Brig, Switzerland

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Brig
Brigue du nord-ouest.jpg
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Location of Brig
Brig, Switzerland
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Brig
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Brig
Coordinates: 46°19′N7°59′E / 46.317°N 7.983°E / 46.317; 7.983
Country Switzerland
Canton Valais
District Brigue
Area
  Total38 km2 (15 sq mi)
Elevation
( Kuckucksuhr.JPG )
691 m (2,267 ft)
Population
  Total12,162
  Density320/km2 (830/sq mi)
Demonym Brigois
Time zone UTC+01:00 (Central European Time)
  Summer (DST) UTC+02:00 (Central European Summer Time)
Website www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/destinations/brig/

Brig, known as Brig in German and Briga in Italian, is a town in the canton of Valais, in the commune of Brig-Glis.

Contents

Toponymy

The name Brig comes from the Celtic Briga, meaning “hill fortress” or “height, then castle”. [1]

History

Mentioned for the first time in 1215, Brigue was not recognized as a town until the 17th century. It underwent major development thanks to Kaspar Jodok von Stockalper (1609-1691), a shrewd businessman nicknamed “King of Simplon”.

Brig’s thermal springs were already renowned during the Middle Ages. Ruined by a landslide in the 15th century, they were cleared in 1471 and annexed to the public baths.

The Jesuit Collège du Saint-Esprit, built between 1673 and 1688, is a fine example of Baroque architecture. [2]

On January 25, 1913, Brig was the starting point for Juan Bielovucic's 28-minute monoplane flight across the Alps to Domodossola. [3]

On September 24, 1993, the town was partially devastated by flooding, following the overflow of the Saltina River.

Population

Demonym and nicknames

This town’s inhabitants are called Brigois. [4]

They are nicknamed the Brigands, and are also known as Holzschüö, Sschüöblätza and Turugeuche in Swiss German, i.e. the clogs, the bakers and those who take pride in their turreted houses. [4]

Demorgraphy

The community had 468 inhabitants in 1798, 412 in 1802, 596 in 1827, 721 in 1850, 1,012 in 1860, 1,172 in 1888, 2,182 in 1900, 3,132 in 1920, 3,854 in 1950, 5,191 in 1970, 9,608 (including Glis and Brigerbad) in 1980, 10,602 in 1990 and 11,590 in 2000. [5]

Famous people

Places and monuments

Transportation

Main roads

Railway lines

Road level (Bus)

PostBus offers connections to Saas Fee, Naters, Visp and Domodossola in Italy via the Simplon Pass.

Tourism

It is located near the resorts of Belalp, Saas-Fee, Zermatt, Fiesch, Bettmeralp, etc. The thermal baths at Brigerbad attract many visitors.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valais</span> Canton of Switzerland

Valais, more formally, the Canton of Valais, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of thirteen districts and its capital and largest city is Sion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transport in Switzerland</span>

The Swiss rail network is noteworthy for its density, its coordination between services, its integration with other modes of transport, timeliness and a thriving domestic and trans-Alp freight system. It is made necessary by strong regulations on truck transport, and is enabled by properly coordinated intermodal logistics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Municipalities of the canton of Valais</span>

There are 122 municipalities in the canton of Valais, Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brig–Zermatt railway line</span> Railway in Switzerland

The Brig–Zermatt railway line is a metre gauge railway line in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. Its 44-kilometre-long (27 mi) line links the communities of Brig and Visp in the Rhone Valley with Täsch and the car free holiday resort of Zermatt in the Mattertal. The line also forms part of the much travelled and admired route of the Glacier Express between St. Moritz and Zermatt. The Gornergratbahn is connected with the line at Zermatt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simplon Tunnel</span> Tunnel between the Pennines and Lepontine Alps between Italy and Switzerland

The Simplon Tunnel is a railway tunnel on the Simplon railway that connects Brig, Switzerland and Domodossola, Italy, through the Alps, providing a shortcut under the Simplon Pass route. It is straight except for short curves at either end. It consists of two single-track tunnels built nearly 15 years apart. The first to be opened is 19,803 m (64,970 ft) long; the second is 19,824 m (65,039 ft) long, making it the longest railway tunnel in the world for most of the twentieth century, from 1906 until 1982, when the Daishimizu Tunnel opened.

Briga can refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brig-Glis</span> Municipality in Valais, Switzerland

Brig, officially Brig-Glis, is a historic town and municipality in the district of Brig in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. The current municipality was formed in 1972 through the merger of Brig (city), Brigerbad and Glis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domodossola–Milan railway</span> Key northern Italian transport link

The Domodossola–Milan railway line is a major Italian railway route and an important part of the European rail network. It is one of Italy's busiest lines for both passenger and freight trains. The line connects Milan and Domodossola with Brig, an important Swiss railway junction, via the Simplon Tunnel. Direct passenger trains ran from Brig to Paris and Brussels and Luxembourg via Basel. The line runs through lower Varese Province, the valley of Ossola and along the shore of Lake Maggiore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Switzerland Railways</span> Swiss railway companies

The Western Switzerland Railways, were initially a joint operation of three Swiss railway companies, but these companies merged on 1 January 1872. The company was called the Western Switzerland–Simplon Railways from 28 June 1881. The SOS merged with the Bernese Jura Railways to form the Jura–Simplon Railways on 1 January 1890.

