GRINDELWALD

Alpine village and valley, Bern canton, south central Switzerland. The village is scattered on the slopes of the Ltschine Valley (Ltschental), part of the Grindelwald Valley in the Bernese Oberland (highland), southeast of Interlaken. The Grindelwald Valley is shut in on the south by the Wetterhorn, Mettenberg, and Eiger (peaks rising above 10,000 ft ), between which are two famous ice streamsthe Upper and Lower Grindelwald glaciers. On the north it is sheltered by the Faulhorn range; on the east is the Grosse Scheidegg Pass, and on the southwest are the Kleine Scheidegg and Wengernalp (crossed by a railway), dividing it from Lauterbrunnen. The Grindelwald Valley was originally used during the summer for pasturage by serfs of various great lords. Gradually, the Austin (Augustinian) canons of Interlaken bought out all the other landowners of the valley, but, when that order was suppressed in 1528 by Bern, the inhabitants gained their freedom. One of Switzerland's chief mountaineering, summer, and winter resorts, Grindelwald village is the starting point for climbing the First (7,113 ft), which is reached by a chair lift 3,720 ft in length. The valley possesses excellent pastures and fruit trees. Pop. (1980) 3,555.