Ballenberg
On Thursday we took a day trip down to the open-air-museum called Ballenberg. It’s a two-and-a-half drive from here taking us through Bern and Interlaken (if you’re familiar with the country).
***The nearest city is Brienz, which is also home to one of the rare violin making schools! Bonus fact!***
Anyway, Ballenberg has lots of houses from all over Switzerland that were about to be destroyed and were rescued for the museum. They’ve accurately tried to put the houses in the landscape it was in originally. So the Alpine houses are in the steeper hills, the Ticino houses are in rolling hills, and the midlands are in the valleys. It’s like seeing all of Switzerland in one day!
This is a house that was built in the city by a wealthy factory owner who wanted a chalet-style house. This style was quite popular at one time.
Some of the houses have what we call a “Darth Vader Helmet” shaped roof. This is a mild example. The house is from the Bernese Midlands.
Also from the Bernese Midlands (that area was biggest, probably because that’s where we were in real life anyway), this farmhouse was built for two families to share. Two small rooms on either side and a shared kitchen. I’m sure there were attics above the small rooms as well.
I walked in and my first thought was, “Wow, this place is smoky! And why do they have a fire in 80 degree weather?” Following the gaze of everybody else, I looked up and saw rows and rows and rows and rows and rows! of sausages. It was also the smokehouse!
At hands on house, one of the things they had was this thiing-ma-bobber (why not put an extra “i”?), I’m blanking on its name right now. Ambrose loved it, and it made me think of Alonzo in Farmer Boy making his sled, or was it a whip? Oh, or perhaps his oxen yoke. Anyway, not the safest tool in the world but lots of fun all the same. Plus it makes real wood shavings!
Tracing out footsteps…
An Alpine house built in 1568. Not too long after the Reformation started!
On the way there, we passed this waterfall where Sherlock Holmes died! *wink wink*
On the way home we stopped at the IKEA in Bern for supper and some quick shopping. It was really nice to take a break from moving and shopping (kind of) and yard work, and we are hoping to visit again!
***The nearest city is Brienz, which is also home to one of the rare violin making schools! Bonus fact!***
Anyway, Ballenberg has lots of houses from all over Switzerland that were about to be destroyed and were rescued for the museum. They’ve accurately tried to put the houses in the landscape it was in originally. So the Alpine houses are in the steeper hills, the Ticino houses are in rolling hills, and the midlands are in the valleys. It’s like seeing all of Switzerland in one day!
This is a house that was built in the city by a wealthy factory owner who wanted a chalet-style house. This style was quite popular at one time.
Some of the houses have what we call a “Darth Vader Helmet” shaped roof. This is a mild example. The house is from the Bernese Midlands.
Also from the Bernese Midlands (that area was biggest, probably because that’s where we were in real life anyway), this farmhouse was built for two families to share. Two small rooms on either side and a shared kitchen. I’m sure there were attics above the small rooms as well.
I walked in and my first thought was, “Wow, this place is smoky! And why do they have a fire in 80 degree weather?” Following the gaze of everybody else, I looked up and saw rows and rows and rows and rows and rows! of sausages. It was also the smokehouse!
At hands on house, one of the things they had was this thiing-ma-bobber (why not put an extra “i”?), I’m blanking on its name right now. Ambrose loved it, and it made me think of Alonzo in Farmer Boy making his sled, or was it a whip? Oh, or perhaps his oxen yoke. Anyway, not the safest tool in the world but lots of fun all the same. Plus it makes real wood shavings!
Tracing out footsteps…
An Alpine house built in 1568. Not too long after the Reformation started!
On the way there, we passed this waterfall where Sherlock Holmes died! *wink wink*
On the way home we stopped at the IKEA in Bern for supper and some quick shopping. It was really nice to take a break from moving and shopping (kind of) and yard work, and we are hoping to visit again!
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