A compact hamlet in Appenzell - Schlatt
Overview
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Intro
The tiny hamlet of Schlatt occupies a spectacular location high above the Sittertal valley. Set amid the Appenzell landscape with its characteristic scattering of farms, it is a classic "core settlement" featuring a tightly packed arrangement of church, presbytery and schoolhouse.
Perched on a narrow terrace of the Gehrenberg, the hamlet commands vistas of the Alpstein massif. The semi-circular cluster of buildings nestling harmoniously in the landscape is a picturesque sight from the valley below.
Particularly noteworthy, given the typical character of the Appenzell landscape with its widely dispersed farm buildings, is the dense cluster of buildings around the neo-Baroque pilgrimage church. Dating from the early twentieth century, this church is a stout presence with its rounded forms, symmetrical round-arched windows and a belfry topped by a striking onion dome. This is one of the hamlet's few stone structures – the other buildings, in particular the farmhouses, are built of wood. The presbytery and schoolhouse are two further examples of late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century rural public architecture.
Trip tip
A visit to the hamlet can be combined with one of several possible hikes through the Appenzell landscape, with its ridges, hills, streams and scattered settlements. Refreshments are available at the restaurant Bären.
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.