Museum im Zendenrathaus
Former court building of the Zenden Goms in Ernen with a torture chamber, prison cells and old documents; visits mainly as part of the village tour.
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About the museum
For centuries Ernen was the main town of the Zenden Goms, one of the seven Valais districts. From the mid-15th century, the court, prison and gallows for the entire valley were located here. The present Zendenrathaus on the village square (Hengert) was built around 1750 to 1762 and replaced an older court building that stood a little further west.
The three-story stone building contains two prison cells in the sunken basement, the torture chamber on the ground floor and the courtroom above. The former court building has served as a museum since it opened in 1978. The lower floors present an exhibition on torture and justice in Ernen; the top floor holds a rich collection of documents with seals from the 14th and 15th centuries, including an original letter from Cardinal Matthäus Schiner dated 1517.
Ernen is considered one of the most beautiful village scenes in Valais and received the Wakkerpreis of the Schweizer Heimatschutz (Swiss Heritage Society) in 1979. The Zendenrathaus is one of the historic buildings around the village square visited on the village tour, together with the parish church, the Tellenhaus and the Jost-Sigristen-Haus.
Highlights
- Torture chamber with instruments of torture on the ground floor
- Two prison cells in the basement of the former court building
- Exhibition "Foltern und Richten in Ernen"
- Documents from the 14th and 15th centuries, including a letter from Cardinal Schiner (1517)
- Location on the historic village square of Ernen
Permanent exhibitions
- Foltern und Richten in Ernen – Torture chamber and prison cells of the former court building show how justice was administered and punishments carried out in the Zenden Goms.
- Urkunden des Zenden Goms – On the top floor are parchments with seals from the 14th and 15th centuries and a letter from Cardinal Matthäus Schiner from 1517.
- Founded
- 1978
Admission & discounts
| Ernen village tour incl. Zendenrathaus, adults | CHF 20With Oberwallis guest card or as a member of the Binntal Landscape Park CHF 10 |
|---|---|
| Ernen village tour, children up to 16 years | CHF 5 |
| Village tour for groups, short route (up to 24 people) | CHF 1251 to 1.25 hours; 25 to 50 people CHF 225 |
| Village tour for groups, long route (up to 24 people) | CHF 2001.5 to 1.75 hours; 25 to 50 people CHF 300 |
A separate museum admission is not published; the visit takes place as part of the village tour.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Ernen, Dorfplatz
Ernen, Dorfplatz stop (SBB connection according to the offer of the Binntal Landscape Park).
The house stands on the village square (Hengert) in the center of Ernen; the meeting point for the village tour is in front of the tourist office on Hengert.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 1.5 hrs |
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| Good to know | The village tour goes to the parish church, the Zendenrathaus with its torture chamber, the Tellenhaus and the Jost-Sigristen-Haus; group tours are possible year-round with registration (at least 1, at most 50 participants). According to museums.ch, the exhibition is set up in German. |
