Leukerbad

Leukerbad

Leukerbad ( Valais German Leiggerbad, French Loèche- les- Bains ) is a municipality in the district of Leuk in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

Geography

The famous winter sports and spa resort located in the rear Dalatal (derived from the river Dala ) at an altitude of 1411 to 2700 m above sea level. M.. , The valley is bounded by the Gemmipass on the one side, the other side of the valley forms the Torrenthorn.

History

Since Roman times, the hot springs of Leukerbad Leukerbad were known and today is a popular beach destination.

The oldest hotel in Leukerbad applies the Maison Blanche. The First year was built in the 17th century and rebuilt after being destroyed by avalanches in 1719 as a five-story stone house with gable roof. It was the abode of the most resort guests who traveled to 1830, but was increasingly in reputation of providing poor and neglected room.

Leukerbad has a total of four times afflicted in the 18th century by heavy avalanche disasters. After 1719, when the Maison Blanche was destroyed, avalanches also reached in 1720, 1756 and 1767 the village and destroyed countless homes.

After the village had received up to 1830 better avalanche control, several new hotels were built and also the old Maison Blanche completely overhauled. For a Walliser mountain village uncommon was 1834-1836 a classical hotel, the Hotel de France. After the construction of a motorable road from Leuk to Leukerbad followed in the 1840s, two other classical buildings, the Hotel des Alpes and the Hotel Bellevue. Owned in 1850 Leukerbad seven hotels and pensions and was the pioneer in the development of the mountain and spa tourism in the entire region of Switzerland. All hotels were standing next to the old village center. In order to take account of many English tourists, has even built an English chapel in the village in 1885. At the same time stood in Leukerbad a good reputation as a spa. According to the Swiss spa Almanac from 1886 should help the thermal springs for chronic skin diseases, rheumatism, scrofula, nervous disorders, anemia and mental overwork.

By 1896, the electrification of the big hotels was largely completed. In the 1910s the big eight hotels that offered a total of 900 beds, all central heating received, and in 1915 a cog railway between Leuk and Leukerbad was built ( in 1967 adjusted operating, route aborted). Between 1910 and 1920, 17,000 visitors were counted in the average. In 1916, in the midst of the First World War, there were even more than 20,000 visitors. In addition to medical care in the spa stay already belonged at that time also a sporting program, which consisted of billiards, lawn tennis, croquet, badminton and table tennis, to offer for spa guests.

Fundamental change experienced tourism in Leukerbad in the late 1920s and '30s. The wealthy upper class, which in Leukerbad was until then a guest had a predominant part of their lost assets. As a result, the guest structure in Leukerbad changed greatly. Leukerbad increasingly focused on the middle class as guests. On 24 May 1957, the cable car Leukerbad- Gemmipass was inaugurated. It allowed guests to arrive at the amount of Gemmiwand without the cumbersome way to torment the Gemmipass up. She was originally intended only for summer tourism. It was not until in the 1960s in Leukerbad to develop toward ski tourism.

From the 1980s invested Leukerbad under Mayor Otto G. Loretan massively in infrastructure. Within a relatively short time Burgerbad the magnificent Alpen Therme So were expanded, created the Sports Arena, created and built the luxurious town hall and the car park. To finance these buildings the church needed money that they had obtained on the capital market. The debt of Leukerbad end amounted to 1998 346 million CHF ( approximately CHF 200,000 per inhabitant). Leukerbad stood from 1998 to 2004 as the first Swiss municipality under administration of the canton. In August 2004, the former Mayor Otto G. Loretan was sentenced to five years in prison for multiple fraud, multiple dishonest business and office management and tax fraud in the appeal process for Leukerbad debacle.

Attractions

Parish

The Leukerbad belonged for centuries to the large parish Leuk. Bishop Matthew Schiner built in 1501 an independent parish. Already in 1484 put Bishop Jost of silenes the foundation stone of a church concerned. The outgrown church building was expanded in 1865, in which the Church has been rotated 90 degrees. It was opened in 1866 by Bishop Pierre- Joseph de Preux. Today's main entrance on the north side, the bell tower and the chapel as a former choir go back to the church of 1484th

Beginning of the 19th century the history of Protestantism begins in spa.

Tourism

Gemmi

The Gemmipass was in the Middle Ages an important link between the Canton of Berne and the canton of Valais. Since 1957, runs from Leukerbad ( 1'411 m above sea level. M. ) the cable car Gemmibahn to the pass ( 2,314 m above sea level. M. ). 2012, the track was renewed. Gemmi in summer is the starting point for hikers to Kandersteg, Adelboden and for the via ferrata the Daubenhorn. Just below the summit station of 330 meters adventure Mountain Climbing Gemmiwand was created.

In winter, cross-country skiing, sledding, snowshoeing and winter hiking paths are created and the Gemmi is also the starting point for Tourenskigänger direction Wildstrubel, Daubenhorn, Balmhorn and Steghorn. Also, the trail on the mountain hotel Schwarenbach to Kandersteg is open in winter and winter hiking.

Torrent

Torrent is the ski resort of Leukerbad offers 50 km of slopes. From Leukerbad a cable car to Rinderhütte runs ( 2,340 m above sea level. M. ), the center of the plants. The numerous hiking trails lead to the summit of Torrent horn on the Restipass to Loetschental or Majingalp and Flüealp.

Personalities

• Joseph Loretan (1806-1876), Grand Council (1847-1876), State Judges (1853-1876)
• Gustav Loretan (1848-1932), Grand Council (1877-1913), Senate (1885-1895), the National Council (1895-1908), State Judges (1907-1929)
• Raymond Loretan (1885-1963), Grand Council (1913-1927), Senate (1920-1928), Council of State (1927-1937), substitute Judge at the Federal Supreme Court (1925-1954)
• Wolfgang Loretan (1914-2011), Council of State (1965-1977)
• Otto G. Loretan ( born 1946 ), the Grand Council (1993-1997), National Council ( 1995-1999)
• Pericle Patocchi (1911-1968), writer, died in Leukerbad