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Simplon Hospice

Site Canton of Valais · District: Brig · Uninhabited site (municipality of Simplon)
Part of the municipality of Simplon
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Must-see historical sites Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Simplon Hospice

The first hospice appears in 1235 as «hospitalis de Semplon», and the pass in 1246 as «Colles de Semplon». The name Simplon also designates the valley and the municipality. Its origin has not been explained.[1]

Founding of Simplon Hospice

The Simplon Pass rises to 2'005 metres, in the municipality of Simplon. A first hospice, the hospital of St James (St. Jakobsspital), stood at Gampisch below the pass. It was a house of the Knights of St John of Salgesch, whose beginnings are obscure. Kaspar Stockalper vom Thurm took it over in 1655 and built the «old hospital» (Alter Spittel) in its place. The present great hospice goes back to an order by Napoleon in 1801, who entrusted its running to the Augustinian canons of the Great St Bernard. They still live there and keep it as a meeting place open all year. The hospice is thus still inhabited by a small religious community, even though it is a site and not a village.[1][2][4]

History of Simplon Hospice

1235. First mention of the «hospitalis de Semplon», the hospital of St James at Gampisch, run by the Knights of St John of Salgesch.[1][2]

1590. The Knights of St John sell the hospice.[1]

1655. The hospice passes to Kaspar Stockalper vom Thurm.[1]

1666. Completion of the Alter Spittel, a tower-like building put up by Stockalper on the site of the old hospice.[1][2]

1801. Napoleon orders the construction of a new hospice.[1]

1809. The canons move provisionally into the Alter Spittel, where they stay until 1831.[1]

1811. Work on the new hospice begins.[1]

1813. After Napoleon's fall the building site comes to a halt (in April 1814 according to another source, when only the first-floor walls are standing).[1][2]

1825. The canons take over the unfinished building from the canton of Valais for 15'000 francs and resume work.[1][2]

1831. On 21 November the hospice is ready for occupation.[1][2]

1835. The building is completed.[1]

around 1900. The Savoyard priest Pierre Barral has the Barral house built at Gampisch as a holiday home for seminarians.[2]

1980. The Alter Spittel becomes the property of the Confederation, which has it renovated.[1]

Historic sites in Simplon Hospice

Simplon Hospice. Planned by Napoleon's engineers, it is the largest hospice building on the Alpine passes. Recently renovated, it has bedrooms, dining rooms and a chapel and can take up to 130 guests. It is listed as a cultural property of regional importance.[2][3][4]

Alter Spittel (old hospice). Tower-like building completed by Kaspar Stockalper in 1666 at Gampisch, on the site of the medieval hospital. It has belonged to the Confederation since 1980 and is listed as a cultural property of national importance.[1][2][3]

Barral house. Holiday home for seminarians built around 1900 at Gampisch by the Savoyard priest Pierre Barral.[2]

Sources

  1. Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, « Simplonpass » (Renato Arnold, version du 19.12.2012)
  2. Ecomuseum Simplon, dépliant « Rundweg Simplon Bergalpe »
  3. Office fédéral de la protection de la population (OFPP), Inventaire PBC, liste cantonale du Valais (objets A et B, état au 1.1.2026)
  4. Brig Simplon Tourismus (brig-simplon.ch), « Simplon Hospice »
  5. geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées)

Other villages near Simplon Hospice

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