Riggisberg, situated between Bern and Thun is one of Switzerland's most beautiful treasures and has 2500 residents.
Off the main road, on a topography that can be likened to a saddle, it is a meeting point for weather coming from the 4 directions. It is the highest point between the Gurbetal valley lying between Thun and Bern in the east and Schwarzenburg and Fribourg in the west. It is the lowest point between the Swiss alps in the south and the foothills in the north. Because of this, the weather and the clouds they bring change from hour to hour displaying their variety and beauty in all seasons depend- ing on which direction it comes from and to which direction it is going to.
The weather is not the only thing that meets in Riggisberg.
Tourists and pilgrims from every direction from all over Europe who have passed by on their way to pay homage to apostle Saint James buried in Spain have also met here and left their mark. Old buildings, trees and boulders dot the landscape like jewels scattered on the ground waiting to be found. Monasteries where the pilgrims stayed to recuperate and churches where they prayed for strength to continue their pilgrimage have survived the ravages of time. So have castles and some buildings where the local privileged lived. Foreign boulders called erratics have been dropped off by the glaciers that have crossed the area millions of years ago.
Rudolf von Tavel (1866-1934) is one of the famous people who have visited Riggisberg and left a mark in the area. He was a well known writer who wrote in the Bernese dialect. He was born to a wealthy Bernese family. He became a lawyer, a conservative politician, a journalist, a writer and a poet. He wrote using the local dialect about the local country folk leaving us colorful descriptions of how they lived.
Near Riggisberg, there is a memorial to him high above the Gürbetal valley with a wonderful viewpoint of the Swiss alps.
Bernese dialect.
The Bernese dialect that the locals in Riggisberg speak sounds just as beautiful as the scenery looks. The locals are very proud of their dialect and many locals challenge foreigners to twist their tongues by attempting to saying certain phrases. Just like in English, internal rhymes like “lovey-dovey”, “honey-bunny” and “sweety pie” are used to convey affection, Bernese dialect uses terms of endearment and diminutive forms to express smallness, making the language sound very poetic and child like. Just like “y”`s and “ie”`s are added to English words and names to convey smallness and affection, like “doggie” and “Andy”, “li”`s are added to Swiss German words and names like “Hundali” and Trudali” for the same reason.
Bernese dialect, like the many similar Swiss German dialects of other regions, is very melodic compared to the harsh sounding guttural German. Like in Jamaican English where some words are shortened by removing the vowels “a,e,i,o,u” , the language becomes a tongue twister to speak but a delight to listen to. Like Jamaican, Swiss dialect is a spoken language and when written as poems and private letters and SMS texts, it is written phonetically.
The following phrases demonstrate the difference between German and the Bernese dialect. The following examples are first given in English, then in German followed by the dialect.
Hello, Good afternoon.
Salut, Guten Tag.
Hoi zäme, Grüessech.
Sometimes we go with someone in a small church about three thousand sixteen (3016) meters above sea level.
Bernese dialect.
The Bernese dialect that the locals in Riggisberg speak sounds just as beautiful as the scenery looks. The locals are very proud of their dialect and many locals challenge foreigners to twist their tongues by attempting to saying certain phrases. Just like in English, internal rhymes like “lovey-dovey”, “honey-bunny” and “sweety pie” are used to convey affection, Bernese dialect uses terms of endearment and diminutive forms to express smallness, making the language sound very poetic and child like. Just like “y”`s and “ie”`s are added to English words and names to convey smallness and affection, like “doggie” and “Andy”, “li”`s are added to Swiss German words and names like “Hundali” and Trudali” for the same reason.
Bernese dialect, like the many similar Swiss German dialects of other regions, is very melodic compared to the harsh sounding guttural German. Like in Jamaican English where some words are shortened by removing the vowels “a,e,i,o,u” , the language becomes a tongue twister to speak but a delight to listen to. Like Jamaican, Swiss dialect is a spoken language and when written as poems and private letters and SMS texts, it is written phonetically.
The following phrases demonstrate the difference between German and the Bernese dialect. The following examples are first given in English, then in German followed by the dialect.
Hello, Good afternoon.
Salut, Guten Tag.
Hoi zäme, Grüessech.
