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| The village of Wilderswil, and beyond |
It is sometimes easy to forget that Switzerland is a very old country. Archaeology shows Stone Age hunters lived here before the last Ice Age, approximately 350'000 B.C. Although they were not Swiss as such, the Helvetians, a Celtic tribe, gave the country it's official Latin name "Confoederatio Helvetica", in 800-58 B.C. The name continues today obscurely on money and license plates (CH), but people in the Middle Ages would have known where Helvetia was.
Where there is a church, there is usually a castle – not in Interlaken though. There are two castles close to Interlaken, in Wilderswil – Unspunnen and Rothenfluh. A third exists in Ringgenberg.
Starting in Wilderswil, the Burgenweg (Castle Walk) takes you back to the days when knights rode in the woods, and Switzerland was a very different place. First mentioned in local annals in 1232, the castle at Unspunnen was the seat of power for the local region, ruled first by the Barons of Rothenfluh-Unspunnen, in the 14th century by the Lords of Weissenburg and finally in the 15th century by the Lords of Scharnachtal. Occupied until 1533, the castle fell into ruins during the 16th and 17th centuries.
Although not much remains of the original structure, it was in its day a castle in the classical sense. A central round tower dominated the highest point, an upper stone walled building, and a ring wall. Built on top of a rock there was access to the courtyard only from the north side of the face, making it a small, but practically impenetrable fortress.
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| Unspunnen Castle |
Today, Unspunnen is better known for the herdsmen’s games held on the meadow in front of the ruins in 1805, which include wrestling, crossbow shooting and throwing the famous Unspunnenstein (the Unspunnen stone). The objective of these games was to decrease tension between town and country folk, following the Act of Mediation of 1803. In his introductory text, the then Mayor of Bern Niklaus Friedrich von Mülinen wrote, the games were to create“…new bonds of friendship between the inhabitants of the countryside and the residents of the towns … to make that beloved unity germinate and flourish again…” It was the creation of the Unspunnen myth, and today it is treated as tradition rather than what it essentially was – a rather clever way to create harmony between different classes and bring much needed revenue to the region. The tradition continues today and the next Unspunnen Fest is scheduled for 2017 but not at the castle – it now takes place in Interlaken.
From Unspunnen, depending on how fast you walk, it takes almost an hour to reach Rothenfluh. There are a few things to keep in mind when heading there – firstly, this part of the walk is not for small children. Good shoes are essential and planning enough daylight time - the path is not lit after dark.
There are two ways to get to Rothenfluh and both have their own difficulties. The upper path through the forest starts from the old mill in Wilderswil, crosses a nice wooden bridge and heads up into the forest. The wide forest path quickly becomes narrow the higher you get, and it takes some nerve to cross a metal suspension bridge, and then follow the path on the other side of the bridge, which is wet and marshy, and does not allow for clumsy feet. For some of the way, there are no handrails.
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| Ruins of Rothenfluh |
Just when it looks like the worst is over, comes the way up to the ruins themselves. The climb up is not for the feint hearted. A long metal staircase follows the cliff upwards, already not a place for anyone who is afraid of heights, and then another narrow path takes you up to the ruins. Although none of the path is dangerous as such, and I do whole heartedly trust Swiss engineering, there simply isn’t any room to slip and fall. The whole part of the walk to Rothenfluh is closed late October until early Spring, due to the very real danger of iced paths and falling rocks. None of the paths to Rothenfluh are accessible with a stroller or a wheelchair.
Before we come to the castle itself, it is worth mentioning the walk down. If you came by the path just described, you may want to consider taking the same way back. Not to spoil anyone’s party, but I came up the other way – the lower path from the valley floor. No sign in the world that says “Steep Ascent” could prepare me for that. Irregular steps, rocks to clamber over and the less than comforting beware of falling rocks signs do not really make for a pretty stroll. With two much needed breaks, it took me nearly 30 minutes to come up the steep way and I would not recommend anyone to walk down, unless you are part mountain goat. Again, it is not a path for small children and for unsure adults.
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| Rothenfluh |
So why come here at all? No, not because “it is there”, but more because it isn’t. There is absolutely nothing left of the original Rothenfluh Castle, save a few low walls and markers. However, this is the only cliff castle in the canton of Bern which has been preserved and its location, high above the valley floor, is awe inspiring.
The lords of Rothenfluh were first mentioned in records as early as 1221 and in 1298, their fortress was formerly documented as : “munitio sive balma dicta Rothenfluo” (fortress or cave castle, called Rothenfluh). It was built directly into the hollow of the cliff wall and the façade wall would have stood directly on the front edge of the cliff. According to the Archaeological Department of Bern:
“It is today marked (and protected) by stone-filled gabions and, once upon a time, used to seal off two large construction elements that leaned directly against the rock, namely a westerly one, measuring 5 – 6 x 15 m, probably used as the residential quarters, and an easterly one, measuring 2 – 4 x 7 m, possibly uncovered and serving as a courtyard. In the middle transverse wall on the valley side is the frame of the former doors. On the basis of wall thicknesses, we can imagine a two-storey stone construction with a wooden third storey housing the sleeping quarters under a mono pitched roof, whose board shingles joined directly onto the irregular line of the cliff hollow.”
History tells us little about the Lords of Rothenfluh and legend tells the end of their story. At Tschingelmatte, the beginning of the ascent to the castle from the valley, the Baron of Rothenfluh murdered his brother. Sent into exile for the crime he committed, he died despondent and alone in a distant land, thus ending the mighty Rothenfluh lineage. The castle was abandoned shortly after and was already in ruins in 1577.
Standing at the ruins of Rothenfluh with a view of the valley below, I can understand why they built a castle in this impossible place. Here they were truly lords of all they surveyed, impenetrable and alone, encased in a cocoon of red rock. These were men of legends, uncompromising and as brutal as their environment – and I feel small as I stand the shadows of their erstwhile past.
Burgenweg:
Start: Village museum «Alte Mühle»
Reachability: Bus or train from Interlaken Ost to Wilderswil Dorf or Hotel Heimat, by foot to the village museum (a map of the Burgenweg is available at the Wilderswil tourist office and railway station)
Duration: ~ 1½ h
http://www.burgenseite.ch/ruine_rothenfluh.htm
