Eastern Switzerland

Boundaries Geographic and Mental

The cantons of Saint Gall and the Appenzell Inner- and Outer-Rhodes lie in the eastern part of the Swiss Midlands. The Grisons is also geographically a part of Eastern Switzerland, although the inhabitants do not consider themselves belonging there but to a land apart. A zone of its own in the Museum is dedicated to Eastern Switzerland. The buildings from the neighbouring cantons of Thurgovia and Schaffhausen also belong to this area but are located among those of the East Midlands.

Climatic Variety

The change from fertile fields and lush pastures to hilly prealps and high mountain peaks occurs in a narrow region. The distance between the Lake of Constance (399 metres, 1309 feet) and the top of the Säntis (2502 metres, 8209 feet) is only 30 kilometres (19 miles). The region receives a lot of precipitation, the climate is often cold and wet.

Specialisation

The basis for a grazing economy is thus imposed and the pre-alpine zone in particular specialised in livestock raising and dairying. Appenzell developed into a herder’s country par excellence. The costumes and music, ritual ascents of alpine herds to the alpine pastures and production of cheese are ambassadors of Switzerland. For centuries the textile industry was a second economic branch; the crocheting work of Saint Gall – thanks to design and marketing – is still in international demand.

Two Economies

The beginnings of both branches of economy are evidenced in the Ballenberg Open-Air Museum by two buildings from Eastern Switzerland: the farmhouse from Brülisau (911) in the scattered-settlement region of Appenzell (which also houses animals in the Ballenberg Open-Air Museum) and the damp weaving cellar of the house from Wattwil (931) which represents the textile industry once so important to Eastern Switzerland.