Flüeli-Ranft
Intro
As small as Flüeli-Ranft in the canton of Obwalden may seem, it actually enjoys great fame. The place of pilgrimage of the Swiss national saint, Nicholas of Flüe, invites you to visit the chapel – and take a trip to the Ranft Gorge.
Flüeli-Ranft towers on a hillside and offers fantastic views of Lake Sarnen. This is where Nicholas of Flüe – also known as Brother Klaus – was born in 1417, who later lived as a hermit in the Ranft Gorge. The memorials dedicated to the saint’s life form a vast sacred landscape. The spatial centre is marked by the rocky chapel hill with the Chapel of St. Charles Borromeo. According to legend, Brother Klaus extinguished the burning Lake Sarnen with his intercession. The old rural settlement with the birthplace and residence of the saint spreads out below the chapel hill. Around it, the tourist centre of the place of pilgrimage has developed.
The imposing Paxmontana spa complex built in an art nouveau style is a highlight, dominating the settlement and visible from afar due to its exposed location. Next to the hotel is the deep Ranft Gorge. In 1468, the upper Ranft Chapel was built here, next to Brother Klaus’s hermitage. Once it became too small for all the pilgrims, the lower Ranft Chapel was built. Finally, on the other side of the river is the Müsli Chapel – dedicated to Ulrich, Klaus’s disciple and companion – and high on the opposite slope, the St. Niklaus Chapel.
The memorials and chapels can be hiked on the pilgrimage route through the Ranft Gorge.
ISOS
ISOS is the Federal Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites of national importance. The inventory is maintained by the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) and lists the most significant settlements in Switzerland. Today, some 1,200 places are included in the inventory, from hamlets right through to cities. The inventory provides information on the development and identity of the settlements listed in it, thereby contributing to the preservation of architectural diversity in Switzerland and promoting both sustainable planning and a high-quality Baukultur.
