1400. Under Bernese control, the five valleys enjoyed extensive rights and far-reaching autonomy in the Bäuerten (farming cooperative municipalities) and Talverbänden (rural alpine communities). Throughout

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1166-811: The Bernese Oberland are the Uri Alps (east) and the Emmental Alps (north). Its largest part and the Alpine part of the Aare before the river enters Lake Brienz is called the Haslital culminating on the Grimsel Pass at its southeastern corner connecting with the Goms in the Upper Valais , and Andermatt in canton of Uri (UR) via the Furka Pass . And its major side-valley, called

1219-466: The Bernese Oberland villagers to sell their cattle. After the French invasion of Switzerland in 1798, the old Bernese order was fractured and the Bernese Oberland was separated from the canton of Bern, forming the canton of Oberland . Within this new canton, historic borders and traditional rights were not considered. As there had been no previous separatist feeling amongst the conservative population, there

1272-454: The Bernese Oberland was somewhat consistent. A main settlement grew on the valley floor below an elevation near 1,100 m (3,600 ft). This main settlement had a market and often a castle or other fortifications. This market town was surrounded by scattered villages, hamlets and individual farm houses to an elevation of 1,600 m (5,200 ft). During the 14th–16th centuries, the Bernese Oberland villages began extensive trading with

1325-431: The Bernese grain producing towns in the lowlands. This allowed the alpine villages to renounce self-sufficiency in grain and focus on raising cattle in the high alpine pastures and bringing them down into the valleys in the winter ( transhumance ). They then exported cattle over the passes into Italy and into the Bernese lowlands. Around 1500, in addition to the seven medieval markets, eleven new cattle markets opened to allow

1378-467: The Bishops of Sion much of the authority of an archbishop . The defeat at Marignano and the arbitrary rule of his brothers led to a revolt of Schiner's subjects; in 1518 he was obliged to flee the diocese. The new doctrines of the Reformation found little acceptance in Valais, although preachers were sent into the canton from Bern , Zürich , and Basel . In 1529 Bishop Adrian I of Riedmatten (1529-1548),

1431-515: The Church, secularized many church landed properties, and wrung large sums of money from the bishop and monasteries. When in 1856 the moderate party gained the cantonal election, negotiations were begun with Bishop Peter Joseph von Preux (1843-1875), and friendly relations were restored between the diocese and the canton. In 1880 the two powers came to an agreement as to the lands taken from the Church in 1848; these, so far as they had not been sold, were given back for their original uses. In modern times

1484-607: The Dukes of Zähringen . After the extinction of the Zähringen line, the Bernese Oberland was ruled by a number of local Barons (including Oberhofen, Strättligen, Brienz-Ringgenberg, Wädenswil, Weissenburg). For a time, some of the Walser barons (Raron, vom Turn) ruled portions of the Bernese Oberland. The Saanen valley was ruled by the Counts of Gruyères . Portions of the alpine passes were held, until

1537-492: The Harder on its southeast. At the west end of Lake Thun, at the outlet of the river Aare, lies the town of Thun , which already belongs to the Swiss Plateau, not far from Bern to the northwest. Since 2010, the Bernese Oberland covers one of five administrative regions of the canton of Bern (called German : Verwaltungsregion Oberland ) and consists of four administrative districts with 80 municipalities: Before 2010,

1590-822: The Kander flows through the Frutigtal . Above Spiez rises the Niesen , offering a wide view over the Bernese part of the Swiss Plateau to the northwest. Zweisimmen , still part of the Obersimmental, lies 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of Boltigen, the junction of the upper and lower parts of the Simmental. From Erlenbach in the Niedersimmental, the lower valley of the Simme , one can access

1643-581: The Late Middle Ages, the Bernese Oberland, as a whole or in part, revolted several times against Bernese authority. The Evil League ( Böser Bund ) in 1445 fought against Bernese military service and taxes following the Old Zürich War , in 1528 the Bernese Oberland rose up in resistance to the Protestant Reformation and in 1641 Thun revolted. During the Middle Ages, the settlement pattern in

