Lauterbrunnen is a village and municipality in the administrative district of Interlaken-Oberhasli, in the Swiss canton of Bern. It is situated between gigantic rock faces and mountain tops, in one of the most spectacular trough valleys in the Alps. With its 72 thundering waterfalls, secluded valleys, colorful alpine meadows, and lonely mountain inns, the Lauterbrunnen Valley is one amongst the largest nature conservation areas in Switzerland.
Given its small scale, Lauterbrunnen has many activities and excursions to offer. The village is the key point of departure for visits to the Schilthorn (by cable car) and the Jungfraujoch (by train) and many other mountain excursions. The very name, ‘Lauter Brunnen’ (‘many fountains’) indicates this landscape’s magnificence. The population of the village Lauterbrunnen is a smaller amount than that of Wengen, but larger than that of the others. Lauterbrunnen was first mentioned in 1240 as “in claro fonte”, a Latinian language name meaning “clear spring”. By 1253, it absolutely was known to German speakers as Liuterbrunnon; the town had an alternate spelling of Luterbrunnen by 1268.
The Lauterbrunnen Valley includes 72 waterfalls, the most prominent of which is the Staubbach Falls. They are one of the largest free-falling waterfalls in Europe and plunge nearly 300 meters from an overhanging rock face. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe visited the valley in 1779 and was inspired to compose his well-known poem ‘Spirit song over the waters’ by the roaring waters. In any case, as Lauterbrunnen’s notoriety developed and with the culmination of a street from Interlaken in 1834 and the 1890 Bernese Oberland Railway, more inns were required for vacationers. As new lodgings were fabricated, another traveler foundation was additionally underlying the town. They constructed streetcars to Mürren in 1891 and to Wengen in 1893.
Summer tourists can enjoy hundreds of hiking trails, suitable for all levels of fitness, as well as cruises on nearby Lake Thun and Lake Brienz while skiers and snowboarders from around the world flock to this famous area in winter. Another deafening phenomenon are the Trümmelbach Falls within the ‘Black Monk’ mountain, hidden behind mighty rock faces. Up to 20,000 liters of water per second cascade falls over the ten glaciers from a total height of about 200 meters. Only a tunnel lift will hit this spectacle in summer.
Lauterbrunnen lies at the bottom of a U-shaped valley stretching from the village to the eight kilometers (5.0 mi) Lauterbrunnen Wall in the south and then southwest. The Lauterbrunnen valley town (795 m) is the starting point for some of the Jungfrau region’s best-known excursion destinations. The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Per fess Argent a Semi Ibex rampant couped Sable and Vert three Piles wavy issuant from the base of the primary. The three stripes represent three famous waterfalls around the village.
In the Jungfrau area, there are 45 transport facilities in total, as well as 213 km of piste, fun parks, 100 km of winter hiking trails, and 50 km of the toboggan run. Even the Lauterbrunnen Valley boasts several cross-country ski trails. In the 1969 James Bond film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” Lauterbrunnen appeared in many scenes.
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