Five sites of national importance

In the Binntal Landscape Park, eight sites are classified as being of national importance according to the Inventory of Swiss Sites worthy of Protection (ISOS), while three sites are of regional importance:

  • Schmidigehischere and Wileren, districts of Binn (national importance)
  • Fäld, hamlet of Binn (national importance)
  • Village of Ernen (national importance)
  • Village of Mühlebach, Ernen (national importance)
  • Village of Grengiols (national importance)
  • Village of Steinhaus, Ernen (regional importance)
  • Village of Ausserbinn, Ernen (regional importance)
  • Bächernhäusern, hamlet of Grengiols (regional importance)

The municipalities of the Binntal Landscape Park have been working for years to preserve and safeguard the cultural and natural values in the long term by means of spatial and local planning (land use planning, building regulations, etc.). These efforts have been recognized with the awarding of the Wakker Prize (1979) to Ernen and the Heritage Protection Prize (1992) to Binn.

In Ernen, Mühlebach and Grengiols, the reason for the intact townscape is the shifting of the traffic axis through the Goms. In 1861, the new Furka road was opened on the opposite side of the valley. This cut the three villages off from pass traffic. Economic stagnation set in, which also had an impact on building activity. There was almost no building activity for around 100 years.

The historic building stock

The historical housing stock of the four communities in the Binntal Landscape Park is functionally oriented towards the multi-level operating system with seasonal migration.

The economic use of the various altitude levels and the associated movements of people and animals as well as the difficult transportation conditions in steep terrain meant that each family at each altitude level had to erect the buildings necessary for the cultivation and use of the goods. This type of farm, known as an inner-Alpine scattered farm, consisted of single-purpose buildings, a dwelling house, stable barn, barn, granary, Maiensässhaus and alpine hut.

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