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1696-611: The Louwene Valley and the upper valley of the Saane south of Gstaad. After flowing northwards, in Saanen the Saane turns to the west, firstly, in order to become La Sarine in the now French-speaking canton of Vaud (VD) , and secondly, opens a railway connection to Montreux at the eastern shore of Lake Geneva . The Jaun Pass , a road pass, connects the Simmental near Reidenbach with La Gruyère ,

1749-459: The Oberland had consisted of the following districts : The Bernese Oberland is well known for touristic reasons, including the following destinations: 46°40′13″N 7°50′5″E  /  46.67028°N 7.83472°E  / 46.67028; 7.83472 Bishop of Sion The Diocese of Sion ( Latin : Dioecesis Sedunensis , French : Diocèse de Sion , German : Bistum Sitten )

1802-499: The Rhone were bitterly and successfully opposed by the abbots of Saint-Maurice, who had obtained large possessions in Lower Valais. The medieval bishops of Sion were generally appointed from the younger sons of noble families of Savoy and Valais and often drew the resources of the see into the feuds of these families. Moreover, the bishops were vigorously opposed, as a matter of principle, by the petty feudal nobles of Valais, each in their fortified castle on rocky heights, seeking to evade

1855-506: The Swiss against Charles the Bold of Burgundy and his ally, the Duke of Savoy , and in 1475 they drove the House of Savoy from Lower Valais. Linked to the Old Swiss Confederacy since the 15th century, the Valais region was for long divided between the French party (typified by Georg of Supersaxo ) and the Burgundian-Milanese alliance, to which a powerful personage, Cardinal Matthaeus Schiner (1465-1522), bishop of Sion, had thrown his support. Schiner feared French supremacy enough to place

1908-410: The alpine regions. This combined with other reports and alpine paintings started the tourism industry in the Bernese Oberland. By 1800 there were resorts on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz (especially at Interlaken between the two lakes). Shortly thereafter the resorts expanded into the alpine valleys (Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald), and began attracting English guests. However, because of the widespread poverty of

1961-399: The beginning of the 4th century. At first the new diocese was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Vienne ; later it became suffragan of Tarentaise. In 589 the bishop, St. Heliodorus, transferred the see to Sion, leaving the low-lying, flood-prone site of Octodurum, where the Drance joins the Rhone . Though frequently the early bishops were also abbots of Saint-Maurice, the monastic community

2014-439: The bishop and the government have been on friendly terms, under the Constitution of 1907 that, while it declared the Catholic religion to be the religion of the canton, forbade any union of spiritual and secular functions. The library of Sion is known above all for its 120 medieval codices , dating from the mid-9th century to the late 15th century, some richly illuminated, published by Josef Leisibach and Albert Jörger. The library

2067-399: The cantons. As partial compensation for the loss of his secular power, the bishop received a post of honour in the Diet of the canton and the right to four votes. Disputes often arose as the Constitution of 1815 of the canton gave Upper Valais political predominance in the cantonal government, notwithstanding the fact that its population was smaller than that of Lower Valais. This led in 1840 to

2120-634: The cathedral chapter, and the sieben Zehnten formed an alliance with the Catholic cantons of the Confederation, to maintain and protect the Catholic faith against the efforts of the Reformed cantons. On account of this alliance Valais aided in gaining the victory of the Catholics over the followers of Zwingli at Kappel am Albis in 1531; this victory saved the remaining possessions of the Catholic Church in Switzerland. The abbots of Saint-Maurice opposed all religious innovations as energetically as did Bishops Adrian I of Riedmatten, Hildebrand of Riedmatten (1565-1604), and Adrian II of Riedmatten (1604-1613), so that

2173-408: The last king of Upper Burgundy , Rudolph III , granted the Countship of Valais to Bishop Hugo (998-1017); this union of the spiritual and secular powers made the prince-bishop the most powerful ruler in the valley of the Upper Rhone, the region called the Valais. Taking this donation as a basis, the bishops of Sion extended their secular power, and the religious metropolis of the valley became also

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2226-413: The military force of the diocese at the disposal of the pope and in 1510 brought about an alliance for five years between the Swiss Confederacy and the Roman Church, only to end up as one of the biggest losers in the Swiss defeat at Marignano in 1515, in which the bishop fought himself. In return for his support, Julius II made Schiner a cardinal and in 1513 accepted direct control of the see, which gave