Sometimes we go with someone in a small church about three thousand sixteen (3016) meters above sea level.
Manchmal gehen wir mit jemandem im einem kleine Kirche etwa drei tausend sechzehn Meter über dem Meer.
Mängisch gömir mit öpperem its chline Chiuchli öppe drü tusig u sächzä meter überem Meer.
On Monday and Tuesday we eat breakfast, well, something not too expensive.
Am Montag und Dienstag frühstücken wir, eben etwas nicht zu Teures.
Am Määntig u Ziischtig due mir z`morgelä, ämu öppis nid z`tüürs.
We eat carrots and potatoes, drink white wine or draft beer. Eh?
Wir essen Karotten und Kartoffeln, trinken Weisswein oder ein Glas Bier, nicht wahr?
Mir ässe Rüebli u Härdöpfel, drinke wysse Wii, oder ä Schtange, gäll?
Cheers. I will call you. Will you also come?
Guten Appetit. Ich rufe dich an. Kommst du auch?
Ä Guete. I lüte dir aa. Chuuntsch o?
I like to work, to work hard.
Ich arbeite gern und arbeite hart.
I schaffe u chramfe gärn.
Shall we sunbathe here, or shall we go with the motorbike or by foot nine to ten km and play a game?
Liegen wir an die Sonne hier oder gehen wir mit dem Motorrad oder laufen wir neun bis zehn km und spielen?
Sünnele mir da oder gömmer mit dem Töff oder renne mir nüün bis zäh km und gämelamer?
I don't want to be there.
Ich will nicht mehr dabei sein.
I wott ämu nüm derby sy.
Thanks a lot.
Vielen Dank.
Merci vielmal.
Can you say “kitchen cabinet”?
Sag mir einmal “Küchenschränklein”.
Säg äs mau “Chuchichäschtli”.
I love you.
Ich liebe dich.
I ha di gärn.
Mängisch gömir mit öpperem its chline Chiuchli öppe drü tusig u sächzä meter überem Meer.
On Monday and Tuesday we eat breakfast, well, something not too expensive.
Am Montag und Dienstag frühstücken wir, eben etwas nicht zu Teures.
Am Määntig u Ziischtig due mir z`morgelä, ämu öppis nid z`tüürs.
We eat carrots and potatoes, drink white wine or draft beer. Eh?
Wir essen Karotten und Kartoffeln, trinken Weisswein oder ein Glas Bier, nicht wahr?
Mir ässe Rüebli u Härdöpfel, drinke wysse Wii, oder ä Schtange, gäll?
Cheers. I will call you. Will you also come?
Guten Appetit. Ich rufe dich an. Kommst du auch?
Ä Guete. I lüte dir aa. Chuuntsch o?
I like to work, to work hard.
Ich arbeite gern und arbeite hart.
I schaffe u chramfe gärn.
Shall we sunbathe here, or shall we go with the motorbike or by foot nine to ten km and play a game?
Liegen wir an die Sonne hier oder gehen wir mit dem Motorrad oder laufen wir neun bis zehn km und spielen?
Sünnele mir da oder gömmer mit dem Töff oder renne mir nüün bis zäh km und gämelamer?
I don't want to be there.
Ich will nicht mehr dabei sein.
I wott ämu nüm derby sy.
Thanks a lot.
Vielen Dank.
Merci vielmal.
Can you say “kitchen cabinet”?
Sag mir einmal “Küchenschränklein”.
Säg äs mau “Chuchichäschtli”.
I love you.
Ich liebe dich.
I ha di gärn.
Pilgrims and tourists
Over the 900 year life of Riggisberg, many tourists have passed thru and admired its beauty. Saint James way called “Jakobsweg” is a network of trails throughout Europe used by pilgrims on their pilgrimage to the grave of Apostle James in Santiago, Spain. They were led to believe that on completion of their pilgrimage, their sins would be forgiven. Many pilgrims who passed thru Switzerland used the route referred to as "The Upper Route" which started from a settlement at Brünig high above the Lake of Thun.
