Fiesch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fiesch
Coat of arms
Fiesch Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Fiesch Location in Canton of Valais Show map of Canton of Valais
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Valais
District	Goms
Area
• Total	11.04 km2 (4.26 sq mi)
Elevation	1,049 m (3,442 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	909
• Density	82.34/km2 (213.25/sq mi)
Postal code	3984
Surrounded by	Bellwald, Betten, Ernen, Fieschertal, Lax

Fiesch is a small town, also called a municipality, located in the Valais canton of Switzerland. It's part of the Goms district. A nearby area called Fiescheralp is managed by Fiesch and you can reach it using the Eggishorn lift. Fiesch is special because it's a UNESCO World Heritage site. This means it's a very important place, recognized for its amazing views of the Jungfrau-Aletsch Protected Area.

Discovering Fiesch's Past

Fiesch has a long history. It was first mentioned in official papers in 1203. Back then, it was called "Vios." Later, in 1438, its name changed to "Viesch." The town has been known as Fiesch since 1905.

An old photo of Fiesch from the sky in 1955.

Where is Fiesch Located?

Fiesch as seen from the lift.

Fiesch covers an area of about 11.3 square kilometers (4.4 square miles). A good part of this land, about 32.6%, is used for farming. Forests cover 40.6% of the area. About 6.4% of the land has buildings or roads. The rest, 20.4%, is land that can't be used for farming or building.

The town is nestled in a small valley. It sits on the slopes on both sides of the Weisswasser river.

What is the Fiesch Coat of Arms?

A coat of arms is like a special symbol for a town or family. Fiesch's coat of arms is blue. It has a wavy silver stripe across the middle. At the bottom, there are silver hills. This design represents the town's connection to water and mountains.

Who Lives in Fiesch?

A view towards the church from the main road.

Fiesch has a population of about 972 people as of 2022. About 17.9% of the people living in Fiesch are from other countries. Most people in Fiesch speak German. About 87.6% of the population speaks German as their first language. Other languages spoken include Serbo-Croatian and Albanian.

Most people in Fiesch were born either in the town itself or in the same canton. About 43.5% were born in Fiesch. Another 27.3% were born in the Valais canton.

Fiesch's Economy and Tourism

The main way people in Fiesch make money is through tourism. Many visitors come to Fiesch to enjoy the outdoors. Popular activities include hiking, mountain biking, and paragliding. In winter, snowboarding and skiing are very popular. Fiesch is a great place to start many different sports adventures.

Above Fiesch, there is a place called Fiescheralp. It used to be known as Kühboden. Fiescheralp has a ski resort. It's also a popular spot for hang glider and paraglider pilots to launch their flights.

In 2008, there were 7 businesses related to farming. There were 14 businesses in manufacturing and construction. The biggest sector was services, with 78 businesses. These included hotels, restaurants, and shops.

Religion in Fiesch

Most people in Fiesch are Roman Catholic. About 80.7% of the population belongs to the Roman Catholic Church. About 6.0% are part of the Swiss Reformed Church. There are also people who belong to Orthodox churches and other Christian churches. A small number of people are Islamic. Some people do not belong to any church.

Learning in Fiesch

Many people in Fiesch have completed their education. About 37.1% have finished high school. About 9.0% have gone on to higher education, like university.

The Fiesch school system had 179 students in 2010-2011. Young children can attend a non-required year of Kindergarten. There were 31 kindergarten students at that time. Students then go to six years of primary school. Fiesch had 98 primary school students. After primary school, students attend three years of lower secondary school. There were 81 students in lower secondary school in Fiesch.

Fiesch also has a library called Regionalbibliothek Goms in Fiesch. In 2008, the library had over 3,800 books and other media. It loaned out almost 3,900 items that year.

Getting Around Fiesch

Fiesch has good connections for travel.

• The Furka Pass road goes through the Rhone Valley. It connects Fiesch with Brig and Gletsch.
• The Fiesch railway station is on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn line.
• You can take a cable car from the valley station in Fiesch up to Eggishorn.
• Postauto buses connect Fiesch with nearby towns like Fieschertal and Ernen.

Fiesch's new combined train, bus, and cable station, opened in 2019.

The old train station in Fiesch.

Mountain Lifts in Fiesch

Fiescheralp seen from Eggishorn.

From the village, a new cable car takes you directly from the train station to Fiescheralp. This new lift opened in 2019.

Here are some of the main lifts in the area:

See also

In Spanish: Fiesch para niños