Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List
Reconstruction of a pile house at the Pfahlbau Museum Unteruhldingen on Lake Constance in Germany
Type	Cultural
Criteria	iv, v
Reference	1363
UNESCO region	Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription	2011 (35th Session)

Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps is a series of prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements in and around the Alps built from around 5000 to 500 B.C. on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands. 111 sites, located in Austria (5 sites), France (11), Germany (18), Italy (19), Slovenia (2), and Switzerland (56), were added to UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2011. In Slovenia, this is the first cultural world heritage site.

Excavations, only conducted in some of the sites, have yielded evidence that provides insight into life in prehistoric times during the Neolithic and Bronze Age in Alpine Europe, and the way communities interacted with their environment. As the nomination stated, the settlements are a unique group of exceptionally well-preserved and culturally rich archaeological sites, which constitute one of the most important sources for the study of early agrarian societies in the region.

Contrary to popular belief, the houses were not erected over water, but on nearby marshy land. They were set on piles to protect against occasional flooding. Because the lakes have grown in size over time, many of the original piles are now under water, giving modern observers the false impression that they have always been this way.

Sites

Country	Serial ID Number	Name	Location	Coordinates	Location size (Ha)	Buffer zone (Ha)	Approx. Date occupied (BC)
Switzerland	1363-001	Ägelmoos	Beinwil am See		0.96	10.5	2000–1000
Switzerland	1363-002	Riesi	Seengen		3.8	16.5	1500–500
Switzerland	1363-003	Vingelz / Hafen	Biel/Bienne		0.6	18.4	3000–2500
Switzerland	1363-004	Dorfstation	Lüscherz		3.4	75.1	4000–3500, 3000–2500, 1000–500
Switzerland	1363-005	Lobsigensee	Seedorf		1.1	27.6	3500–3000
Switzerland	1363-006	Rütte	Sutz-Lattrigen		2.8	49.6	3000–2500
Switzerland	1363-007	Bahnhof	Twann		2.5	18.5	4000–3000
Switzerland	1363-008	Strandboden	Vinelz		2.3	28.7	4000–2500
Switzerland	1363-009	Les Grèves	Gletterens		2.62	2.4	3500–3000
Switzerland	1363-010	Spitz	Greng		7.69	7.3	4000–3500, 3000–2500, 1500–500
Switzerland	1363-011	Môtier I	Haut-Vully		1.42	1.3	Neolithic
Switzerland	1363-012	Segelboothafen	Murten		2.83	4.7	3000–2500
Switzerland	1363-013	En Praz des Gueux	Noréaz		0.08	2.02	4000–3500
Switzerland	1363-014	Bellerive I	Collonge-Bellerive		2.4	8.87	1000–500
Switzerland	1363-015	Port	Corsier		1.94	10.9	4000–3500, 3000–2500, 2000–1500, 1000–500
Switzerland	1363-016	Bourg	Versoix		3.03	15.93	1500–500
Switzerland	1363-017	Egolzwil 3	Egolzwil		0.65	56.82	5000–4000
Switzerland	1363-018	Seematte	Hitzkirch		2.81	24.55	4000–2500
Switzerland	1363-019	Halbinsel	Sursee		3.55	67.78	4000–3500, 2500–500
Switzerland	1363-020	Port-Conty	Saint-Aubin-Sauges		1.04	7.03	4000–2000
Switzerland	1363-021	Les Argilliez	Gorgier		1.32	1.2	4000–3500
Switzerland	1363-022	L’Abbaye 2	Bevaix		1.04	5.01	1040–986
Switzerland	1363-023	La Saunerie	Milvignes		1.51	1.63	4000–3500, 3000–2000
Switzerland	1363-024	Les Graviers	Milvignes		0.57	2.13	3500–2500, 2000–1500, 1000–500
Switzerland	1363-025	Kehrsiten	Stansstad		1.26	5.14	4000–3000
Switzerland	1363-026	Weier I - III	Thayngen		0.48	3.44	4000–3500
Switzerland	1363-027	Freienbach–Hurden Rosshorn	Hurden		4.32	20.1	3500–3000, 2000–500
Switzerland	1363-028	Freienbach–Hurden Seefeld	Hurden		2.4	16.12	3500–2500
Switzerland	1363-029	Burgäschisee Ost	Aeschi		0.3	90.69	4000–3500, 3000–2500
Switzerland	1363-030	Inkwilersee Insel	Bolken/Inkwil		0.1	45.71	4000-3500, 3000–2500, 1000–500
Switzerland	1363-031	Feldbach (Seegubel)	Kempraten/Feldbach, Switzerland		7.5	15.5	4000–1000
