Werdenberg
The Werdenberg region lies at the eastern border of Switzerland in the St. Gallen Rhine Valley and comprises the political municipalities of Sennwald, Gams, Grabs, Buchs, Sevelen and Wartau. It is a rural, lowland region framed by the Alvier and Kreuzberg mountain chains, where the Rhine and the small Werdenbergersee shape the landscape. The region is known for its blend of culture and nature, centred on the medieval timber town and castle of Werdenberg, one of the few surviving inhabited wooden settlements from the Middle Ages in Europe. Buchs acts as the main town, shopping hub, education centre and transport node, while the surrounding municipalities offer extensive hiking and biking terrain, mountain lakes and protected moorland. The area is also the heartland of the Rheintaler Ribelmais, a regional corn speciality that shapes local cuisine and identity.
Summer activities
The Werdenberg region offers over 600 kilometres of signposted hiking and biking routes, romantic mountain bathing lakes such as the Voralpsee, and the Palfries hiking paradise. The slopes at the foot of the Gonzen, Gauschla and Alvier mountains provide numerous routes for biking and walking, while the wide valley plain with its riparian forests invites walking, jogging and cycling. A natural swimming pool in Oberschan offers cooling off in summer, and the region also hosts a golf club at Gams.
Culture and entertainment
The medieval town and castle of Werdenberg look back on 800 years of history and are listed in the inventory of nationally significant townscapes. Two museums offer insights into the castle's development and the life of the townspeople, and the Schlangenhaus museum devotes a permanent exhibition to the regional Ribelmais speciality. The picturesque town is also a place for local handicrafts, while the Werdenberg castle festival and other events bring cultural life to the region.
