•   The photos speak for themselves English  
    « back

    History (to reminisce): Village / Hotels

    Kurt Schmocker’s book „St. Beatenberg and how it used to be”

    Train station Beatenberg - Lake Thun



    Luxury hotel "Kurhaus"

    Luxury hotel "Kurhaus" (Location: nowadays a nursing home)



    Hotel Bellevue

    Hotel Bellevue (Location: Sunnebode, Raiffeisenbank)



    Luxury hotel Regina

    Luxury hotel Regina, Beatenberg-Waldegg



    Skating rink at the Regina hotel

    Skating rink at the Regina hotel



    Skating


    Top


    Skating

    After the "Belle Epoque":
    Ice skating at the Regina hotel became possible for "ordinary" people ...



    Hotel "Kurhaus"

    Hotel "Kurhaus" (Location: nowadays a nursing home)

    The development of Beatenberg as a health resort:
    After the remoteness as a village of mountain farmers, Beatenberg became very popular around the year 1900 (during the “Belle Epoque”). At a time when aristocrats were travelling a lot, the unique and unmistakable beauty of the place was highly regarded by many princes and emperors. Hoteliers with gold braids welcomed the European high nobility to the huge luxury hotels in Beatenberg. Among them was Crown prince Friedrich of Preussen, later the German emperor Friedrich III. But also many Russians were here, so that a part of Beatenberg was called “Manchuria” by some.




    Hotel Waldrand

    Hotel Waldrand (Location: Restaurant Aelpli)



    Hotel Victoria

    Hotel Schweizerhof (luxury and spa hotel Victoria)



    Hotel Victoria





    Luxury hotel Victoria / Hotel Schweizerhof, today a Bible College / Photo: Lukas Bieri

    Luxury hotel Victoria / Hotel Schweizerhof, today a Bible College
    Still one of the most beautiful buildings in the village

    Top

    "St. Beatenberg" was renamed to "Beatenberg"

    With the leaflets (1937) the name St. Beatenberg was used again
    (probably nostalgic thoughts)

    St. Beatenberg Beatenberg

    Opening of the Road 1865
    A decisive change from a poor mountain village to a much visited health resort began with the opening of the road to Interlaken in the year 1865. Many famous guests, emperors, kings and well known artists among them, visited Beatenberg in order to enjoy the mild climate, clean air and fantastic panorama. The wars and the crisis years lying in-between brought bad set-backs.


    Opening of the funicular railway in summer 1889
    The funicular railway brought a new boom to the already flourishing hotel industry. With the opening a never seen before enthusiasm for new buildings began. During this time several hotels were built:
    1890 Blümlisalp, 1891 Post and Silberhorn, 1892 Beatus and Jungfraublick, Helvetia (later Eden), 1893 Waldegg, 1899 National, Schweizerhaus and Rosenau, 1901 Chalet Riedboden, 1902 Amisbühl, 1903 Edelweiss, Oberland and Beau Regard, 1904 Favorita, 1906 Chalet Jaun, 1909 Eiger.




    Hotel Regina

    Hotel Regina, Beatenberg-Waldegg



    Skating rink at the Regina hotel

    Skating rink at the Regina hotel



    Skiing instructor

    Skiing instructor Walz, Beatenberg-Waldegg



    Ski race - Victory ceremony 1931

    Ski race - Victory ceremony 1931



    Formation of ski club 1907

    Formation of ski club 1907 (left Dr. Hauswirth)

    Top

    Winter in Beatenberg





    Near the Beauregard hotel

    Near the Beauregard hotel



    Skiers being pulled by a horse

    Skiers being pulled by a horse




    Chronicler Kurt Schmocker, Beatenberg

    The pictures were made available by chronicler Kurt Schmocker, Beatenberg

    Kurt Schmocker’s book „St. Beatenberg"

    Kurt Schmocker’s book „St. Beatenberg and how it used to be”
    (available in German only)

    Top




    copyright © http://www.beatenbergbilder.ch

    Language translation: Barbara Stephenson-Berger
    Website and image editing: Heinz Rieder

    The photos speak for themselves