Grindelwald’s seven mountain communities

One valley, seven mountain communities, one agreement. A story of Grindelwald.
The coat of arms of Grindelwald depicts at its centre a black chamois against a white background, above and below it red bars containing seven white stars. The seven white stars stand for Grindelwald’s seven mountain communities, the so-called “Bergschaften”. They are:

• Bussalp
• Holzmatten
• Bach
• Grindel
• Scheidegg
• Wärgistal
• Itramen

The history of these communities dates to the first half of the 15th century. In 1404, an agreement was drawn up governing the regulations and grazing rights on Grindelwald’s alps. The geographical boundaries of these areas stretch in a star shape from the valley to the surrounding peaks. The basic principle of this agreement might come as a surprise to many an economist. Only farmers with a constant residence in the valley and whose livestock spend the winter in Grindelwald are permitted to send their cattle to graze the alps in summer. This in turns means that the alp privileges are tied to the valley rather than owned by one individual, making them therefore unsaleable.

This principle has proved effective for centuries. What will the future bring? Where will Grindelwald draw the line between tradition and innovation? These are intriguing questions that many tourism destinations and companies are asking themselves today.