History

The people and local character have been shaped by the superb natural surroundings and the history which was influenced primarily by the valley's former isolation, and which came to an end with the construction of the Lötschbergbahn.

The opening of the Lötschberg tunnel in 1913 connected the valley to an international railway network, significantly supporting the ‘rural-to-urban’ transfer of labour. From the station at Goppenstein, a road first connected Ferden, and between 1918–20 was extended to Kippel, and in 1954
to Blatten. In 1972, a cable car to the Lauchernalp was constructed, starting extensive ski-tourism, with a further extension of ski-slopes in 2003.

The opening up of the Lötschental went hand in hand with the growth in tourism – yet in spite of tourist development, nightclubs, concrete edifices and massive buildings are simply nowhere to be found in this region.

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