Älggi-Alp, Mountain pasture in Sachseln, Switzerland.
Älggi-Alp is a mountain pasture located in the region of Sachseln in Switzerland, situated at approximately 1,645 meters elevation. The rolling green meadows are ringed by several peaks including Seefeldstock, Chli Haupt, and Brünig-Haupt.
Swisstopo measured Switzerland's geographic centre in 1988 for its 150th anniversary; the true point lies on a rock face above Chli-Älggi. A publicly accessible stone was set 500 m to the southeast, on the Obwaldner Höhenweg. From 2003 to 2015 the Swiss of the Year was honoured there, the name engraved on a plaque. In May 2009 Béliers activists removed the pyramid above the symbolic centre and took it to Bellelay.
The Älggi Chapel is dedicated to Saint Anna, and its interior was designed by the Sachseln artist Alois Spichtig. The name Älggi derives from Gau, meaning plain or flatland, with the first part possibly a shortening of Alp or Allmende. The pasture belongs to the Korporation Sachseln, and grazing rights are drawn by lot among entitled corporation citizens every 12 years.
Access to the pasture follows strict traffic schedules with alternating directions, especially on weekends and holidays. Visitors should plan their arrival time according to these regulations.
The name Älggi comes from 'Gau', meaning plain or flatland, while the first part likely derives from a shortened form of Alp. This naming reflects how the terrain got its title despite sitting at a considerable height.
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