Brig in Valais – Stockalper Palace, ViaStockalper and hotels
Accommodation in Brig
The three-towered Stockalper Palace is the landmark of the town of Brig and also the largest private building in Baroque Switzerland. Brig is a district of Brig-Glis in the Swiss canton of Valais and is located in the Rhône Valley. Between the palace, old town, gardens and historic paths, different sides of the place come together here.
Culture
At Stockalper Palace, the “Passage Simplon” exhibition explores the eventful history of the Simplon Pass through seven themes. The Stockalper Palace Museum also contains collections on the Stockalper family, the history of the Simplon Pass and the Simplon railway route, as well as exhibits on the folk culture and cultural history of Upper Valais.
A one-hour guided tour of the palace leads from the arcaded courtyard into the small inner courtyard of the Old Stockalper House, the Three Kings Hall and the palace chapel. The tour also crosses the arcaded bridge to the Baroque palace building from the 17th century. The interior of Stockalper Palace can only be visited as part of a guided tour; the inner courtyard and garden are also accessible without a tour. The palace tour therefore combines various indoor and outdoor areas within a set duration. For the interior rooms, the guided tour provides the necessary framework, while the inner courtyard and garden remain accessible independently. This distinction shapes the on-site visit: those taking part in the tour see the rooms and architectural elements mentioned; those visiting only the grounds can explore the freely accessible areas of the palace independently.
Historic reminders can also be found around the town square. The Old Post Office is one of the historic buildings in this area. The Saltina Bridge is the first lifting bridge that can be raised by flooding itself.
Paths
The historic Alpine crossing ViaStockalper follows four generations of roads: the Roman road, the Stockalper road, the Napoleonic road and the national road. From Brig and Stockalper Palace, ViaStockalper follows the historic Roman road through open meadows and the hamlet of Brei.
A public city tour leads through the lanes of Brig. Along the way, sights, historic buildings and monuments are explained, while stories and anecdotes are shared. The paths and guided tours thus provide access both to individual structures and to the historical context of the town and the pass route.
Nature
Stockalper Palace includes the Stockalper Garden, with its own vines, a fragrant rose garden and a pleasure garden with water features and geometric flower beds. The grounds are complemented by a park with an orchard and rare plants.
Cuisine
The culinary city tour leads through Brig’s old town and includes a three-course menu consisting of a starter, main course and dessert. Drinks are not included.
Getting there
Brig railway station is a Swiss-Italian border station. It is located on two international transit routes through Switzerland: the Simplon line and the Lötschberg line. Brig is also an important stop on the narrow-gauge Matterhorn Gotthard Railway. The Glacier Express runs from there towards Zermatt and via Furka–Oberalp–Disentis/Mustér to St. Moritz.
Other places: Belalp, Rosswald, Rothwald, Zwischbergen, Birgisch, Eggerberg, Simplon Hospice, Ried-Brig
To the main travel overview: Brig.
