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Gruben

Canton of Valais · District: Leuk · No published figure for the locality; the municipality of Turtmann-Unterems has 1'193 inhabitants (31.12.2025, provisional FSO figure)
Part of the municipality of Turtmann
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Must-see historical sites Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Gruben

Gruben appears in 1768 on a map of Valais, together with Tschavil, Meiden, Plumatt and Grossenthum, the first places of the Turtmanntal to be marked on it. The name remains unexplained. That of Meiden, the neighbouring group of houses, has been linked with horses.[1]

Founding of Gruben

Gruben began as the spring pasture settlement (Maiensäss) of the Gruben alp, on the right bank of the stream at the head of the Turtmanntal. Opposite, on the left bank, Meiden is the settlement of the Meiden alp. The two groups of houses form a double settlement at the end of the valley path. The territory of Gruben belonged to the municipality of Oberems until 2007, then to Turtmann. It has been part of the municipality of Turtmann-Unterems since the merger of 2013.[1][3]

History of Gruben

1681. On the boundary between the Gruben and Meiden alps, the co-owners of both alps jointly build a small prayer house.[1]

1708. The present chapel is built and dedicated to the Holy Family.[1]

1860. The co-owners of Gruben open the « Hotel Schwarzhorn », the first inn in the valley.[1]

1888. During the season a messenger carries the mail from Turtmann to Gruben every day. A horse-drawn post takes over in 1898.[1]

1956. From the summer onwards the mail arrives by jeep.[1]

1964. The road from Turtmann to Gruben and Meiden, extended to the Sänntum, is opened to private traffic.[1]

1966. Completion of the power station road between Pletschu and Gruben, which covers the old valley path.[1]

2002. The Valais cantonal government settles an old boundary dispute and divides the contested territory of the Turtmanntal equally between Oberems and Turtmann.[2]

2008. Gruben now lies within the municipality of Turtmann.[3]

2013. Together with Turtmann, the settlement becomes part of the new municipality of Turtmann-Unterems.[3]

Historic sites in Gruben

Holy Family chapel. It stands on the boundary between the Gruben and Meiden alps, on the site of the prayer house that the co-owners of both alps had built together.[1]

Meiden. Spring pasture settlement of the Meiden alp, opposite Gruben on the left bank. A hammer forge reportedly once stood here. The valley path split here into four pass routes to the neighbouring valleys: Meidpass, Forcletta (Furggilti), Col de Tracuit and Augstbordpass.[1]

Sources

  1. Inventaire des voies de communication historiques de la Suisse (IVS), objet VS 302 « Turtmann - Gruben/Meiden; Turtmanntal » (Office fédéral des routes, état 2001)
  2. Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, « Oberems » (Bernard Truffer, version du 20.01.2009, version allemande)
  3. geo.admin.ch, limites communales historiques (swissBOUNDARIES3D) au point de Gruben
  4. Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
  5. geo.admin.ch, recherche d'adresses (coordonnées)

Other villages near Gruben

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