Brig-Glis

Kaspar Jodok von Stockalper (1609-1691) was the most powerful merchant prince in 17th-century Switzerland, known as the 'King of the Simplon' and the 'Fugger of the Alps.' He revitalized the Simplon Pass, held monopolies on salt, operated mines, ran a mercenary business, and held the postal monopoly. He built the Stockalper Palace -- the largest private secular Baroque building in Switzerland -- with three towers named after the Three Wise Kings: Kaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. Louis XIV of France called him 'King of the Simplon.'

The Simplon Railway Tunnel runs from Brig to Iselle, Italy, more than 1.6 km below Monte Leone. The first tube, 19,803 m long, was the longest railway tunnel in the world from 1906 to 1982. Construction began in 1898 under Alfred Brandt, who invented a hydraulic rock drill. The halves met on 24 February 1905; the tunnel was inaugurated on 19 May 1906 by King Victor Emmanuel III and Swiss Federal President Ludwig Forrer. Workers faced temperatures up to 49 degrees Celsius; 67 died in accidents.

On 24 September 1993, after weeks of rain, the Saltina burst its banks in Brig. Debris blocked the Saltina bridge in the town centre, causing water to dam up and flood both Brig and Glis. Approximately 250,000 cubic metres of mud, sand, and debris were deposited. Two women died; material damage totalled over CHF 650 million. Reconstruction was completed within one year. Protective measures including a hydraulic lift bridge that rises 3 metres within minutes proved their worth in 2000.

The Stockalper Palace is the largest private secular Baroque building in Switzerland, built between 1658 and 1678. Its three towers topped with gilded onion domes are named Kaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar after the Three Wise Kings. It features an elegant Renaissance-style arcaded courtyard of approximately 40 by 32 metres. The 13,000 square metre garden is among the largest historic gardens in the Valais. After Stockalper's exile and death, the palace fell into decline until the municipality purchased it in 1948.

Napoleon Bonaparte ordered the construction of a proper road over the Simplon Pass in 1800 -- 'Pour faire passer les canons' (to pass the cannons). Built by engineer Nicolas Ceard, the 63 km highway with eight large bridges and seven galleries carved into rockface was completed and opened on 9 October 1805 -- considered the first true highway across the Alps. Peak stagecoach era saw 28,190 passengers in 1876 alone using over 150 horses daily.

Brigerbad, incorporated into Brig-Glis since 1972, has thermal springs known since Roman times -- a history stretching back roughly 2,000 years. The springs supply lithium-containing sodium-calcium-sulphate water at 50 litres per second. Today the Brigerbad Thermal Bath is one of the largest open-air thermal baths in Switzerland with over 2,600 square metres of water facilities. Kaspar Jodok von Stockalper himself owned the thermal baths in the 17th century.

The Glacier Express, connecting Brig to Zermatt and St. Moritz, has run since 30 June 1930. Brig station serves as the junction between three major Alpine routes: the Simplon (opened 1906), the Loetschberg (completed 1913, base tunnel 2007), and the Furka lines. The Simplon Orient Express passed through Brig from 1919 -- the only place where this legendary train traversed German-speaking territory. Brig railway station opened in 1878.

The Church of Our Lady in Glis is one of the most remarkable sacred buildings in the Upper Valais. Excavations in 1984 discovered an early Christian aisleless church from around 500 AD, along with a baptistery built around 615 AD. Since the 14th century it has been a pilgrimage centre. The present building is a palimpsest: a Romanesque tower, Gothic choir, Golden Gate, Renaissance portal, and from 1648 to 1668 Stockalper had the baroque pillar basilica built by the Bodmer brothers.