Simmental house path

Cultural heritage strives to preserve and maintain the face of our landscape, the jewels of our building culture – the structures that characterise the nature of the local settlement landscape. Because many of these outstanding places are located away from busy roads, these hidden gems of local building culture are made accessible to the general public with signposted trails.

The Simmental houses are an expression of great wealth, which the breeding and export of Simmental cattle (now internationally renowned) brought to the sunny mountain valley many years ago. In the 17th and 18th century, the pleasure of embellishment and the demand for all things decorative reached their peak. The facades of the residential buildings facing the valley or roads became ornamental, demonstrating the social position of the owners and the craftsmanship of the carpenters.

On most of the timber constructions, the living room level is raised on the front side and the remaining woodwork joined using a log building method. Up until the 19th century, the slightly tilted gabled roofs were tiled with wood shingles and stone. Constructional components lend themselves to embellishment. Thresholds, windowsills and trusses are carved and often painted. The areas in between facilitate a wide range of free-style painting.