Over the 900 year life of Riggisberg, many tourists have passed thru and admired its beauty. Saint James way called “Jakobsweg” is a network of trails throughout Europe used by pilgrims on their pilgrimage to the grave of Apostle James in Santiago, Spain. They were led to believe that on completion of their pilgrimage, their sins would be forgiven. Many pilgrims who passed thru Switzerland used the route referred to as "The Upper Route" which started from a settlement at Brünig high above the Lake of Thun.
With all-weather hats and fur coats protecting them from cold and rain and long walking sticks protecting them from threatening animals, they made their way
over to Riggisberg church built 800 years ago. There they prayed before reaching the renowned Monastery at Rüeggisberg.
Built 900 years ago, the Rüeggisberg monastery was where the pilgrims who could afford to stay there
Built 900 years ago, the Rüeggisberg monastery was where the pilgrims who could afford to stay there
wined and dined and regained their strength.
The monks there were renowned and sought after lumberjacks who cleared the lands around the area of the dense forests and provided settlers cleared fields for farming and timber for building their barns and houses. Once they were mentally and physically recuperated, or their budgets were drained, the pilgrims continued over Fribourg and on to the Lake of Geneva.
At the end of their journey, in the bay not far from Santiago, they looked for
shells as proof of their successfully completed pilgrimage.
The catholic monastery in Rueggisberg was abandoned 400 years later during the time of reformation.
It is thought by some that there is a 4 km tunnel going thru the limestone rocks that ended in caves called the pfeffenloch found on the cliffs over Kaufdorf.
The catholic monastery in Rueggisberg was abandoned 400 years later during the time of reformation.
It is thought by some that there is a 4 km tunnel going thru the limestone rocks that ended in caves called the pfeffenloch found on the cliffs over Kaufdorf.
Schwarzenburg Castle
Built 800 years ago on a sandstone outcrop on the Sense river near Schwarzenburg, the castle served as a private residence of the Grasburg family for 200 years.
The family sold it to Bern and Fribourg which used it as administrative offices for the next 150 years. Because of the high costs of restoration needed for maintenance, it was abandoned and allowed to go to ruin. Schwarzenburg used materials from it for building the city for the next 250 years. For the last 200 years, it has served as a tourist attraction.
Guggisberg
Guggisberg is the setting of a Romeo and Juliet story that took place in about 1650.
Vreneli was arranged to marry a rich noble but fell in love with a poor peasant called Simon Hans-Joggeli. The 2 men had a duel and the rich one died. Hans-Joggeli fled to avoid being charged with murder and by the time he returned, Vreneli had died.
Guggisberg horn is considered a holy hill by a Swiss historian Christoph Pfister who claims that Jesus visited Switzerland and left his mark here in holy hills and their names. It is composed of a huge conglomerate boulder sticking 170m above the ground. A wooden stairway leads to the peak offering a 360° panorama view of the area.
Guggisberg horn is considered a holy hill by a Swiss historian Christoph Pfister who claims that Jesus visited Switzerland and left his mark here in holy hills and their names. It is composed of a huge conglomerate boulder sticking 170m above the ground. A wooden stairway leads to the peak offering a 360° panorama view of the area.
Celtic house
Nearby at Hirschmatt is a house built to look like the houses the Helvetians, a celtic tribe from the east who populated Switzerland starting about 500BC, lived in. The Celts left traces of their language as one of the 4 official languages of Switzerland called Romansch, a mixture of celtic and Latin spoken in the south eastern part of Switzerland.
Nearby at Hirschmatt is a house built to look like the houses the Helvetians, a celtic tribe from the east who populated Switzerland starting about 500BC, lived in. The Celts left traces of their language as one of the 4 official languages of Switzerland called Romansch, a mixture of celtic and Latin spoken in the south eastern part of Switzerland.
Druid Temple
Near Hinterfultigen on the Sense River are remains of what is considered a Druid Temple. Druids were celtic priests who believed in reincarnation.
Buildings
Riggisberg has a few buildings that are more than 200 years old.
Buildings
Riggisberg has a few buildings that are more than 200 years old.
Riggisberg castle was built over 300 years ago. It is presently the administrative office for the handicapped home which serves 260 mentally handicapped adults accommodated in the buildings surrounding it.
The old grain storage house near the secondary school is about 250 years old.
