Leukerbad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leukerbad
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Leukerbad in mid-October 2006
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 Leukerbad
Location in Switzerland
Leukerbad
Location in Canton of Valais
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Valais | |
| District | Leuk | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 67.32 km2 (25.99 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,411 m (4,629 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 1,329 | |
| • Density | 19.742/km2 (51.130/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3954
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| Surrounded by | Adelboden (BE), Albinen, Ferden, Guttet-Feschel, Inden, Kandersteg (BE), Lenk im Simmental (BE), Mollens | |
| Twin towns | Dombóvár, Hungary | |
Leukerbad is a beautiful mountain village in the Valais canton of Switzerland. It's famous for its amazing hot springs and stunning mountain views. People from all over the world visit Leukerbad to relax in the warm thermal waters and enjoy outdoor adventures.
Contents
History of Leukerbad
The story of Leukerbad goes way back, even to 400 BC! We know people lived here because of old graves and pottery found. From the 5th century, the Gemmi Pass was an important route connecting Valais and Bern.
Leukerbad was first mentioned in writing in 1229, when it was called "Boez." At that time, people spoke French. In 1315, the village became independent, and even then, its famous baths were mentioned in documents.
In 1501, a powerful leader named Cardinal Matthäus Schiner bought the rights to the baths. He loved visiting the health resort, and this helped thermal tourism grow. Around this time, people started speaking German in the area, brought by the Walser migrations.
Between the 1500s and 1700s, big avalanches hit the village many times. But the people of Leukerbad always rebuilt it.
Many famous people visited Leukerbad in the early days of tourism in Switzerland. These included writers like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (in 1779) and Mark Twain (in 1878).
In 1908, a company was started to build an electric train to Leukerbad. However, roads became more popular, and the trains stopped in 1967. Cable cars were built later to make it easier to reach the mountains: one to Gemmi Pass in 1957 and another to Torrent Alp in 1970-72.
Starting in the 1980s, Leukerbad invested a lot in new buildings and services. The Burgerbad thermal center opened in 1980, followed by a sports center in 1990, and the Alpentherme thermal center in 1993.
In 1998, Leukerbad opened a "fixed-rope climbing" route (called a Via ferrata) on the Daubenhorn mountain. It's still the longest one in Switzerland!
Around 1998, the village faced big financial problems. It had a lot of debt and was managed by the canton (like a state) until 2004 to help sort things out.
Geography of Leukerbad
Leukerbad covers an area of about 67.2 square kilometers (26 square miles). A small part of this land is used for farming, and some is covered by forests. Most of the area, about 73.6%, is unproductive land, meaning it's too rocky or covered by glaciers.
Leukerbad is located in the south of Switzerland, about 1,411 meters (4,629 feet) above sea level. The village is surrounded by impressive cliffs and mountains:
- To the east, there's the Daubenhorn at 2,942 meters (9,652 feet).
- To the north, you'll find the Gemmi Pass (2,322 meters or 7,618 feet) and the Balmhorn (3,698 meters or 12,133 feet).
- To the west, there's the Torrenthorn (2,998 meters or 9,836 feet).
The road to Leukerbad comes from the south, leading into this quiet valley from the town of Leuk.
Exploring the Gemmi Pass
The Gemmi Pass is a very famous place in Valais history. For a long time, it was a busy path between Valais and Bern.
You can easily reach the Gemmi Pass by taking a cable car from Leukerbad to its highest point, which is 2,322 meters (7,618 feet) high.
From the pass, you get amazing views of the Alps. In summer, it's a popular spot for hiking to places like Kandersteg or Adelboden. Families love to visit the small lake called "Daubensee," which has easy walking paths around it and is perfect for picnics.
In winter, the Daubensee lake is great for cross-country skiing. You can also go snowshoeing, sledding, or just enjoy a walk on the prepared trails.
