Lake Brienz is a lake just north of the Alps, in the canton of Berne in Switzerland. It has a length of about 14 kilometres, a width of 2.8 kilometres and a maximum depth of 260 metres. Its area is 29.8 square kilometres, and the surface is 564 metres above the sea-level.
It is fed, among others, by the upper reaches of the Aare at its eastern end, the Giessbach at its southern shore from steep, forested and rocky hills of the high Faulhorn and Schwarzhoren more than 2,000 metres above the lake, and by the Lütschine, flowing from the valleys of Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen, at its south-western corner.
It flows out into a further stretch of the Aare at its western end. The culminating point of the lake's drainage basin is the Finsteraarhorn at 4,274 metres above sea level. The village of Brienz, from which the lake takes its name, lies on the northern shore to its eastern end. In the west, the lake is terminated by the Bödeli, a tongue of land that separates it from neighbouring Lake Thun.
The village of Bönigen occupies the lake frontage of the Bödeli, whilst the larger resort town of Interlaken lies on the reach of the Aare between the two lakes.
Standseilbahn Giessbach
The Giessbach Funicular is a historic funicular in the Swiss canton of Bern and municipality of Brienz. It links a landing stage on Lake Brienz, served by shipping services on the lake, to the Grand Hotel Giessbach and Giessbach Falls above. The funicular is owned by the hotel, but since 1983 has been operated by a preservation foundation.
Giessbachfälle
Grand hotel giessbach
A hotel with history, a place of strength and tranquillity. Take a deep breath, enjoy and relax. Building culture, nature and space for the eyes and the mind, pleasure for the body and the soul. A gift of nature and time that outlasts many things and in this "place of happiness" (Erika Maria Zwicker) an aura of immortality has developed
giessbach bahn
The historic funicular was opened in 1879, just four years after the hotel opened. The railway with Abtscher points is the oldest railway of this type in Europe.
Giessbach Foundation
The non-profit Giessbach Foundation was set up by Franz Weber in 1983 to save the historically valuable Grand Hotel from the Belle Epoque, which is worthy of protection, from demolition and to preserve the beautiful piece of homeland above Lake Brienz for the Swiss people as a common heritage.
Great place to visit!