Travelers often ask about the old town of Interlaken. Hopefully they never ask someone from Unterseen (local patriotism is very strong on the Bödeli).
The old town of Unterseen is somewhat hidden on the other side of the Aare towards Harder. In contrast to the famous Interlaken, this town is hardly known in the wider world. Interestingly, the small town was an important player in the emerging tourism industry from 1750 and was even more important than Interlaken at the time.
Even today, a visit to the Stedtli (as the locals call the old town) is definitely worthwhile. The impressive row of houses on the banks of the River Aare is topped only by the church tower and castle, and the mountain panorama in the background is just as breathtaking. Anyone taking a walk in the area should definitely make a detour to the old town of Unterseen.
What there is to discover in the old town
If you’ve stocked up on watches and want to escape the hustle and bustle of the Höhematte, we recommend a stroll through the old town of Interlaken, er, Unterseen of course ;-).
1. Play mat quarter
From the traffic circle between Höheweg and Bahnhofstrasse, the route leads up Marktgasse, over the level crossing and the Aare bridge. The Aare forms the natural border between Interlaken and Unterseen.
After crossing the bridge, you are practically on an island, as this part of the village, called Spielmatte, is surrounded on both sides by the Aare. It’s no wonder that mills used to harness the power of the water here and industrial companies were established.
2. Schaal Bridge
Once you reach the second Schaalbrücke bridge, you have a beautiful view across the river to the heart of the old town, the Stedtli (Swiss-German term for small town).
3. Stadthausplatz
Once you arrive in the town, you can still see today how the late medieval town fortifications were laid out in a rectangle and protected on three sides by walls and moats, and on the fourth side by the river, of course.
After a major fire in 1470, the middle row of houses was not rebuilt, but left as a square with a single building in the middle, the former Hotel Stadthaus.
4. The Stadthaus
This has had a varied history and has been used as a department store, hotel, restaurant, tavern, town hall and town hall over the years and has been renovated time and again.
Part of it has probably always served as an inn, where celebrities such as Goethe have also stayed. There is still a restaurant in the town house today, which is currently run according to a concept by the well-known Swiss (television) chef René Schudel.
There are also other cozy cafés and restaurants in the pretty Stedtli that invite you to linger.
5. Unterseen Castle
Past the town hall and along the road, you soon discover the tower of Unterseen Castle, which has been standing since 1656. The famous painter Franz Niklaus König moved in here in 1803 and found inspiration for his art in the town and its hustle and bustle. in 1850, after serving as a school and factory, the castle was sold by the state to a parquet factory.
Today it serves as a parish hall. Behind the castle, a small park on the banks of the Aare invites you to linger and listen to the sound of the water through the locks.
6. Church
Back on Stadthausplatz, the striking church tower is also a popular photo motif. Built in 1471, the church was extended in 1841, but just ten years later the roof collapsed under the weight of the snow. The late Gothic tower was spared and the church was rebuilt on the same site.
In the old town of Unterseen there is also a small tourism museum on the beginnings of tourism in Interlaken as well as an archaeology cellar.
7. Haberdarre
From the Stedtli we walk back a little way to the Schaalbrücke bridge and along the Aare up to the small square Haberdarre (Haber, German for oats). This is where farmers used to dry their oats outside the town walls, hence the name.
The “Haberdarre” served as a transshipment point on Lake Brienz for trade between Bern, the Haslital, over the Brünig Pass to Waldstätte or over the Grimsel to Italy.
Knowing that it used to be very busy here, today it is a tranquil place where you can enjoy the beautiful view and the peace and quiet on benches under the trees.
8. Goldey Bridge
We also find the path up along the Aare very beautiful. Once we reach the Goldeysteg, we enjoy the view back from the bridge to the picturesque old town of Unterseen with the mighty peak of the Niesen in the background, before plunging back into the hustle and bustle of Interlaken.
The history of Unterseen and the Stedtli
Settlements were established relatively early on the alluvial plain between Lakes Brienz and Thun, also known as Bödeli. Due to its strategically important location for crossing the Alps with the lakes, a fortified settlement called Untersewen was founded with town rights in 1279.
However, the town’s development was repeatedly hampered by disputes with Interlaken Abbey (which was mentioned in documents much earlier). As mentioned in the introduction, the Bödeli (Matten, Interlaken and Unterseen) is still the scene of an amiable rivalry between the municipalities, which is probably a recurring theme in the history of the area to this day due to these disputes and complicated power relations.
As an important transhipment point for Alpine transit, Unterseen gained a certain importance at the time and the historic town center was formed directly on the Aare, which can still be visited today.
Thanks to its good location and the magnificent view of the Bernese Oberland mountains Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, tourism developed from 1750 and the village was visited by various celebrities: Goethe and the composer Felix Mendelssohn were impressed by the charm of the village and stayed overnight in Unterseen.
Mendelssohn had a particular fondness for the region and was a guest at the town hall on several occasions. It was here that he composed the sonnets “The Lover Writes” based on a poem by Goethe in 1831 and painted a watercolor of Unterseen in 1847.