Adventures at Torrent
The cable car to Torrent Alp takes you up to the Rinderhütte, which is 2,313 meters (7,589 feet) above sea level. In winter, this area is a skier's dream, with about 50 kilometers (31 miles) of ski runs!
In summer, Torrent offers a huge network of trails for hiking and mountain biking.
The views from the Rinderhütte are truly breathtaking. You can see many peaks over 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) in the Valais, French, and Italian Alps.
Relaxing in the Thermal Baths
The hot springs of Leukerbad have been known since Roman times. Even back then, people understood that the warm water had healing effects.
Today, about 3.9 million liters (over 1 million US gallons) of thermal water flow from the springs every day. This water can be as hot as 51°C (124°F)! It fills 22 different thermal pools. Many hotels have their own baths, and there's a special rehabilitation center.
The biggest public baths are the Leukerbad Therme (which used to be called Burgerbad) and the Walliser Alpentherme. They are perfect places to relax and enjoy the warm water.
Leukerbad's Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for Leukerbad shows a griffin (a mythical creature that is half eagle, half lion) standing on green hills. It holds a golden cup that pours water, and there's a crown above it. This symbol represents the village.
People of Leukerbad
Leukerbad has a population of about 1,436 people. About 39.5% of the people living here are from other countries.
Most people in Leukerbad (about 82.8%) speak German as their main language. French is the second most common language, and Portuguese is third.
In 2000, about 24% of the population were children and teenagers (0–19 years old). Most people (66.7%) were adults aged 20–64, and about 9.4% were seniors (over 64 years old).
The chart below shows how Leukerbad's population has changed over the years:
Important Heritage Sites
The Gemmi Daubenwand is a very important historical site in Switzerland. It's listed as a heritage site of national significance.
Twin Town
Leukerbad has a special friendship with another town far away! It is twinned with Dombóvár in Hungary.
Economy and Jobs
In 2010, the unemployment rate in Leukerbad was 3.1%, which means most people had jobs.
Leukerbad's economy relies on different types of jobs:
- Primary sector: About 25 people work in this area, mostly in farming.
- Secondary sector: About 56 people work here, mainly in building and construction.
- Tertiary sector: This is the biggest sector, with 1,170 people working. These jobs are mostly in hotels, restaurants, shops, and healthcare, which are very important for a tourist town like Leukerbad.
Many people who live in Leukerbad also work there. About 5.1% of working people use public transport to get to work, and 18% use a private car.
Religion
Most people in Leukerbad (about 77.4%) are Roman Catholic. About 9.6% belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. There are also people who follow other Christian churches, Islam, and Buddhism. Some people do not follow any religion.
Weather in Leukerbad
Leukerbad gets about 121.9 days of rain or snow each year, with an average of 1,188 millimeters (46.8 inches) of precipitation.
The wettest month is December, with about 130 millimeters (5.1 inches) of rain or snow over 10.2 days. August has the most days of precipitation (11.4 days) but less rain or snow overall (103 millimeters or 4.1 inches). The driest month is April, with about 72 millimeters (2.8 inches) of precipitation over 9.9 days.
Education
In Leukerbad, many people have finished their education. About 38.6% of the population have completed high school, and 9.3% have gone on to higher education, like university.
During the 2010-2011 school year, there were 169 students in Leukerbad's schools.
- Young children can attend one year of non-required Kindergarten. There were 25 kindergarten students.
- Students then go to six years of primary school. Leukerbad had 123 primary school students.
- After primary school, students attend three years of lower secondary school. There were 46 students in lower secondary school in Leukerbad.
- Older students who go to advanced high schools usually attend schools in other towns.
Famous People from Leukerbad
The famous African American author James Baldwin (1924-1987) lived in Leukerbad for three months. He wrote about his experiences there in an essay called Stranger in the Village. In his essay, he shared his thoughts on race and how it felt to be one of the first Black men the villagers had ever met.
See also
In Spanish: Leukerbad para niños
