Loèche-les-Bains

Geschichte

Leukerbad is a municipality in the district of Leuk in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.HistoryThe story of Leukerbad dates back to the 4th century B.C. Graves and ceramics attest the presence of habitation in Leukerbad. From the 5th century, the pass of the Gemmi, a unique link between the cantons of Valais and Bern, has been in use.In 1229, Leukerbad is mentioned for the first time and called "Boez". French is the locally spoken language at that time.In 1315, the commune becomes independent and the oldest known document about Leukerbad already mentions the baths.In 1501, the Bishop and Cardinal Matthäus Schiner acquires the rights for the baths and speaks highly of the health resort during his visits; the thermal tourism develops. By that time, German (Walser German, brought by the Walser migrations) is spoken locally.Between the 16th and 18th centuries, several major avalanches hit the village but the inhabitants rebuilt it each time.During the early history of tourism in Switzerland, a number of notable guests visited Leukerbad, including Isabelle de Charrière (1776 and 1777), Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1779), Guy de Maupassant (1877) and Mark Twain (1878).