Ernen

Ernen stands on a terrace in the Goms, the upper Rhone valley, and its square is unusually complete for a village of a few hundred: the Tellenhaus of 1576 carries painted panels of the William Tell story that are among the oldest surviving depictions of it, the Zendenrathaus was the seat of the district assembly, and a pillory and gallows site survive on the edge - reminders that this was a place of local justice. From 1974 the village built a second identity around music: the Musikdorf Ernen festival brings chamber concerts and masterclasses through the summer into the church and hall, filling a village that would otherwise have emptied.

What you actually see

• The Tellenhaus of 1576 - among the oldest painted Tell scenes anywhere.
• A pillory and gallows site - the surviving marks of local justice.
• The Zendenrathaus - the district assembly's seat on the square.
• A summer music festival - chamber concerts since 1974 in the church and hall.

When to go

June to September for the festival. Half a day, or an evening for a concert.

Honest expectations

The village is small and quiet outside concert dates, with limited eating. Concerts sell out and accommodation in the Goms is sparse. The Tell panels are weathered. Postbus service is infrequent.

Nearby

Binntal is east; the Aletsch terrace villages are west.