Bellwald

Bell Forest

Bell Forest ( Valais German: [ ˌ beu ɑud ] ) is a municipality in the district of Goms in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

Geography

Bell Forest is located north of Brig high above the Rhone valley in 1560 m above sea level and thus is the highest village in the Goms. You can reach the location on a south-facing village since 1962 on a winding road or since 1956 with a cable car from the Fürgangen Bell forest station ( since 1915 ) of the Matterhorn -Gotthard - Bahn (MGB ).

Since 2007 Bell Forest is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Swiss Alps Jungfrau -Aletsch.

The village of Bell Forest is mainly grown on the top of uphill to the northeast, where the base station of the chairlift is available to the Alp Richene or Richinen, and here is loosely adherent to the district of Ried. On the road downhill to Fieschertal the districts egga ( Eggen ) and Bodma still follow ( Bodmen ). Southeast below Bell Forest, just above the Rhone river, the district Fürgangen is with the station. No longer inhabited the eastern ancient settlements Schlettren and nettle gorge; in the latter is next to some utilitarian yet also a chapel. The place Mutti above the village is merged as a result of looser Neuüberbauung entirely with Bell Forest.

Name

About the earliest evidence of the name of the community you will find a variety of information: 1273 Nicholaus de Belle Walt, Beliwalt; 1293 Belwalt. A Document from the year 1374 ( point APun Belwalt Zblattun ) probably indicates that the present name initially referred to the hilltop; This later went on to the main settlement and repressed their older names Zblattun.

The origin of the name Bell Forest is not fully understood because of its late occurrence. It is believed the forest with the German words a composition whose antecedent either the Latin bellum, pretty, beautiful ' back or on a Germanic personal name Ballo / Pallo as the owner is acknowledged.

History

In the 14th century Bell forest was inhabited by peasants who were the bishop tributary. The noble estate was 1404 by purchase from Rudolf von Raron in the hands of Johan de Platea in Niederernen over. Water systems are obtained from the years 1371 and 1436; the oldest known village statutes were written in 1555. According to the old Zentenordnug formed Bell Forest and Fischertal one of the nine Goms district.

Attractions

Bell Forest has a well-preserved, the car-free village with typical sunburned Valais timber houses, farm buildings and narrow streets. On the southern edge of the village the parish church built in 1698 is among the Seven Joys of Mary with rich Baroque interior. In addition, the mountain cemetery with the ossuary. To the village center around many chalets and hotels have been built since the road was opened.

Parish Church of the Seven Joys of Mary

The parish church and ossuary is located the southern edge of the village center of Bell Forest. The present church was built in 1698 and consecrated on 10 September 1704. The ossuary was built 1733-1734.

See: Parish Church Bell Forest

Chapel of St. Apollonia

The chapel is one of the three remaining buildings in the settlement nettle gorge. The chapel was probably built in 1666, this conclusion can be the year in carved and painted Gewölbemedalion in chorus to. The almost square building has an edge length of about five feet, and is covered by a gable roof. The axis of the building follows the valley to the northeast, and has two downhill side stichbogige window. On the western portal page located above the portal a bricked oculus. The interior has no limbs and is covered by a barrel ceiling, which is divided with a Gurtleiste. A gesprosstes wooden grille separates the choir from the altar with. During the 18th century, St. Apollonia supplanted the original patronal feast of the Theotokos Mary. Still in the first half was the chapel of a far roamed hermitage (especially in toothache ), but in the second half of the century it fell into disrepair. So called 1863, the Bishop Joseph de Preux, and in 1879 the Bishop Adrian Jardinier that restore or cancel the chapel was. Thanks a testamentary gift of Joseph Wavy from Fiesch, it was possible to renovate the chapel in the same year. She received in 1964 a new shingle roof.

St Mary of the Snow ( Alp Richene )

The chapel is the center of the old Alp Richene and was built in 1694. This year is also carved on the lintel.

Chapel of the Mother of God ( Ried)

Here, although a chapel was immediately before 1633 already built, at the present chapel but it is a new building from 1686th The chapel was 1967-1970 under the supervision of the federal historic preservation by Walter Feliser from Brig and John Horestes Bundschuh from Naters renovated. The renovation of the ceiling and equipment subject to Walter Mother of Naters.

Chapel of Mary coronation ( egga )

The origins of the village chapel of egga is unclear, but the style can infer the construction in the second half of the 17th century. The already in 1531 was the foundation of an image can be close to a predecessor. The chapel has made some patronage changes, so it was consecrated in 1687 the Saints since 1736 at the latest the holy mother Anna, and since 1863 the Patrozinum the Virgin Mary is dedicated coronation.

Chapel of Mary coronation (Upper Bodma )

The chapel dates from the 17th century and is first mentioned in 1687 as a built in honor of the Virgin Coronation private chapel of the family Perren documented. The bell was cast but 1653.

Chapel of St. Anne

This chapel stands on the road from Fürgangen after Bodmen where the old mule trail branches off to the Bell Forest. Because of a donation has become known from 1531, one can assume that there was a previous building. The building of the present chapel dates back to a foundation dating back to 1650. In the Traufleiste the ship ceiling there is the year of 1659th is a Baunaht Ship between the walls and the slightly higher choir walls. End of the 17th century, the chapel was rebuilt ( among others was the Floor by about one meter increased). Pointed out in the year 1684 with the initials SAZ out over the Giebelokulus.

Chapel of the Holy Trinity

It is known that the village chapel of Fürgangen already in 1687 was, but was not consecrated, suggesting that year on an end of building. In the visitation records from 1736 Patronazinium of the Holy Trinity is called the first time.

Tourism

In summer it attracts many hikers in this community. The two chair lift sections on Richenen and Steibechriz access to a hiking area with a small mountain lakes with good views of the Welsh mountains to the Matterhorn. Best vantage point is the Risihorn to 2875 m asl From Richenen to 2040 m asl leads a mountain bike downhill slope with 400 m height difference up to the chair lift valley station. Bell Forest is also the popular Goms mountain trail, which leads from Fiesch Bellwald to Munster in the Upper Goms. In the village are located above the village center managed sports and leisure facilities, including a football pitch, mini golf and tennis facilities, barbecue and children's playground and a fun park for skaters belong. Bell Forest has over 1,200 apartments and 4,300 beds (as of 2002).

In winter, skiers and snowboarders mainly use the village for holidays. The Bellwalder ski area with a detachable 4-seater chairlift, a detachable 2- seater chairlift and two ski lifts, ranging from 1600 m up to 2550 m asl It has blue, red and black ski slopes and snow-making equipment.