oho #3 - The magazine of the Principality of Liechtenstein

The high-altitude settlement
at “Hinder Prufatscheng”
oho#3
400 year-old Walser house in Triesenberg
Triesenberg is a traditional mountain village in Liechtenstein. With roots as a Walser settlement
dating back to the 13th/14th century, the municipality continues to honour its venerable history.
Patrik Birrer, Head of the Cultural Heritage Division in Liechtenstein, has studied the architecture
of the historic houses in detail, and explains how the Walser spirit is identifiable in the settlement
to this day. Interview: Niki Eder
Mr Birrer, the style of the timber construction is
often said to be typically Walser. Does a
characteristic Walser house architecture really
exist, and is this to be found in all Walser
settlements?
Patrik Birrer: Due to the forested areas and the
availability of construction timber, wood has since
time immemorial been the favoured construction
material in our Alpine region. Timber architecture
is therefore not per se typically Walser. But if one
reflects that many Walser settlements came about
through deforestation, use of this available wood
for construction purposes naturally makes sense.
In Liechtenstein, corresponding construction
materials and construction methods are chosen for
the three main applications of masonry, post
construction and log construction. Use of the
different timber construction methods changed
over time. Post construction predates the log
construction method, which gradually became
established only around 1500 AD. Most were twostorey
wooden buildings, with cellars, or the timber
and masonry house – e.g. with a masonry kitchen.
And what did the interior of the old Walser
houses look like?
Residential building typology and the development
of their configuration was determined by the
fireplace or hearth as the central element in a
house.
Patrik Birrer,
Head of the Cultural Heritage
Division in Liechtenstein
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