The Altes Bütschels Hus was built between 1520 and 1530 and is constructed in the traditional farmhouse style of the Bernese Oberland region. The house is built into a hillside and it has two natural stone-walled cellars with two floors of living accommodation above which form one side of the house. The animal stable was next to the cellars with a large hayloft above to provide storage for the winter feed for the animals below. This formed the other side of the house; hence the entire family, animals and all, wintered under one large roof.

Until the beginning of the 20th century the house was owned by the farming family Kunz. Eventually, in 1972, the last of the Swiss Kunz family died and the remaining branches of the family had little interest in sympathetic restoration. After several tenancies and little if any maintenance, the house stood empty for several years until it was acquired by the present owners for complete restoration.

In 2006 the house was given a new traditional style roof, probably the only one of its type in the Kander valley. All restoration is being carried out by the Rauber family themselves. Altes Bütschels Hus is currently under preservation, with all restoration and improvement strictly controlled, in order to ensure its future survival, and for the pleasure of generations to come.

Altes Bütschels Hus is 1200m above sea level, south-facing and stands in about two acres of its own meadowland. The property is bordered by a trout stream and is very quiet; it has its own private access track and there is NO passing traffic.  The house boasts stunning mountain views (over 3,600m) in every direction, clear views of glaciers and a magnificent waterfall.

Altes Bütschels Hus is about 1 mile from the centre of the village of Kandersteg in the Bernese Oberland. Kandersteg is a rural working village but has a parallel tourist-based economy. The village has all the expected range of facilities without losing its unique Swiss atmosphere

 

 

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