Interlaken (Switzerland) – Location, History, Facts

Interlaken is a Swiss town and municipality located at the narrow land bridge between two major Alpine lakes, known for its geographic prominence.

Interlaken, Switzerland.

Country: Switzerland
Coordinates: 42.1473° S, 147.1759° E

Interlaken overview

Interlaken is a Swiss town and municipality located at the narrow land bridge between two major Alpine lakes, known for its geographic prominence. The settlement stands at an elevation of 568 metres, and it serves as a local administrative centre with municipal governance. Interlaken’s significance derives from its location between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz and from its long association with alpine transport hubs, hotel architecture, and scientific interest in mountain environments.

Interlaken coordinates

Interlaken is commonly mapped at approximately 42.1473° S, 147.1759° E, or -42.1473, 147.1759 in decimal degrees.

Degrees: 42.1473° S, 147.1759° E

Decimal: -42.1473, 147.1759

Where Interlaken is located

Interlaken lies in the canton of Bern within the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district, positioned in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. Its approximate coordinates are 46.6863° N, 7.8632° E, placing the town on a narrow plain that separates Lake Thun to the southwest from Lake Brienz to the northeast. The town occupies the corridor where the Aare river links the two lakes and is overlooked to the south by high Alpine massifs of the Bernese Alps.

Why Interlaken is important

Interlaken matters because its geographic position concentrates cultural, scientific, and transport functions in a compact Alpine setting. The town became a focal point for international visitors during the early development of Alpine tourism and for the construction of grand 19th-century hotels that illustrate period architecture. Interlaken also provides a readily studied interface between lowland lake ecosystems and high-mountain glacial environments, making it relevant to research in hydrology, glaciology, and alpine ecology.

History of Interlaken

The locality developed around a medieval religious foundation that exerted regional landholdings and administrative influence during the Middle Ages. During the Reformation the monastic institution lost religious control and the settlement gradually shifted toward secular municipal governance. Later, the town experienced marked growth linked to the emergence of alpine tourism, leading to the erection of large hotels and the integration of regional transport networks that transformed the local economy and urban fabric.

Natural features of Interlaken

The town occupies a glacially formed alluvial plain created by sedimentation and the outflow of lake waters, producing a flat urban corridor between steep mountain slopes. Built structures range from traditional wooden Alpine chalets to ornate late 19th-century hotel façades that feature verandas and decorative timberwork. The Aare river channel and adjacent riparian zones form a visible hydrological axis, while surrounding valleys reveal moraines, cirques, and exposed bedrock typical of the Bernese Alps.

Environment, protection, and monitoring of Interlaken

Municipal and cantonal authorities share responsibility for watercourse regulation, flood mitigation, and land-use planning in the Interlaken area, working with federal environmental agencies on monitoring programs. Conservation themes include lake water quality, river corridor management, and protection of alpine biodiversity in upstream catchments. Scientific institutions and regional offices conduct long-term hydrological and geomorphological monitoring to inform adaptive stewardship and infrastructure planning without framing those activities as visitor guidance.

Interlaken facts

Interlaken’s name derives from the Latin inter lacus, which literally means "between lakes," reflecting its geographic situation.
The municipality covers roughly 4.4 square kilometres of largely flat terrain within a narrow valley corridor between two lakes.
Höhematte is a central open meadow in the town that historically served civic and military assembly functions.
Interlaken occupies a strategic junction of alpine valleys that channel glacial runoff and shape local river dynamics.
The mountain landscapes surrounding Interlaken form part of the regional setting recognized by the Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage designation.

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