Swiss lost places: Hotel Belvédère

Hotels, castles, train stations and even an entire industrial site: what happens to these places when they are no longer needed? Swiss public television SRFExternal link went on a search in Switzerland for these lost places. Part one of five.

The Hotel Belvédère on the Furka Pass is probably one of the most recognisable hotels in the world. It was built in 1882 by the Seiler hotelier family on a prominent hairpin bend, with the best views of the Valais and Bernese Alps, and in the immediate vicinity of the Rhone Glacier, a main attraction in the area.

Since the hotel opened its doors, the Rhone Glacier has retreated so much that it can no longer be seen from the hotel. The Belvédère itself has developed into a popular photo subject. It adorns postcards and has gone viral on social media. James Bond himself raced across the Furka roads past the Belvédère in his Aston Martin in 1965.

At the end of the 19th century, at the peak of the Belle Époque, the Hotel Belvédère could accommodate up to 90 guests. Joseph Seiler had the hotel expanded several times due to high demand.

It was the golden age of the hotel industry. Within three decades, the number of hotels in Valais alone quadrupled from 79 in 1880 to 321 hotels shortly before the First World War.

In the 1920s, new means of transportation such as the Postbus and the railways brought an increasing number of guests to the Rhone Glacier. Trips to the area were designed as multi-day trips with an overnight stay. But with the advent of private transport, these became one-day round trips. Ultimately, the automobile ensured that fewer and fewer travelers stayed at hotels in the area. The Belvédère was also affected.

In 1988, the Carlen family from the town of Brig in canton Valais bought the hotel. Most recently, Philipp and Rosmarie Carlen ran the business. However, the pressure involved in preserving the old building was too much for them. In 2015 they broke up. The Belvédère has been closed since then. The vacant hotel is now for sale.

Factsheet Hotel Belvédère

SRF-SWI

Location: Furka Pass, canton Valais

Year of construction: 1882

Purpose: Joseph Seiler, the son of hotel pioneer Alexander Seiler I., began construction on the hotel. Towards the end of the 19th century, the hotel was expanded several times. In the years prior to the First World War, up to 70 guests arrived daily during the high season. In 1984, canton Valais acquired the shares in the real estate company Gletsch AG, which was founded by the Seiler hotelier family. This also included the Hotel Belvédère.

Abandoned since: 2015