Lenk im Simmental
Encyclopedia
Lenk im Simmental is a municipality
in the Obersimmental-Saanen administrative district
in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
.
Lenk is first mentioned in 1370 as An der Leng.
The municipality split from the neighboring St. Stephan in 1504-1505. In 1522 it achieved its sovereignty in the canton of Bern. In 1529 it experienced the Reformation
, and had to protect itself against the Catholic
Valais
. In 1878 it suffered a devastating fire.
Lenk im Simmental has an area, , of 123.05 km² (47.5 sq mi). Of this area, 44.82 km² (17.3 sq mi) or 36.4% is used for agricultural purposes, while 28.32 km² (10.9 sq mi) or 23.0% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 2.4 km² (0.926645180622084 sq mi) or 2.0% is settled (buildings or roads), 1.12 km² (0.432434417623639 sq mi) or 0.9% is either rivers or lakes and 46.38 km² (17.9 sq mi) or 37.7% is unproductive land.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 1.1% and transportation infrastructure made up 0.7%. 17.7% of the total land area is heavily forested and 3.6% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 7.9% is pastures and 28.5% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, 5.8% is unproductive vegetation, 23.4% is too rocky for vegetation and 8.5% of the land is covered by glaciers.
It lies in the Simmental
valley of the Bernese Oberland
. Lenk lies 80 km (49.7 mi) from Bern and 100 km (62.1 mi) from Montreux
.
Lenk is the highest municipality in Simmental. The municipal area includes many mountains, the highest of which is the Wildstrubel
(3243 m (10,639.8 ft)). Somewhat below the Wildstrubel, by the Siebenbrunnen ("seven fountains") comes the Simme River, which gives Simmental ("Simme
Valley") its name. A number of creeks flow into the Simme, and the Iffig Creek and the Iffigfall (its waterfall) are attractions for hikers.
The large municipality includes the cooperative farms (Bäuerten) of Aegerten and Brand as well as the villages of Lenk, Gutenbrunnen, Ober- and Pöschenried.
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP
which received 45.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the FDP
(17.5%), the local small left-wing parties (13.8%) and the SPS
(11.5%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 24.9% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 58.1% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 17.1%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Lenk about 64.5% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Lenk has an unemployment rate of 2.03%. , there were 354 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 129 businesses involved in this sector. 252 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 41 businesses in this sector. 1020 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 138 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
The municipality is dependent on tourism
, especially for winter sport
s. Lenk has accommodations for about 5000 guests, include 800 hotel beds. This is in a town of scarcely 2000. It is home to a ski resort, which operates on both sides of the valley in which it is located. Lenk is connected by rail to the town of Zweisimmen
.
In 2010, the Swiss College of Hospitality Management (SHML), Switzerland's first Boutique Hotel Management College will open in Lenk. Courses are taught in English and include several undergraduate as well as a post-graduate and MBA
degrees.
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
in the Obersimmental-Saanen administrative district
Obersimmental-Saanen (administrative district)
Obersimmental-Saanen District in the Canton of Bern was created on 1 January 2010. It is part of the Oberland administrative region. It contains 7 municipalities with an area of and a population of 16,784....
in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Bern in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
History
The municipality split from the neighboring St. Stephan in 1504-1505. In 1522 it achieved its sovereignty in the canton of Bern. In 1529 it experienced the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, and had to protect itself against the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
. In 1878 it suffered a devastating fire.
Geography
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 1.1% and transportation infrastructure made up 0.7%. 17.7% of the total land area is heavily forested and 3.6% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 7.9% is pastures and 28.5% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, 5.8% is unproductive vegetation, 23.4% is too rocky for vegetation and 8.5% of the land is covered by glaciers.
It lies in the Simmental
Simmental
Simmental is an alpine valley in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland. It expands from Lenk to Boltigen, in a more or less South-North direction , and from there to the valley exit at Wimmis near Spiez it takes a West-East orientation . It comprises the municipalities of Lenk, St...
valley of the Bernese Oberland
Bernese Oberland
The Bernese Oberland is the higher part of the canton of Bern, Switzerland, in the southern end of the canton: The area around Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and the valleys of the Bernese Alps .The flag of the Bernese Oberland consists of a black eagle in a gold field The Bernese Oberland (Bernese...
. Lenk lies 80 km (49.7 mi) from Bern and 100 km (62.1 mi) from Montreux
Montreux
Montreux is a municipality in the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.It is located on Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps and has a population, , of and nearly 90,000 in the agglomeration.- History :...
.
Lenk is the highest municipality in Simmental. The municipal area includes many mountains, the highest of which is the Wildstrubel
Wildstrubel
The Wildstrubel is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland on the border between the Canton of Berne and the Canton of Valais.The mountain has three summits, all of similar height:...
(3243 m (10,639.8 ft)). Somewhat below the Wildstrubel, by the Siebenbrunnen ("seven fountains") comes the Simme River, which gives Simmental ("Simme
Simme
The river Simme is a tributary of the river Kander in the Bernese Oberland in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It's approximately 60 km long and has a catchment area of 594 km²....
Valley") its name. A number of creeks flow into the Simme, and the Iffig Creek and the Iffigfall (its waterfall) are attractions for hikers.
The large municipality includes the cooperative farms (Bäuerten) of Aegerten and Brand as well as the villages of Lenk, Gutenbrunnen, Ober- and Pöschenried.
Demographics
Lenk has a population (as of ) of . , 10.0% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -3.5%. Most of the population speaks German (94.2%), with Serbo-Croatian being second most common (1.5%) and Portuguese being third (1.2%).In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP
Swiss People's Party
The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...
which received 45.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the FDP
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009....
(17.5%), the local small left-wing parties (13.8%) and the SPS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(11.5%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 24.9% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 58.1% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 17.1%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Lenk about 64.5% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
Fachhochschule
A Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
).
Lenk has an unemployment rate of 2.03%. , there were 354 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 129 businesses involved in this sector. 252 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 41 businesses in this sector. 1020 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 138 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1764 | 1,468 |
| 1850 | 2,369 |
| 1900 | 1,748 |
| 1950 | 1,871 |
| 2000 | 2,337 |
Tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, especially for winter sport
Winter sport
A winter sport is a sport which is played on snow or ice. Most such sports are variations of skiing, ice skating and sledding. Traditionally such sports were only played in cold areas during winter, but artificial snow and ice allow more flexibility...
s. Lenk has accommodations for about 5000 guests, include 800 hotel beds. This is in a town of scarcely 2000. It is home to a ski resort, which operates on both sides of the valley in which it is located. Lenk is connected by rail to the town of Zweisimmen
Zweisimmen
Zweisimmen is a municipality in the Obersimmental-Saanen administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-Geography:Zweisimmen has an area of . Of this area, 56.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 32.9% is forested...
.
In 2010, the Swiss College of Hospitality Management (SHML), Switzerland's first Boutique Hotel Management College will open in Lenk. Courses are taught in English and include several undergraduate as well as a post-graduate and MBA
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
degrees.