Leukerbad
Origin of the name Leukerbad
The place appears in 1229 as « Boez », later as « Balnea », « Thermae » and « Baden », all of which mean baths. In French it is called Loèche-les-Bains. The origin of « Boez » has not yet been explained.
Founding of Leukerbad
The village lies at 1'404 m in a basin closed off by the Gemmi rock face, at the foot of the pass linking Valais with the Bernese Oberland. Roman-period finds have been made here, and Romance and Germanic place names keep the trace of Burgundians and Alemanni. A municipality from the early 14th century, Leukerbad formed one third of the dizain of Leuk together with Leuk. A medieval tower, the Maenchet tower, is recorded. The village belonged to the parish of Leuk until its church of St Barbara became a parish church. Its reputation rests on its twenty or so hot springs. Spa life developed from the 18th century. In the 20th century tourism and winter sports reached the village around its old core. Who founded Leukerbad is not known.
History of Leukerbad
Roman period. Finds attest a human presence.
1229. First mention as « Boez ».
around 1315. Leukerbad is a municipality; until 1798 it forms one third of the dizain of Leuk together with Leuk.
1484-1486. The church of St Barbara is built.
1501. The church of St Barbara becomes a parish church. Leukerbad separates from the parish of Leuk.
late 15th century. The baths are famous throughout the Confederation.
1719. On 17 January two avalanches destroy most of the village and kill 52 people. Seven avalanches strike Leukerbad between 1719 and 1767, including that of 1756, which sweeps away an inn.[2]
1739-1741. The Gemmi path is improved, linking Leukerbad with the Bernese Oberland.
1826. The Hotel Des Alpes is built.
1864. The new church of Our Lady is built.
1876. The poor people's bath (Armenbad) opens. It became a public spa in 1979.
1896. Founding of the Hotel and Baths Company, which leads the development of the tourist resort, especially for winter sports.
1915. A railway line links Leukerbad with Leuk. It is replaced by buses in 1967.
1957. The Gemmi cable car opens, followed in 1971 by the Torrenthorn cable car.
1959-1962. The rheumatology clinic (1959-1961) and the polio clinic (1962) are built.
1993-2002. The St Lawrence Alpine baths (Alpentherme) are built.
1998-2004. Heavily indebted by investments in the 1980s and 1990s, the municipality is partly placed under compulsory cantonal administration.
Population of Leukerbad
Sources and references: [3]
| 1850 | 557 inhabitants |
| 1900 | 613 inhabitants |
| 1950 | 505 inhabitants |
| 2000 | 1'431 inhabitants |
| 2025 | 1'401 |
Historic sites in Leukerbad
Thermal springs. About twenty springs rise in Leukerbad. The most important is the St Lawrence spring, at 51 °C.
Gemmi pass and rock face. The Gemmi rock face closes off the Leukerbad basin. The pass path, improved in 1739-1741, links Valais with the Bernese Oberland. A cable car has run up to it since 1957.
Church of St Barbara and church of Our Lady. The church of St Barbara, built in 1484-1486, became a parish church in 1501. The new church of Our Lady was built in 1864.
Historic hotels. Notable establishments include the Hotel Maison Blanche (before 1719), the Hotel Des Alpes (1826), the Heilbad, the Werra or Junkerbad, the Armenbad (1876) and the Zürcherbad.
St Lawrence Alpine baths. Spa complex built in 1993-2002.
Remains in Leukerbad
Roman finds. Roman-period objects have been found in the municipality.
Maenchet tower. Tower recorded in the Middle Ages.
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse (version allemande), « Leukerbad » (Philipp Kalbermatter, version du 17.01.2008)
- Bruno Weber, « Lawinen über Leukerbad: Historiographie und Quellenkritik », Blätter aus der Walliser Geschichte, 2010, p. 23-64 (RERO DOC)
- 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 Leukerbad
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