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Coat of arms of Ried-Brig

Ried-Brig

Canton of Valais · District: Brig · 2'326 inhabitants (31.12.2025, provisional FSO figure)
View of Ried-Brig
Photo: Bene16, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons · Coat of arms: Public domain
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Ried-Brig

The locality appears in 1232 as « Riet », then in 1428 as « ried de briga ». The name is said to come from Alemannic « reuten » or « roden » (to clear land). Until 1993 the municipality was officially called Ried bei Brig.

Founding of Ried-Brig

Ried-Brig lies above Brig, on the Simplon road. Almost all place names are German, which shows the settlement of an Alemannic population over an older Celtic population. The hamlets of Ried, Schlüocht, Lowina, Obertermen and Brei appear in the 14th century as separate entities. They later united into a single municipality, which adopted statutes (Bauernzunft) in 1563. A Burgerschaft probably existed from the end of the 15th century. In 1646 Ried fixed its boundaries with Termen. In the 18th century pensions from foreign service and the Simplon trade brought some prosperity, but the construction of the pass road (1801-1805) and war contributions weighed heavily on the municipality. Ecclesiastically Ried belonged to the parish of Glis, from which it separated in 1901. Agriculture dominated until the Second World War, then declined rapidly. Lonza, the SBB and the Post became the main employers. At the beginning of the 21st century Ried-Brig is a sought-after residential municipality.

History of Ried-Brig

1232. First mention as « Riet ».

14th century. The hamlets of Ried, Schlüocht, Lowina, Obertermen and Brei appear as separate entities.

1428. Mention as « ried de briga ».

late 15th century. A Burgerschaft probably exists.

1563. The municipality, formed by the union of the hamlets, adopts statutes (Bauernzunft).

1646. Ried fixes its boundaries with Termen.

18th century. Pensions from foreign service and the Simplon trade bring some prosperity.

1801-1805. The construction of the Simplon road and war contributions weigh heavily on the municipality.

1898. Consecration of the Sacred Heart church.

1901. Ried separates from the parish of Glis.

after 1945. Agriculture, dominant until the Second World War, declines rapidly. Lonza, the SBB and the Post become the main employers.

1993. Until this year the municipality is officially called Ried bei Brig.

2000. 80 % of the working inhabitants are commuters.

Population of Ried-Brig

Sources and references: [2]

Population of Ried-Brig
1850506 inhabitants
1900700 inhabitants
1950739 inhabitants
20001'582 inhabitants
20252'326 inhabitants

Historic sites in Ried-Brig

Sacred Heart church. Consecrated in 1898, shortly before the creation of the independent parish of Ried in 1901.

Simplon road. The municipality is crossed by the pass road built in 1801-1805. The northern side of the Simplon road is said to lie almost entirely within its territory.

Gantertal and Ganter bridge. Valley of the Ganter, crossed by the Ganter bridge of the Simplon road, built from late summer 1976 to December 1980. It may lie within the municipality, but this is not established.[4]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Ried-Brig » (Patrick Willisch, version de 2009)
  2. Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
  3. geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées)
  4. Brig Simplon Tourismus, « Ganter Bridge » (pont du Ganter)

Localities of the municipality with a page

Other villages near Ried-Brig

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