Gstaad facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gstaad
Gstaad in 2011
Gstaad Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Gstaad Location in Canton of Bern Show map of Canton of Bern
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Bern
District	Obersimmental-Saanen
Municipality	Saanen
Area
• Total	120.06 km2 (46.36 sq mi)
Elevation	1,050 m (3,440 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	6,836
• Density	56.938/km2 (147.469/sq mi)
Postal code	3780

Gstaad is a town in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. It is located in the Canton of Bern. Gstaad is famous as a major ski resort. It is also a popular place for rich and famous people from all over the world.

The winter campus of the Institut Le Rosey, a well-known boarding school, is in Gstaad. The town is about 1,050 meters (3,445 feet) above sea level. It is home to about 9,200 people.

History of Gstaad

Gstaad was once part of the Saanen district. This area belonged to the Gruyère county in the Middle Ages. The town grew where different trade routes met. By the 1200s and 1300s, it had an inn and a place to store goods. Oxen helped pull wagons over the mountain passes.

The St. Nicholas chapel was built in Gstaad in 1402. Its beautiful wall paintings were added later in the 1400s. For a long time, Gstaad was mostly about farming and raising cattle.

Gstaad becomes a tourist spot

A big fire in 1898 changed Gstaad. After the fire, the town was rebuilt to welcome more tourists. In 1905, a railway line was built, making it easier to reach Gstaad. This helped tourism grow a lot.

Skiing became very popular. The first ski club in Saanen opened in 1905. The Gstaad Ski Club followed in 1907. The first ski school in Gstaad opened in 1923. Soon, there were over 1,000 hotel beds in the area.

Local people, hotel owners, and shops worked together. They helped make Gstaad famous around the world. They built ice rinks, tennis courts, and swimming pools. They also created ski jumps and hiking trails.

The first ski lifts opened between 1934 and 1944. More gondolas and chair lifts followed. The Gstaad Palace, a fancy hotel, opened in 1913. An airfield was built in 1942 for planes. Later, helicopter and hot air balloon rides became available.

During tough times like the World Wars and the Great Depression, fewer people visited. Many hotels had to close. After World War II, some big hotels stayed closed. But smaller places like chalets and apartments opened instead. Most new buildings in Gstaad are made of wood. They keep the traditional Swiss design.

In recent times, new clubs have opened. The Gstaad Polo Club started in 1992. The Gstaad Yacht Club opened in 1998.

Climate in Gstaad

Gstaad has a type of climate called a humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold, snowy winters.

Things to Do in Gstaad

Gstaad is in the Berner Oberland region. It has a huge ski area in the Alps with 220 kilometers (137 miles) of slopes. The center of the village has a lovely walking area. No cars are allowed there. You can find many shops, restaurants, art galleries, and hotels.

Many famous clothing and jewelry brands have stores in Gstaad. These include Louis Vuitton, Hermès, and Cartier. There are also smaller shops with other popular brands.

Gstaad is well-known for its walking and hiking trails. These trails have different difficulty levels. The fresh mountain air and beautiful views bring visitors all year. In winter, people enjoy skiing, cross-country skiing, and winter hiking.

In the 1960s, Time magazine called Gstaad "The Place." Many famous people visit or live in Gstaad part-time. Some well-known visitors have included Madonna, Prince Charles, and Princess Diana. Kofi Annan, a former UN Secretary-General, also visited.

Luxury Hotels in Gstaad

Gstaad is famous for its fancy hotels. Some of these include the Grand Hotel Park, the Alpina Gstaad, and the Gstaad Palace. The Grand Hotel Bellevue, Hotel Olden, and Arc En Ciel are also popular.

In 2019, one hotel, the Arc En Ciel, had a problem. They sent out rules that seemed to be only for their Indian guests. The hotel later said sorry for this. They explained that everyone should be treated with respect.

Fun Events in Gstaad

Gstaad hosts many exciting events throughout the year:

• The New Year Music Festival of Gstaad
• The Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad, a classical music series in winter
• The Snow Bike Festival, a winter biking event
• The FIVB Beach Volleyball SWATCH World Tour, a beach volleyball tournament
• The Swiss Open, a tennis tournament
• The Ladies Championship Gstaad, another tennis tournament
• The Menuhin Festival Gstaad, a classical music festival
• The Hublot Polo Gold Cup, a polo tournament
• The Country Night Gstaad
• The Gstaad Promenade Party in September
• The Christmas Market Circus in December
• The International Week - Hot Air Ballooning in January
• The Gstaad Mountain Rides Open in January

Schools in Gstaad

Several boarding schools are located in or near Gstaad:

• Institut Le Rosey
• John F. Kennedy International School

The Gstaad International School used to be in Gstaad. It closed in 2014. The building is planned to become a new all-boys' school called Surval Gstaad.

Famous People from Gstaad

Many well-known people have lived in or visited Gstaad.

Royalty

• Grace Kelly (1929–1982), an American actress and Princess of Monaco
• Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (1919–1980), the last Shah of Iran
• Prince Rainier (1923–2005), Prince of Monaco

Artists and Writers

• Balthus (1908–2001), a Polish-French modern artist
• Olivier Berggruen (born 1963), a German-American art historian
• William F. Buckley Jr. (1925–2008), an American writer and commentator
• Friedrich Christian Flick (born 1944), a German-Swiss art collector
• Andrew Grima (1921–2007), an Anglo-Italian jewelry designer
• Johnny Hallyday (1943–2017), a French rock and pop singer
• Maja Hoffmann (born 1956), an art collector
• Yehudi Menuhin (1916–1999), an American-born violinist and conductor
• Richard Scarry (1919–1994), an American children's author and illustrator
• Justin Thannhauser (1892–1976), a German art dealer
• Taki Theodoracopulos (born 1936), a Greek journalist and writer
• Madonna (born 1958), an American pop singer

Actors

• Dame Julie Andrews (born 1935), an English actress, singer, and author
• Blake Edwards (1922–2010), an American film director and actor
• Sir Roger Moore (1927–2017), an English actor
• Jeanne Moreau (1928–2017), a French actress and director
• Roman Polanski (born 1933), a French-Polish film director
• Jane Randolph (1914–2009), an American film actress
• Peter Sellers (1925–1980), an English film actor and comedian
• Dame Elizabeth Taylor (1932–2011), a British-American actress

Business People

• Ernesto Bertarelli (born 1965), a Swiss billionaire businessman
• Philipp Braunwalder, a Swiss businessman
• Bernie Ecclestone (born 1930), a British Formula One business leader
• Curt Engelhorn (1926–2016), a German billionaire
• Jean Claude Mimran (born 1945), a businessman who owns the Alpina Gstaad hotel
• George Soros (born 1930), a Hungarian-American banker and activist

Images for kids

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  Aerial view of Gstaad in 1949

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  Mountain Railway Chalberhöni

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  The car-free promenade in Gstaad

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  Beach volleyball tournament at the Roy Emerson Arena

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  Roger Moore in 1973

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  Taki Theodoracopolous in 1991

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  Jane Randolph in 1942

See also

In Spanish: Gstaad para niños