2279-459: The political centre. However, the union of the two powers was the cause of violent disputes in the following centuries. For, while the spiritual jurisdiction of the bishop, as Bishop of Sion, extended over the whole valley of the Rhone above Lake Geneva , the Countship of Valais included only the upper part of the valley, reaching to the confluence of the Trient and the Rhone. The attempts of the bishops of Sion to carry their secular power farther down

2332-415: The soil of the canton of Valais (VS) . Via the upper, southern end of the Lauterbrunnental the experienced hiker can reach the Kandertal by traversing the Tschingel and Kander Neve from northeast to southwest. West of the Lauterbrunnental the Schilthorn rises, separating the valley of the Weisse Lütschine from the Kiental . The Lauterbrunnen Valley is connected to the Kiental via the Sefinafurgga ,

2385-422: The southwest, with the ski resort of Adelboden at its southern end. Adelboden and its sister resort Lenk join their respective areas to an extended and unified ski and hiking area across another mountain range. Lenk is situated at the southern end of the Obersimmental, the upper part of the Simmental , which again joins the Kander of the Kandertal just south of Spiez at the southern shore of Lake Thun after

2438-411: The supremacy of the bishop who was at the same time count and prefect of the Holy Roman Empire . Especially in the 14th and 15th centuries, the benefactors in these traditional struggles were often the rich peasant communities of Upper Valais, which were called later the Sieben Zehnden (the "seven tithings"), who exacted increasing political rights as the price of support, beginning with the success of

2491-454: The upper basin of the Aare , the latter notably including Lake Thun and Lake Brienz , the two large lakes of the region. On the banks of the lakes or the Aare are the main settlements of Thun , Spiez , Interlaken , Brienz and Meiringen . The numerous side valleys of the Bernese Oberland include a large number of Alpine villages, many of them being tourist resorts and connected by mountain railways to Spiez and Interlaken. The Lötschberg ,

2544-418: The valley when La Sarine turns north again, and the town of Bulle in the canton of Fribourg (FR) , west of the Lac de la Gruyère . North of Spiez, right across Lake Thun, on its northern shore, lies the Niederhorn , the south end of the northernmost mountain range of significant elevation of the Bernese Oberland, with the Gemmenalphorn and the Hohgant at the other end, separated by a small valley from

2597-425: The whole of Valais remained ostensibly Catholic. Both Adrian II and his successor Hildebrand Jost (1613-1638) were again involved in disputes with the sieben Zehnten in regard to the exercise of the rights of secular supremacy, which were finally settled in 1630, when the Bishops relinquished their territorial rule. The secular power of the bishops was brought to an end by the French Revolution. In 1798 Valais, after

2650-421: Was Saint Theodore/Theodolus (died in 391), who was present at the Council of Aquileia in 381. He founded the Abbey of Saint-Maurice , with a small church in honor of Saint Maurice , martyred there c. 300, when he united the local hermits in a common life, thus beginning the Abbey of Saint-Maurice, the oldest north of the Alps. Theodore rebuilt the church at Sion, which had been destroyed by Emperor Maximinus at

2703-483: Was in the care of the sacristan of the cathedral chapter of canons. He also was responsible for the security of the treasury. From the 12th century, the chapter was responsible for the Bishop's chancelry and kept the archives; doubtless there was a modest scriptorium . The library was enriched by donations from canons and in the 15th century from bishops: Guillaume VI de Rarogne (1437-1451), Jost de Silenen (1482-1496) and above all Walter Supersaxo (1457-1482) who possessed

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2756-437: Was jealously watchful that the bishops should not extend their jurisdiction over the abbey. Several of the bishops united both offices: Wilcharius (764-780), previously Archbishop of Vienne , whence he had been driven by the Moors ; St. Alteus, who received from the pope a bull of exemption in favor of the monastery (780); Aimo II, son of Count Humbert I of Savoy , who entertained Leo IX at Saint-Maurice in 1049. About 999,

2809-416: Was little enthusiasm for the new order. The 1801 Malmaison Constitution proposed reuniting the canton of Oberland with Bern, but it was not until the Act of Mediation , two years later, with the abolition of the Helvetic Republic and the partial restoration of the ancien régime , that the two cantons were reunited. In 1729, Albrecht von Haller published the poem Die Alpen about his travels through

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