2_1_DiscoverGermany_April2014_Issue13_copy:Scan Magazine 1
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Experience traditional crafts and culture
Swiss open air museum Ballenberg Centuries of Swiss traditions and well-preserved historic structures unfold in front of visitors’ eyes. Surrounded by breathtaking Alpine scenery, the Swiss historic museum of Ballenberg offers a wonderful variety of old farmhouses from across Switzerland, artisan crafts, animals, events and rustic culinary options.
the plurality of influences that have shaped Switzerland’s diverse history, languages and lifestyles is also represented in the impressive variety of buildings.
TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: MUSEUM BALLENBERG
“Ballenberg is living testimony to Switzerland’s rich cultural heritage. We turn back
Everyone who visits Ballenberg agrees that it is both a historic and an educational place. Set in the charming Bernese Oberland, the museum offers a broad range of attractions and activities from April through to October, and there are many special offers for school classes, groups, and families. As the most vibrant of all open-air museums, locals and visitors from all over the world are intrigued by the dynamics that
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shape the place: history, tradition, crafts, and education. Most important for Ballenberg is a deep respect for Switzerland’s cultural heritage. In 2013, Ballenberg won the Trip Advisor’s Travellers’Choice award. Folk arts and crafts More than 100 original buildings from all regions of the country have been transported to Ballenberg, and now form thirteen building groups.There is no such thing as a typically Swiss farmhouse style since