Wildkirchli, Cave and chapel complex in Schwende, Switzerland
Wildkirchli is a cave and chapel complex built into a rock face at 1488 meters above sea level. The system contains three interconnected caves, with the Altar Cave serving as the main chapel space.
The Altar Cave was converted into a chapel in 1657 by Pastor Paulus Ulmann and received a bell tower in 1860. Archaeological excavations from 1903 to 1908 uncovered flint tools and Neanderthal remains, revealing early human occupation in this region.
The name Wildkirchli means 'wild church' and reflects its sacred character within the rock face itself. Visitors today experience this quality when they enter the chapel nestled inside the cave.
Visitors reach Wildkirchli by taking a cable car from Wasserauen to Ebenalp, then hiking downhill to the cave complex. The descent is steep and requires careful footing, especially when conditions are wet or icy.
The Lower Cave housed hermits from 1658 to 1853 before it became part of the Aescher inn. Since 1972, this space has operated as a museum preserving evidence of its past inhabitants.
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