Bettmeralp is a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
in the district of
Raron in the
canton of
Valais
Valais ( , ; ), more formally, the Canton of Valais or Wallis, is one of the cantons of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of thirteen districts and its capital and largest city is Sion, Switzer ...
in
Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
. On 1 January 2014 the former municipalities of
Betten and
Martisberg merged into the municipality of Bettmeralp.
[Nomenklaturen – Amtliches Gemeindeverzeichnis der Schweiz]
Retrieved 13 December 2014 Before the merger, Bettmeralp was the name of a village and ski resort in Betten.
Bettmeralp village
Bettmeralp is a car free village which can be reached by
cable car from the
Bettmeralp train station (
Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn). From there another cable car leads near to the summit of
Bettmerhorn, which lies directly above the
Aletsch Glacier
The Aletsch Glacier (, ) or Great Aletsch Glacier () is the largest glacier in the Alps. It has a length of about (2014), a volume of (2011), and covers about (2011) in the eastern Bernese Alps in the Switzerland, Swiss canton of Valais. The A ...
.
Bettmersee is located above the village at 2006 m.
The position of Bettmeralp allows good view over the
Pennine Alps
The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.
...
, particularly the summits of
Weissmies,
Dom,
Matterhorn
The , ; ; ; or ; ; . is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the Main chain of the Alps, main watershed and border between Italy and Switzerland. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the Pennine Alps, ...
and
Weisshorn
The Weisshorn (German language, German, lit. ''white peak/mountain'') is a major mountain, peak of Switzerland and the Alps, culminating at above sea level. It is part of the Pennine Alps and is located between the valleys of Anniviers and Mat ...
.
History
Betten is first mentioned in 1243 as ''Bettan''.
Martisberg is first mentioned in 1311 as ''Martisperg''.
Geography
The former municipalities that now make up Bettmeralp have a total combined area of .
Demographics
The total population of Bettmeralp () is .
Historic population
The historical population is given in the following chart:
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id:MA value:green legend:Martisberg
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bar:1850 from: 0 till:294 text:"294" color:BE
bar:1860 from: 0 till:342 text:"342" color:BE
bar:1870 from: 0 till:332 text:"332" color:BE
bar:1880 from: 0 till:350 text:"350" color:BE
bar:1890 from: 0 till:325 text:"325" color:BE
bar:1900 from: 0 till:311 text:"311" color:BE
bar:1910 from: 0 till:316 text:"316" color:BE
bar:1920 from: 0 till:307 text:"307" color:BE
bar:1930 from: 0 till:287 text:"287" color:BE
bar:1940 from: 0 till:315 text:"315" color:BE
bar:1950 from: 0 till:373 text:"373" color:BE
bar:1960 from: 0 till:382 text:"382" color:BE
bar:1970 from: 0 till:411 text:"411" color:BE
bar:1980 from: 0 till:494 text:"494" color:BE
bar:1990 from: 0 till:444 text:"444" color:BE
bar:2000 from: 0 till:449 text:"449" color:BE
bar:1850 from: 294 till:384 text:"90" color:MA
bar:1860 from: 342 till:445 text:"103" color:MA
bar:1870 from: 332 till:430 text:"98" color:MA
bar:1880 from: 350 till:420 text:"70" color:MA
bar:1890 from: 325 till:406 text:"81" color:MA
bar:1900 from: 311 till:397 text:"86" color:MA
bar:1910 from: 316 till:390 text:"74" color:MA
bar:1920 from: 307 till:369 text:"62" color:MA
bar:1930 from: 287 till:350 text:"63" color:MA
bar:1940 from: 315 till:385 text:"70" color:MA
bar:1950 from: 373 till:439 text:"66" color:MA
bar:1960 from: 382 till:442 text:"60" color:MA
bar:1970 from: 411 till:467 text:"56" color:MA
bar:1980 from: 494 till:536 text:"42" color:MA
bar:1990 from: 444 till:471 text:"27" color:MA
bar:2000 from: 449 till:476 text:"27" color:MA
Sights
The entire hamlet of Eggen is designated as part of the
Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
The Federal Inventory of Heritage Sites (ISOS) is part of a 1981 Ordinance of the Swiss Federal Council implementing the Federal Law on the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage.
Sites of national importance
Types
The types are based on t ...
.
Skilift system
Bettmeralp village can only be reached via a cable car. The main
ski lift
A ski lift is a mechanism for transporting skiers up a hill. Ski lifts are typically a Lift ticket, paid service at ski resorts. The first ski lift was built in 1908 by German Robert Winterhalder in Schollach/Eisenbach, Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, ...
s are:
[Website Bettmeralpbahnen abou]
lift system details
. Visited 16 December 2008
Panorama
The village:
View from the village:
References
External links
*
*
Official website
{{authority control
Municipalities of Valais
Villages in Valais
Ski areas and resorts in Switzerland
Car-free villages in Switzerland