It is the origin of a story that continues to captivate hikers and mountain lovers from all over the world. Here, where the majestic Aescher mountain inn has its stone roots, Alpstein tourism began. The inn, one of the oldest in Switzerland, looks back on a long tradition. As early as 1800, hermits and herdsmen began to host exhausted hikers and visitors. Today, the Aescher is much more than just an inn - it is a symbol of alpine hospitality and a connection between man and mountain. Like a swallow's nest, it nestles against the rock face, surrounded by the rough, untamed nature that unfolds here in all its splendor. An image that has gone around the world, a place that awakens longing and a thirst for adventure in equal measure.
No less fascinating is the nearby Wildkirchli, whose magic extends far beyond the millennia. In 1904, prehistoric discoveries made the caves widely known. The excavations provided evidence that Neanderthals once lived in the Alps - a piece of history preserved deep in the rock. And then there are the mysterious traces of the cave bears that hide in the cool shade of the Wildkirchli caves. Here, history becomes tangible, and every step leads deeper into a bygone era. Step in and feel the breath of prehistoric times that still blows through these sacred rock walls.
How the Ebenalp Cave was formed
There are stories that make a person's heart beat faster and sound so wonderful and strange that they would not even find a place in the wildest dreams or fantastic fairy tales. This is also the story of young Toni, who once tended his cattle on the Äscher, near the Wildkirchli. On one of those warm summer nights, when the silver moon hung over the mountains and the air seemed heavy and mysterious, Toni suddenly awoke from his sleep. An eerie rustling, shrieking and yelling filled the night. Someone else might have crawled under the covers, but not Toni. Curious like a real Appenzell boy, he jumped out of bed and looked through the window. And what he saw amazed him.
On the alpine meadow, in the cool glow of the moon, figures were dancing - women, but not from this world. With disheveled hair and fluttering robes, they spun in a wild dance, while a goat-footed fellow who looked like the devil himself set the beat. But instead of feeling fear, Toni's legs tingled. A real boy from this area is not so easily frightened, he thought, and curious as he was, he stepped out of the hut onto the meadow. With brave steps he approached the strange dancers, who were nothing other than witches who had flown in from all directions on their brooms, as is known from old legends about the Blocksberg.
"Can I dance with you?" Toni cheekily asked the tallest of the witches, whose eyes sparkled like glowing coals. She laughed in a rough voice and answered: "Of course, my boy! But first you have to write your name in here," she said and held out an old, dark book to him. "This is the devil's book, and whoever is written in it belongs to the devil. But don't worry, you can dance for it as long as you want." The eyes of the witches glittered around him, and the devil, who was directing the dance, grinned contentedly. Then it dawned on Toni what spooky company he had landed in. But he didn't let it show, took the book and slowly walked towards Wildkirchli. The witches fluttered wildly around him, and the devil's hot breath burned the back of his neck.
When Toni opened the book, he did something unexpected. Instead of writing his own name, he scribbled the names of God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit on the pages - neatly and tidily. As soon as the last letter was written, a clap of thunder crashed over the mountains. The witches shrieked and scattered in all directions as if caught in the wind. The devil roared in anger, jumped into the air, and tried to cling to the shepherd's rock to escape. But in his rage he dug his claws so deeply into the rock that he was stuck, unable to free himself. The marks of his claws can still be seen in the rock today.
Toni, however, was not finished with him. He lifted the book and continued to press the devil, who now hissed and snarled like an angry cat. Finally, the devil saw no other way out than to crawl deeper into the rock. With a great noise, he broke his way through the stone, followed by Toni, who stayed close on his heels. The devil scratched left and right, twisting his way through the mountain until finally a faint light penetrated the rocks. With a final, desperate tug, the devil burst out onto the Ebenalp and disappeared behind the shepherd with a deafening howl.
When Toni finally got used to the daylight again, he was amazed. There was now a wide passage through the rock, a cave that had not existed before. This, it is said, is how the Ebenalp Cave came into being, and even today hikers can explore this mysterious path with torches. To commemorate that spooky night, the mountain people hold a church festival every year. They ask the guardian angel to watch over people and animals and protect them from harm, illness - and from the dark forces that roam the mountains at night.
Access
It takes about 2 hours of intensive hiking from the car park up to the guesthouse. The easier route takes 20 minutes from the cable car station.
