Reichenbach Falls Switzerland

Reichenbach Falls Meiringen – Sherlock Holmes in Switzerland?

The Reichenbach Falls Meiringen are located in the canton Bern. The beauty of these massive water falls and the scenic charm of the environment around the Reichenbach Falls make this area to a tourist attraction. The term water falls is not such easy to define. In general, this term means the distinctive structure of the water movement of so-called bodies of flowing water.

A cable railway brings visitors up to a platform, it is the starting point for hiking across the Rosenlauital valley, the Groß Scheidegg and Grindelwald. You can get to the Reichenbach Falls Meiringen via the main street Meiringen, Willigen. For visitors, the grounds around the Reichenbach Falls (Reichenbach Falls train) are open May to October.

The Reichenbach Falls consist of a 300 metres long or high water-falls cascade of seven water falls. Cascade because the water quantities of the different water falls fall down via several levels.

The first and upper level of the Reichenbach Falls is the deepest one. The height of fall is about 120 metres, the water quantity distributes on a width of up to 40 metres. In summer, three to five, after a heavy thunderstorm up to 30 m³ water per second flow into the valley.

 Water Falls Train – The Reichenbach Falls Train

The Reichenbach Falls Train leads up to the upper end of the first Reichenbach Falls. From here a hiking route leads downhill up to above of the falls with many lookout points! (water-falls photographers are asked to note the enclosed exclamation mark, all non-photographers will not regret climbing up either).

The lowest level of the Reichenbach Falls is unnamed and is easily to visit. The medium Reichenbach Falls, however, are hardly passable but can be seen from the funicular.

 Apparent death of Sherlock Holmes at the cascades of the Reichenbach Falls

The Reichenbach Falls Meiringen has become internationally known because of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. On May 4th, 1891, the character Sherlock Holmes created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle fell down the water falls together with his arch-enemy Professor Moriarty after a hard and bitter battle. Sherlock Holmes, however, survived but he took the opportunity to stage his own death. By this staging he later set a trap for Moran who had shot him. A commemorative plaque at the Reichenbach Falls reminds of this imaginary incident.

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