The History of Grindelwald

It is not known exactly when the first people settled in the Grindelwald valley. Most likely, however, it was mountain celts that immigrated via the Grosse and Kleine Scheidegg in the first millennium AD and settled here.

In 1146 the name Grindelwald was mentioned for the first time in a document. King Konrad guaranteed the Interlaken monastery protection for its possessions in Grindelwald. It is not known where the name Grindelwald comes from. Linguists are most likely to see a connection in the old German-Celtic word “grindel”, which describes a piece of wood that serves as a barrier. The “grindel” forest would thus be a wooded valley that is cordoned off from the rest of the world. At that time, this was the case in Grindelwald.

Interest in the wild mountain areas began in the 17th and 18th centuries. Researchers and scientists explored more and more mountain regions. Scientific reports and travel diaries, maps and pictures aroused interest in our area all over the world. Initially, the travelers stayed in the parsonage. The first hotel was built at the beginning of the 19th century and within a very short time the mountain village developed from a farming village into a tourist destination.