Wildkirchli, Cave and chapel complex in Schwende, Switzerland
Wildkirchli is a cave and chapel complex set into a cliff face above the village of Schwende, in the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, Switzerland. It consists of three interconnected caves, one of which serves as a chapel, while the others house a small museum and the adjacent Aescher inn.
Excavations carried out between 1903 and 1908 uncovered stone tools and bones linked to Neanderthal occupation, making this one of the earliest known inhabited sites in the Alps. The chapel was set up in 1657 by Pastor Paulus Ulmann, and hermits began living in the lower cave the following year.
The name Wildkirchli means 'wild church' and refers to a chapel carved directly into the rock face. Inside, the space feels raw and unfinished, with the stone walls of the cave forming the walls and ceiling of the chapel itself.
The site is reached by taking a cable car from Wasserauen up to Ebenalp, followed by a short but steep walk down to the cave entrance. The path can be slippery when wet, so sturdy footwear is a good idea, especially outside summer.
The lower cave was continuously occupied by hermits for nearly two centuries, from 1658 until 1853, when the last one left and the space became part of the Aescher inn. Since 1972, that same cave has been used as a small museum showing objects left behind by those inhabitants.
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