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Einsiedeln - Interlaken shell symbol
Einsiedeln Einsiedeln - Schwyz Schwyz - Beckenried Beckenried - Stans Stans - Sachseln Sachseln - Brünig Brünig - Interlaken
Interlaken - Ship - Spiez shell symbol
Interlaken - Spiez
Interlaken - Thun shell symbol
Interlaken - Gunten Gunten - Thun Thun Thun - Gwattegg Spiez - Wattenwil Wattenwil - Rüeggisberg Rüeggisberg - Schwarzenburg Schwarzenburg - Fribourg Fribourg Fribourg - Hauterive Hauterive   Payerne Hauterive - Romont Romont - Moudon Moudon - Chalet à Gobet Chalet à Gobet - Lausanne Lausanne
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Wattenwil, church

From Wattenwil the path leads uphill past the church (pilgrims' stamp) standing next to the old schoolhouse.

Here a view back to Wattenwil and the church.


path shortly after Wattenwil

The path shortly after Wattenwil


Schloss Burgistein

It always leads uphill to Burgistein village. Opposite on a hilltop, Burgistein Castle, built around 1260, looks over to us. It was rebuilt after being destroyed in the Laupen War in 1336. From 1493 to 1690 it belonged to the mayor of Bern, Jakob von Wattenwyl, who undertook major renovations during his time.

For a larger view touch the picture with the mouse

Note for photoshop fans: When zooming in, the castle will become bigger, but the clouds will not get bigger!


farmhouse in Weierboden

Farm in Weierboden


signpost Weierboden 785m

After Burgistein in the village part "Bim Weier" (at the pond) we reach the highest point and continue our pilgrimage through a flat meadow high valley, past beautiful farm settlements, to Riggisberg.


church Riggisberg

At the entrance to Riggisberg you can see Riggisberg castle, built around 1700 by Albrecht von Erlach, on a hill. Today it is used as a dormitory. Above the centre of the village with its beautiful castle park is the old Riggisberg church. It was originally consecrated to Saint Sebastian. A new nave was added to the late Romanesque choir tower of the parish church in 1687, which was replaced by an even larger one in 1939 and 1979.

The romanesque tower:

parish chrch Riggisberg

We continue to walk up a natural road and follow a chain of hills to the west. If the weather would have allowed it, we would have had a magnificent view of the Bernese Alps and the Gantrisch region, so we had to be content with the view of the vast hilly landscape of the Schwarzenburgerland.


Martins church Rüeggisberg

The Way of St. James leads past the Martinskirche Rüeggisberg. Parts of the west and south walls of the early Romanesque building (10th-11th centuries) have been preserved with tower foundations on the south side of the church. The foundation is said to date back to Queen Bertha of Burgundy.


monastery ruins Rüeggisberg

In Rüeggisberg we meet the famous monastery ruins. The once important site of the former Cluniac priory was once an important place of refuge for pilgrims. The history of the monastery dates back to 1072.