Baltschieder
Origin of the name Baltschieder
The early forms are « Ponczirrum » in 1224 and « Balschyedro » in 1286. The etymology has not yet been explained.[1]
Founding of Baltschieder
Nobody knows who founded Baltschieder. The village lies in the district of Visp at the entrance to the Baltschiedertal, the valley whose name it bears. In the Middle Ages several noble families held rights here, including the Rarogne and the Asperlin, and the castellany of Baltschieder-Gründen belonged to the burghers of Visp. The community ran its own affairs, led by two procurators (« Gewalthaber »). For worship Baltschieder belongs to the parish of Visp. In the 19th and 20th centuries molybdenum mining in the valley supplemented farming, and later many worker-farmers worked at the Lonza plant in Visp. The traditional Wild Man play (« Wild-Mann-Spiel ») is still performed regularly.[1][2]
History of Baltschieder
1224. Recorded as « Ponczirrum ».[1]
1286. Recorded as « Balschyedro ».[1]
1470. The municipality adopts its statutes.[1]
16th century. The municipal hall is probably built.[1]
1588. The chapel of St Sebastian is built.[1]
1589 and 1593. The municipality buys out the episcopal tithes.[1]
1636-1643. The chapel of St Sebastian is rebuilt.[1]
1740-1766. The chapel is renovated again.[1]
1798. End of the castellany of Baltschieder-Gründen, owned by the burghers of Visp.[1]
after 1825. First major correction of the Rhône, followed by a second after 1860.[1]
1910. The population reaches 357, including 133 foreigners working on the construction of the Lötschberg line.[1]
1986. The Baltschiederbach stream is protected and may no longer be used to generate electricity.[1]
2000. A flood forces the inhabitants to evacuate the village. They can return home only after several weeks.[1]
2001. Inscription of the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn area on the UNESCO World Heritage List (extended in 2007). The Baltschiedertal is now part of the site.[5][6]
2025. On 13 February the Grand Council adopts the law merging Baltschieder, Eggerberg and Visp, taking effect on 1 January 2027.[2]
Population of Baltschieder
Sources and references: [1][3]
| 1816 | 98 inhabitants |
| 1850 | 112 inhabitants |
| 1900 | 190 inhabitants |
| 1910 | 357 inhabitants (including 133 foreigners working on the Lötschberg line) |
| 1950 | 358 inhabitants |
| 2000 | 1'050 inhabitants |
| 2025 | 1'406 inhabitants |
Historic sites in Baltschieder
Chapel of St Sebastian. Built in 1588, rebuilt in 1636-1643 and renovated in 1740-1766.[1]
Municipal hall. Building probably dating from the 16th century.[1]
Baltschiedertal. Valley that gave its name to the municipality. Molybdenum was mined here in the 19th and 20th centuries, and its stream has been protected since 1986. It is part of the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage site, inscribed in 2001 and extended in 2007.[1][5][6]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Baltschieder » (Philipp Kalbermatter, trad. Pierre-G. Martin, version du 24.06.2014)
- Grand Conseil du Valais, « Gesetz über die Fusion der Einwohnergemeinden Baltschieder, Eggerberg und Visp » (13.02.2025), Recueil des lois valaisannes
- Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
- geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées)
- UNESCO, Centre du patrimoine mondial, « Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch » (inscription 2001, extension 2007)
- Valais/Wallis Promotion (valais.ch), « UNESCO-Welterbe Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch » (Baltschiedertal)
Other villages near Baltschieder
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