Grindelwald

Grindelwald
Grindelwald village
Coat of arms
Grindelwald Show map of Switzerland Grindelwald Show map of Canton of Bern
Location of Grindelwald
Coordinates: 46°37′N 8°02′E / 46.617°N 8.033°E / 46.617; 8.033Coordinates: 46°37′N 8°02′E / 46.617°N 8.033°E / 46.617; 8.033
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Bern
District	Interlaken-Oberhasli
Government
• Mayor	Emanuel Schläppi
Area
• Total	171.08 km2 (66.05 sq mi)
Elevation	1,034 m (3,392 ft)
Population (Dec 2015)
• Total	3,740
• Density	22/km2 (57/sq mi)
Postal code	3818
SFOS number	0576
Localities	Alpiglen, Burglauenen, Grund, Itramen, Mühlebach, Schwendi, Tschingelberg, Wargistal
Surrounded by	Brienz, Brienzwiler, Fieschertal (VS), Guttannen, Innertkirchen, Iseltwald, Lauterbrunnen, Lütschental, Meiringen, Schattenhalb
Twin towns	Azumi, now Matsumoto (Japan)
Website	www.grindelwald.com SFSO statistics

Grindelwald is a village and municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Berne in Switzerland. In addition to the village of Grindelwald, the municipality also includes the settlements of Alpiglen, Burglauenen, Grund, Itramen, Mühlebach, Schwendi, Tschingelberg and Wargistal.

Grindelwald village is located at 1,034 m (3,392 ft) above sea level in the Bernese Alps.

Grindelwald was first mentioned in 1146 as Grindelwalt.

The oldest traces of a settlement in the area are scattered neolithic tools which have been discovered around Grindelwald village. Several Roman era coins have also been found in the municipality. A castle was built on the Burgbühl hill above the village during the High Middle Ages.

In 1146, King Conrad III granted estates in Grindelwald to Interlaken Monastery. In the late 12th century, the barons of the alpine valleys in what became the Berner Oberland went to war against the expansionist Duke Berthold V of Zähringen. The Duke defeated a coalition of nobles in the Grindlewald valley in 1191. His victory allowed him to expand Zähringen power into the Oberland, to expand the city of Thun and found the city of Bern. Beginning in the 13th century, Interlaken Monastery began to purchase rights and land in Grindelwald and eventually forced the local nobles out of the valley. The Monastery continued to exert influence in the village and in 1315 and again in 1332 ordered the villagers to raid Unterwalden to further the political ambitions of the Abbot's patrons. In response to the raids, in 1342, Unterwalden attacked Grindelwald. A few years later, in 1348–49, the villagers joined in an unsuccessful rebellion against ecclesiastical power. In 1528, the city of Bern adopted the Protestant Reformation and proceeded to spread the new faith in Grindelwald against the populations' wishes. Berne was able to impose its will, converted the village and secularized Interlaken Abbey and the Abbey's lands. Grindelwald became part of the bailiwick of Interlaken, under a Bernese bailiff.