The Jura–Simplon Railways (JS), was a railway company that was formed in 1890. It was nationalised in 1903 as the largest railway company in Switzerland and integrated into the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stockalper Palace</span> Historic site in Brig-Glis

The Stockalper Palace is a castle in Brig-Glis, Switzerland. It was built between 1658 and 1678 by Kaspar Stockalper, a silk merchant of Brig. The Stockalper Palace was the largest private construction in Switzerland at the time. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andermatt railway station</span> Swiss railway station

Andermatt railway station is a railway station and junction on the metre gauge Furka Oberalp Bahn (FO), serving the town and municipality of Andermatt, in the canton of Uri, Switzerland. The station is connected, via the Furka Pass, with Brig and Visp in the canton of Valais, and, via the Oberalp Pass, with the western terminus of the Rhaetian Railway at Disentis/Mustér, in the canton of Graubünden. There is also a short branch line, the Schöllenenbahn, between Andermatt and Göschenen, at the northern end of the standard gauge Gotthard Rail Tunnel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visp railway station</span> Railway station in Visp, Switzerland

Visp railway station is a junction station at Visp, in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a modern station building completed in 2007, and is served by two standard gauge lines and a metre gauge line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brig railway station</span> Railway station in Brig, Switzerland

Brig railway station is an important railway junction in the municipality of Brig-Glis, in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. Opened in 1878, it is adjacent to the northern portal of the Simplon Tunnel and is served by two standard gauge lines. Another two metre gauge lines serve the physically adjacent Brig Bahnhofplatz railway station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iselle di Trasquera railway station</span> Piedmontese train stop

Iselle di Trasquera railway station serves the village of Iselle and municipality of Trasquera, in the region of Piedmont, northwestern Italy. Opened in 1906, the station is at the southern portal of the Simplon tunnel, on the Simplon line, between Brig, Switzerland and Domodossola, Italy. It is also the border station between Italy and Switzerland. All rail services to and from the station are operated by BLS AG, a Swiss company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vallorbe railway station</span> Railway station in Vallorbe, Switzerland

Vallorbe railway station is a station at the border of Switzerland and France on the TGV Lyria line between Paris and Lausanne. It is located at the south-eastern entrance of the tunnel which tunnels one of Jura's mountain ranges, Le Mont d’Or. The station serves the municipality of Vallorbe, in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simplon Railway</span> Railway connecting Switzerland and Italy

The Simplon Railway is a line that links Lausanne in Switzerland and Domodossola in Italy, via Brig. The 20 km (12 mi)-long Simplon Tunnel is a major part of it. The line between Lausanne and Vallorbe is sometimes considered to form part of the line, making it 233 km (145 mi) long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biel/Bienne–Bern railway</span>

The Biel/Bienne–Bern railway is a railway line in Switzerland and connects the city of Biel/Bienne with Bern. The line is owned by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), long-distance services are operated by the SBB, and regional services are operated by the BLS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compagnie de la Ligne d'Italie</span>

The Compagnie de la Ligne d’Italie, or Ligne d’Italie for short, was a former Swiss railway company that established in 1859. In 1874, the Ligne d'Italie became part of the Compagnie du Simplon. The Compagnie du Simplon, Ligne du Simplon or Simplon for short, merged into the Western Swiss Railways in 1881.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stalden-Saas railway station</span> Railway station in Switzerland

Stalden-Saas railway station is a railway station in the municipality of Stalden, in the Swiss canton of Valais. It is an intermediate stop on the 1,000 mm Brig–Zermatt line and is served by local trains only.

References

  1. "Toponymie française", Wikipédia (in French), 2024-01-04
  2. Kuonen Ackermann, Carmela (1995). Die Kollegiumskirche zum Heiligen Geist in Brig. (Schweizerische Kunstführer, Nr. 569). Bern: Hrsg. von der Gesellschaft für Schweizerische Kunstgeschichte GSK. ISBN   978-3-85782-569-9.
  3. "Excelsior from January 26,1913". Excelsior.
  4. 1 2 Fehlmann, Paul (1990). Ethniques, surnoms et sobriquets des villes et villages en Suisse romande, Haute-Savoie et alentour, dans la vallée d'Aoste et au Tessin (in French). Genève: Jullien. p. 19. ISBN   2-88412-000-9.
  5. Carlen, Louis. "Brigue (ville)". Le Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse (DHS).

See also