Discover Lützelflüh

The Gotthelf Centre, the church and the Kulturmühle offer different ways to explore Lützelflüh’s history and culture. Trails through the forest and countryside, as well as the swimming pool, add to the options for a stay.

Gotthelf’s life and the history of Lützelflüh

The Gotthelf Centre is a listed architectural ensemble of national importance. Its permanent exhibition is displayed in the rooms where Albert Bitzius lived with his family, wrote his works and welcomed famous guests. Lützelflüh-Goldbach railway station is about a ten-minute walk from the centre. If you are travelling by train, check the timetable for your connection. Guests are also welcome at the bistro without visiting the museum, where regional products are served.

The present-day church in Lützelflüh has stood since 1505 and dates back to an earlier Romanesque church built between 1100 and 1110. Two clearly dated building phases are thus linked: the Romanesque predecessor church and the present church building. On the south side are the grave of Jeremias Gotthelf, a memorial stone for his mother Elisabeth Bitzius-Kohler, and the graves of Emanuel Friedli and Simon Gfeller.

Since June 2020, a bronze exhibition featuring figures based on the protagonists of Gotthelf’s novels has been on display at Lützelflüh railway station. It illustrates rural life in 19th-century Switzerland. This complements the places directly associated with Bitzius’s life by offering a glimpse into the world of his literary characters.

Culture and trails

The Kulturmühle Lützelflüh is a versatile cultural centre for exhibitions, concerts, courses and school weeks in the countryside. Even the oldest wooden parts of the base of its mill mechanism tell a long history: they date from 1560. The Kulturmühle therefore offers a different cultural focus from the places associated with Gotthelf.

The “On the Way to Gotthelf” cultural trail is a circular walk that passes places and buildings connected with Albert Bitzius, or Jeremias Gotthelf, and his work, as well as places of historical interest. The forest nature trail has a different focus: it runs from the Lützelflüh municipal hall to Rüegsauschachen and takes about an hour and a half to walk. Information boards along the way provide details about the Emmental’s nature and forests. Depending on your interests, you can choose between historical connections and nature topics without conflating the two trails.

Countryside and other activities

Road cycling around Lützelflüh takes you through hilly, wooded terrain, with challenging climbs and rewarding descents. Road cycling around Lützelflüh takes you through hilly, wooded terrain, with challenging climbs and rewarding descents. The Emme flows through the area around Lützelflüh; some routes follow its banks. These details describe two distinct aspects of the surroundings: the terrain for road cycling and the riverside scenery along some routes.

The swimming pool in Emmenschachen has several pools, a diving tower, a playground and well-maintained lawns with plenty of shady spots. Opening times may vary by season, so check the seasonal schedule before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Trachselwald, Walterswil, Dürrenroth, Huttwil, Sumiswald, Rüegsbach, Wyssachen, Eriswil.

Back to the main travel overview: Trachselwald.