Fresco Schoolhouse

This saying accompanies the sgraffito at the Brienzwiler schoolhouse. It was created by Heinz Schild and his team to commemorate the construction of the new gymnasium.

 The Romans, Alemanni, field generals, merchants, travelers, and researchers brought plants, animals, and other things around the world. It is likely that the walnut tree also made its way to us from Greece in this manner.

 Not only did people recognize that nuts are very valuable as food and delicacies, but also birds and especially squirrels. These charming animals gathered vast quantities of fruits in the autumn and stored supplies for the winter.

 Fortunately, squirrels can be forgetful and don’t find all the nuts again. Later, these fruits sprouted, leading to walnut trees growing in the forests and hedges. Around the village, there were many, partly enormous trees until the late 1940s.

 Towards the end of September, a day for the Allmendnussen (collecting nuts in the community) was designated and announced to the citizens. All walnut trees grown in the Bürgerland belonged to the community, and these nuts were “cracked” together in autumn (i.e., collected and fairly distributed).

Brienzwiler is unique in the Bernese Oberland due to its historical building stock, most of which dates back to the 16th century. The closely situated farmhouses often feature a small economic section. The numerous outbuildings, such as oven houses that were also used for drying fruits, testify to Brienzwiler’s past as a self-sufficient community. There are still about 25 oven houses in Brienzwiler. These outbuildings, typical of the “Flecken” style in the Bernese Oberland, are partially still preserved. Some of them are even still in regular use today.

The term “Fleckenbau” refers to the functional expansion of a property with outbuildings that are used for different purposes depending on the season and the specific needs at different times of the year.

At the Brienzwiler schoolhouse, families with children will find a playground with various play equipment as well as a sports field. Right next to the playground, there is also a table that provides space for a cozy picnic.

Additional playgrounds can be found in the Doggelerwald as well as in the upper part of the village on Brunnenstrasse.