Ernen
Origin of the name Ernen
The place is recorded as « Aragnon » (1214), « Arengnon » (1220) and « Aernen » (1510). The origin of the name is uncertain. It has been read as the « estate of Aranius », but this is not confirmed.[1]
Founding of Ernen
Ernen lies on a moraine terrace on the left bank of the Rhone. The municipality comprises the compact village of Ernen and the hamlet of Niederernen to the south-west, incorporated in 1872, and, since 2004, Ausserbinn, Mühlebach and Steinhaus. Graves found at Binnachern attest a settlement of the La Tène period. In the early Middle Ages the Goms came under the jurisdiction of Ernen, headed by a mayor (maior). The mayoralty is first mentioned in 1135. In the second half of the 14th century the Goms dizain was divided into the mayoralties of Ernen and Münster, and a ruling of 1447 made the office of dizain mayor alternate every year between the two places. The high court always remained at Ernen, seat of the dizain court and the gallows. Ernen was also, with Münster, one of the two mother churches of the Goms. Lying on the route from the Goms to Italy via Ausserbinn and the Albrun pass, the village reached its peak at the beginning of the early modern period, as the houses on its square show. In the 19th century the road (1860-1861) and then the Furka railway (1914), both built on the right bank through Fiesch, caused its decline. The stagnation of building preserved most of its traditional buildings.[1]
History of Ernen
La Tène period. Graves found at Binnachern attest a settlement.[1]
11th century. A three-aisled basilica already stands on the site of the present church.[1]
1135. First mention of the mayoralty of Ernen, to which the Goms belonged.[1]
1214. The place is recorded as « Aragnon » and the church is first mentioned.[1]
14th century. In the second half of the century the Goms dizain is divided into the mayoralties of Ernen and Münster.
1447. A ruling establishes that the office of dizain mayor alternates every year between Ernen and Münster. The high court remains at Ernen.[1]
1510-1518. The architect Ulrich Ruffiner rebuilds the church.[1]
1533. Date of the house in Niederernen regarded as the oldest dwelling in the Goms.[1]
1576. The Tell house is built as an inn and staging post (sust) under the castellan Hans Volken.[1]
1578. The facade of the Tell house receives frescoes of William Tell.[1]
1581. Martin Jost, mayor and banneret, has the Jost-Sigristen house built.[1]
1702. The gallows are renewed.[1]
1750-1762. The dizain courthouse is rebuilt.[1]
1860-1861. The Furka road is built on the right bank of the Rhone, through Fiesch, and Ernen loses importance.[1]
1872. The hamlet of Niederernen is incorporated into the municipality.[1]
1914. The Furka railway also runs along the right bank.[1]
1964-1968. Restoration of the church, which regains its late Gothic character after its neo-Gothic renovation of 1862-1865.[1]
1974. The pianist György Sebök begins giving piano and chamber music courses, from which a local festival (Festival der Zukunft) develops.[1]
1979. Ernen receives the Wakker Prize of the Swiss Heritage Society (Heimatschutz).[1]
2004. Ausserbinn, Mühlebach and Steinhaus join the municipality of Ernen.[1]
Population of Ernen
Sources and references: [1][6]
| 1850 | 414 inhabitants |
| 1900 | 355 inhabitants |
| 1950 | 299 inhabitants |
| 2000 | 385 inhabitants (municipality before the 2004 merger) |
| 2025 | 539 inhabitants (merged municipality) |
Historic sites in Ernen
Parish church. Mentioned in 1214 and built on the site of an 11th century three-aisled basilica, it was rebuilt in 1510-1518 by Ulrich Ruffiner, renovated in neo-Gothic style in 1862-1865 and restored in 1964-1968. It keeps a portable altar from the end of the 15th century, choir stalls of 1666 and an organ of 1679-1680. A Gothic Pietà was stolen from it in 1980. It is dedicated to Saint George.[1][5]
Tell house. Built in 1576 under the castellan Hans Volken as a staging post (sust) and inn, it dominates the square. Its facade bears folk frescoes of 1578 showing the apple shot, the Rütli oath and the death of Gessler, considered the first depictions of William Tell in Switzerland. It contains an old parlour (stube) of 1677 and now serves as the municipal building.[1][5]
Dizain courthouse (Zendenrathaus). Seat of the court of the Goms dizain, rebuilt in 1750-1762. Since 1978 it has housed a museum with a torture chamber, memorabilia of Cardinal Matthäus Schiner, including a jug of 1601, and a collection of documents on the nine Landeshauptmänner (governors) from the parish of Ernen.[1][4][5]
Jost-Sigristen house. Built in 1581 by Martin Jost, mayor and banneret, it was remodelled in Rococo style in 1772 by Jakob Valentin Sigristen.[1][5]
Niederernen. Hamlet incorporated into Ernen in 1872, with the dwelling dated 1533, regarded as the oldest in the Goms. It reportedly also has a chapel of Saint Anthony of 1684.[1][5]
Remains in Ernen
Gallows. Ernen, seat of the dizain's high court, had its gallows, renewed in 1702. Three of its pillars reportedly survive.[1][5]
Graves of Binnachern. La Tène period graves that attest a settlement long before the first written records.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Ernen » (Edwin Pfaffen, trad. Walter Weideli, version du 04.01.2017 ; résumé lu)
- Dizionario storico della Svizzera, « Ernen » (Edwin Pfaffen, trad. Sandro Guzzi-Heeb, versione del 04.01.2017)
- Inventaire suisse des biens culturels d'importance nationale (PBC), fiche KGS 6715, « Tellenhaus (Oberer Hengert) »
- Musées suisses (museums.ch), « Museum im Zendenrathaus »
- Office fédéral de la protection de la population (PBC), « Révision Inventaire PBC 2021 : liste cantonale du canton du Valais » (état au 1.1.2026)
- Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
- geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées)
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Ernen
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