The Sonne restaurant, recently renovated, is about 200 years old. It was a hotel that served the military officers from Thun and before that, 150 years ago it served as a stopover for the tourists going to the Gurnigelbad hotel and its hot mineral baths in the Gantrisch hills nearby.
Tourists from all over the world were driven up from Bern by coaches pulled by a team of 5 horses. It was the biggest hotel resort in Switzerland having 600 beds before it went bankrupt and demolished because of competition from other hotel resorts built higher up in the Swiss alps.
The 900 year old castle in Rümligen nearby served as the home for the well known Madame de Meuron (1882-1980). She was well known in Riggisberg for her eccentric behavior.
Everyone who ever had the opportunity to meet her has some interesting story to tell about her. When her parents refused to allow her to marry the man she fell in love with because he was not of a noble family, Elizabeth von Tscharner threatened and promised to marry the first moron with blue blood she would meet just to spite her parents. When Mr Meuron, her cousin who was a real moron heard this, he misunderstood. Although not the fastest of men, he was the first who met her requirements. Like she promised, they soon married and had 2 children, a son and a daughter. She hired a young chauffeur Toni, from Italy who stayed with her as her driver her entire life. He came as a young man for part-time work, got hired by Madam de Meuron and stayed his entire life. His family refused to join him here.
Otto Binz, an officer of the Swiss cavalry and a well known politician visited her and when she failed to recognize him, he reminded her that he had a seat in the Swiss parliament. She replied that a seat in the senate would have been nobler. She used an ear trumpet claiming that it allowed her to hear only what she wanted to hear. She would ask strangers if they were “somebodies” or if they were just “employed” living from a salary. Whenever she found someone sitting in her reserved place in the church she occasionally attended, she would ask them to leave. Once the minister reminded her that in the eyes of God, we are all equals, she responded: “perhaps in heaven, but not here on Earth”.
She locked a woman up in her coach house for 2 days claiming that the woman was a thief. When authorities told her that she could not do that, she produced a document from the middle ages that authorized owners of castles to administer justice on their own without having to go thru courts of law.
Otto Binz, an officer of the Swiss cavalry and a well known politician visited her and when she failed to recognize him, he reminded her that he had a seat in the Swiss parliament. She replied that a seat in the senate would have been nobler. She used an ear trumpet claiming that it allowed her to hear only what she wanted to hear. She would ask strangers if they were “somebodies” or if they were just “employed” living from a salary. Whenever she found someone sitting in her reserved place in the church she occasionally attended, she would ask them to leave. Once the minister reminded her that in the eyes of God, we are all equals, she responded: “perhaps in heaven, but not here on Earth”.
She locked a woman up in her coach house for 2 days claiming that the woman was a thief. When authorities told her that she could not do that, she produced a document from the middle ages that authorized owners of castles to administer justice on their own without having to go thru courts of law.
The Abegg residence is only 50 years old, but it was built in the style of a 18th century building. Mr. Abegg was childless and his residence was turned over to a foundation after his death. The museum next door houses private collections of antique textiles from all over the world. The museum is world renown for its capabilities of restoring and conserving historic textile fabrics.
Trees
There are many old trees in and around Riggisberg. One of the oldest is a 300 years old 25 meter high oak tree on the corner of the road going down to Riggisberg cemetery from the Riggisberg hospital.
Erratic boulders
The few erratic boulders that have survived being blasted to pieces for clearing the land for farming and for building roads and houses are now protected. Most of them are off the main roads. Below is information and pictures to help the interested find them to give them a personal visit. Just open the Geoportal des Kantons Bern Naturschutzkarte at
http://www.map.apps.be.ch/pub/synserver?project=a42pub_nsg&userpr ofile=geo&language=de
and use the search function for “Geologische Objecte”. Type in the name of the erratic you want to find to open the map with the erratic marked on it. You can zoom in to the boulder’s position to a resolution of a few meters.
http://www.map.apps.be.ch/pub/synserver?project=a42pub_nsg&userpr ofile=geo&language=de
and use the search function for “Geologische Objecte”. Type in the name of the erratic you want to find to open the map with the erratic marked on it. You can zoom in to the boulder’s position to a resolution of a few meters.
THE END
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