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Coat of arms of Saas-Grund

Saas-Grund

Canton of Valais · District: Visp · 1'043 inhabitants (31.12.2025, provisional FSO figure)
View of Saas-Grund
Photo: Roland Zumbühl, 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 Remains Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Saas-Grund

The name appears in 1438 as « grunderro ». What the name means is not yet known.[1]

Founding of Saas-Grund

Nobody knows who founded Saas-Grund. Cup-marked stones suggest the site was already frequented in the Bronze Age. In the Middle Ages the village belonged to the large commune of Saas, which the bishop of Sion enfeoffed to the Blandrate, counts of Visp. The inhabitants bought part of the land rights from them, and the rest passed to Saas when the family died out. When Saas was divided into four quarters, Saas-Grund adopted communal statutes (Bauernzünfte) and lived almost entirely self-sufficiently. As centre of the parish and a market town (Marktflecken), it held a dominant position in the valley. The municipality comprises the village, the hamlets of Unter dem Berg and Ze Laubinu and part of Tamatten and Unter den Bodmen.[1]

History of Saas-Grund

Bronze Age. Cup-marked stones suggest the site was frequented.[1]

13th century. The bishop of Sion enfeoffs the large commune of Saas to the Blandrate, counts of Visp.[1]

1291. The people of the St. Niklaus and Saas valleys conclude the so-called Monte Rosa peace with those of the Anzasca valley, to secure trade over the passes.[3]

1297. The chapel of Saas-Grund is built, served by a vicar and belonging to the parish of Visp.[1]

around 1300. The Blandrate sell part of the land rights to the valley's inhabitants.[1][3]

14th century. In the middle of the century, when the Blandrate die out, their rights pass to Saas.[1]

1392. The large commune of Saas divides into four quarters: Saas-Balen, Saas-Grund, Saas-Almagell and Saas-Fee.[1][3]

around 1400. The four quarters break away from Visp to form the parish of Saas around St. Bartholomew's church in Saas-Grund.[1][3]

1438. Recorded as « grunderro ».[1]

1495-1763. Communal statutes (Bauernzünfte) of 1495, 1575, 1596 and 1763.[1]

around 1833. The first hotel is built. Before that, the priest Johann Josef Imseng, who promoted the beginnings of tourism, put travellers up in the presbytery.[1]

1849. An avalanche reportedly kills 19 people.

1893. Saas-Fee and Saas-Almagell separate from the parish of Saas.[1][3]

1907. Saas-Balen in turn separates from the parish of Saas.[1][3]

1938. Saas-Grund is connected to the road network.[1]

1947. End of its status as a market town (Marktflecken).[1]

1950. Saas-Grund henceforth hosts the valley's secondary school (orientation cycle).[1]

1979 and 1983. The Kreuzboden-Hohsaas ski and hiking area opens.[1]

2008. The resort has about 3'500 beds and records 349'223 overnight stays.[1]

2024. During the night of 29 to 30 June, the Triftbach burst its banks in the middle of the village. Masses of rubble and debris buried the village street metres deep, several houses were damaged and a man died.[6]

Population of Saas-Grund

Sources and references: [1][4]

Population of Saas-Grund
1850247 inhabitants
1900429 inhabitants
1950564 inhabitants
20001'167 inhabitants
20251'043 inhabitants

Historic sites in Saas-Grund

St. Bartholomew's church. Church of the parish of Saas, formed around 1400, which for nearly five centuries served the whole valley. The present church was reportedly built in 1938.[1][3]

Kreuzboden-Hohsaas. Ski and hiking area opened in 1979 and 1983, which made Saas-Grund a holiday resort.[1]

Hamlets of Saas-Grund. Unter dem Berg, Ze Laubinu and part of the hamlets of Tamatten and Unter den Bodmen belong to the municipality.[1]

Remains in Saas-Grund

Cup-marked stones. Stones carved with cup marks that suggest the site was frequented in the Bronze Age.[1]

Spire of the old bell tower. The ribbed spire (Rippenhelm) of the former church tower reportedly stands today by the cemetery chapel.

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Saas-Grund » (Paul Martone, trad. Florence Piguet, version du 06.01.2012)
  2. Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, « Saas-Grund » (version allemande)
  3. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Vallée de Saas » (Paul Martone, trad. Laurent Auberson, version du 06.01.2012)
  4. Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
  5. geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées)
  6. SRF News, « Unwetter im Wallis: Die Menschen in Saas-Grund sind geschockt und konsterniert », 01.07.2024
  7. Etat du Valais, Pascal Hofmann (coordinateur de la protection de la population du Haut-Valais), « Unwetter im Wallis Juni 2024 », Brig, 07.10.2025

Other villages near Saas-Grund

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