Gsteig bei Gstaad

Gsteig bei Gstaad is a municipality in the Obersimmental-Saanen administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.

[3] The villages of Gsteig and Feutersoey grew up along the roads over the Col du Pillon and the Sanetsch Pass.

During the Middle Ages, a castle was built in the valley to protect and control the passes.

In the early 16th century, Bern adopted the new faith of the Protestant Reformation, however Gsteig did not convert until 1556.

[3] Traditionally the villagers practiced seasonal alpine herding and farming and made a little money off trade over the passes.

Tourist sites include the Diablerets Glacier, the castle ruins, the Arnensee and the nature preserve at Oldenhorn.

[5] The municipality lies in an upper valley of the river Saane in the Bernese Oberland and consists of the villages of Gsteig and Feutersoey, plus a number of outlying farms.

The route to the Col du Pillon, an alpine pass, runs through both villages.

Near the pass is the locality of Reusch, where an aerial tramway to the Scex Rouge is operated.

[6] The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Gules a Crane rising Argent beaked and membered Or on a Mount of 3 Coupeaux of the second all dimidiated impaled with Azure a Tower embatteled Or.

[9] Most of the population (as of 2000[update]) speaks German (849 or 93.2%) as their first language, French is the second most common (20 or 2.2%) and English is the third (10 or 1.1%).

[10] Of the population in the municipality, 457 or about 50.2% were born in Gsteig bei Gstaad and lived there in 2000.

The entire village of Gsteig is part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.

[9] There were 494 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 40.5% of the workforce.

In the tertiary sector; 49 or 39.8% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 6 or 4.9% were in the movement and storage of goods, 38 or 30.9% were in a hotel or restaurant, 3 or 2.4% were technical professionals or scientists, 9 or 7.3% were in education.

[23] From the 2000 census[update], 737 or 80.9% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church, while 81 or 8.9% were Roman Catholic.

This is followed by three years of obligatory lower Secondary school where the students are separated according to ability and aptitude.

Following the lower Secondary students may attend additional schooling or they may enter an apprenticeship.

[24] During the 2011–12 school year, there were a total of 71 students attending classes in Gsteig bei Gstaad.

Painting by Caspar Wolf from 1774 showing a wooden bridge over the Lütschine river near Gsteig
Aerial view of Gsteig with Schluchhorn and Oldenhorn (1946)
The Arnensee reservoir near Gsteig