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culture
international

Appenzell innerhoden: much more than A

National Geographic Cover!

Text and photos by Evelina Rioukhina

You may have seen this famous National small villages of wonderfully crafted small houses,
Geographic photo of Switzerland, but have you like a region forgotten by time. Eventually you
ever visited the area? I hope this article will arrive at the terminal station Wasserauen, with a
inspire you to: it needs to be seen to be believed. view of gorgeous Mount Säntis overlooking the
After all, National Geographic was so impressed neighbouring Alpstein mountain peaks.
they called it the place of a lifetime. I must warn
you, however, that it is a long journey: six hours From there you have a pretty ride in a cable
from Geneva, plus time for the descent through car, or, for the adventurous, a difficult 3 hour
the caves, and the church in the cave, to the view hike. If you take the cable car, you will see
shown in the photo. The location is Appenzell the caves and the buildings on the side of
Innerhoden, the most traditional Canton of the highest cliff. The cable car takes you to a
Switzerland. point above these, and you will have to walk
down the steep hill to them. You will first pass
Appenzelland: The journey to Appenzelland is through a cave containing an old hermit’s hut.
a story in itself. The region was founded in 1513 In 1658 a priest, Ulmann was the first hermit
and is comprised of two Cantons: Protestant to live here and ever since the place has held
Appenzell Aussehoden and Catholic Appenzell a fascination. Stories are told about small wild
Innerhoden. Appenzelland is famous for its people who apparently used to live in in the
beauty, its picture-postcard meadows, for having Wildkirchcaves and helped the alpine dairy
Switzerland’s most secret cheese, and, in the men. The cave today is nicely decorated and
Canton of Appenzell Innerhoden, for its direct lit inside to add to the mystery and the small
democracy. It has its own railway, Appenzell hut contains an exhibition of what was found
Bahn, operating through Appenzelland: of the cave inhabitants. If you continue along
comfortable red trains that take you through the cliff you will also see an open-air chapel, the

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