Switzerland	1363-032	Rapperswil-Jona–Technikum	Rapperswil		0.92	49.1	2000–1500
Switzerland	1363-033	Bleiche 2-3	Arbon		2.37	5.84	3500–3000, 2000–1500
Switzerland	1363-034	Insel Werd	Eschenz		2.8	44.08	4000–2500, 1500–500
Switzerland	1363-035	Egelsee	Gachnang-Niederwil		2.97	5.94	4000–3500
Switzerland	1363-036	Nussbaumersee	Hüttwilen		3.66	16.86	5000–2500, 1000–500
Switzerland	1363-037	Pointe de Montbec I	Chabrey		1.78	8.04	1500–500
Switzerland	1363-038	La Bessime	Chevroux		1.07	22.1	4000–3500, 1000–500
Switzerland	1363-039	Village	Chevroux		1.54	38.4	3500–2000
Switzerland	1363-040	Stations de Concise	Corcelles-près-Concise		6.5	11.5	4000–2500
Switzerland	1363-041	Corcelettes Les Violes	Grandson		2.59	17.4	1500–500
Switzerland	1363-042	Les Roseaux	Morges		0.86	8.1	2000–1000
Switzerland	1363-043	Stations de Morges	Morges		2.12	7.91	2000–1000
Switzerland	1363-044	Chenevières de Guévaux I	Mur, now Vully-les-Lacs		1.04	9.73	2000–1500
Switzerland	1363-045	Baie de Clendy	Yverdon-les-Bains		1.87	38.7	4000–1500
Switzerland	1363-046	Le Marais	Yvonand		1.95	16.8	3500–2500, 1000–500
Switzerland	1363-047	Oterswil / Insel Eielen	Zug		0.45	10.82	3000–2000
Switzerland	1363-048	Riedmatt	Zug		0.28	2.61	3500–2500, 1500–1000
Switzerland	1363-049	Sumpf	Zug		1.55	7.5	1500–500
Switzerland	1363-050	Erlenbach–Winkel	Erlenbach		3.01	6.6	4000–1500, 1000–500
Switzerland	1363-051	Greifensee–Storen/Wildsberg	Greifensee		9.59	11.7	4000–2500
Switzerland	1363-052	Meilen–Rorenhaab	Meilen		0.7	4.8	4000–2500, 2000–1500, 1000–500
Switzerland	1363-053	Wädenswil–Vorder Au	Au, Switzerland		1.49	22.5	3500–1500
Switzerland	1363-054	Wetzikon-Robenhausen	Wetzikon		0.92	155	4000–2500, 2000–1500, 1000–500
Switzerland	1363-055	Zürich–Enge Alpenquai	Zürich		2.93	17.4	1500–500
Switzerland	1363-056	Grosser Hafner and Kleiner Hafner	Zürich		0.64	16.56	5000–1500, 1000–500
Austria	1363-057	Keutschacher See	Keutschach		0.21	132.5	4000–3500, 1000–500
Austria	1363-058	Abtsdorf I	Attersee		1.1	91.43	1500–1000
Austria	1363-059	Abtsdorf III	Attersee		0.22	91.43	4000–3000
Austria	1363-060	Litzlberg Süd	Seewalchen am Attersee		0.76	65.26	4000–3000
Austria	1363-061	See	Mondsee		1.22	0.97	3500–3000
France	1363-062	Le Grand Lac de Clairvaux	Clairvaux-les-Lacs		15.2	103.05	4000–500
France	1363-063	Lac de Chalain, rive occidentale	Marigny, Doucier, Fontenu		50.65	96.83	5300–600
France	1363-064	Lac d’Aiguebelette, zone sud	Aiguebelette-le-Lac, Saint-Alban-de-Montbel		0.64	42.87	3000–2500
France	1363-065	Baie de Grésine	Brison-Saint-Innocent		4.09	31.5	1000–500
France	1363-066	Baie de Châtillon	Chindrieux		0.91	7.6	1000–500
France	1363-067	Hautecombe	Saint-Pierre-de-Curtille		2.03	5.7	3500–3000
France	1363-068	Littoral de Tresserve	Tresserve		2.12	72.4	1000–500
France	1363-069	Littoral de Chens-sur-Léman	Chens-sur-Léman		0.93	92.6	1500–500
France	1363-070	Les Marais de Saint-Jorioz	Saint-Jorioz		0.49	4.3	4000–3500
France	1363-071	Le Crêt de Chatillon	Sévrier		1.07	8.2	1500–500
France	1363-072	Secteur des Mongets	Sévrier, Saint-Jorioz		0.13	63.2	2000–1500
Germany	1363-073	Wangen-Hinterhorn	Öhningen		2.56	3.2	4000–2500, 1500–500
Germany	1363-074	Hornstaad-Hörnle	Gaienhofen		13.11	72.4	4000–2500
Germany	1363-075	Allensbach-Strandbad	Allensbach		2.65	6.6	4000–2500
Germany	1363-076	Wollmatingen-Langenrain	Konstanz		1.55	83.7	1000–500
Germany	1363-077	Konstanz-Hinterhausen	Konstanz		4.15	4.12	4000–3500, 3000–2500
Germany	1363-078	Litzelstetten-Krähenhorn 32	Konstanz		7.51	47.92	3960–3805
Germany	1363-079	Bodman-Schachen / Löchle	Bodman-Ludwigshafen		5.34	14.1	4000–3500, 3000–2500, 2000–1000
Germany	1363-080	Sipplingen-Osthafen	Sipplingen		4.61	6.23	3919–2417, 934–933
Germany	1363-081	Unteruhldingen-Stollenwiesen	Uhldingen-Mühlhofen		4.22	4.52	4000–3500, 3000–2500, 2000–500
Germany	1363-082	Ödenahlen	Alleshausen		0.97	58.02	4000–3500
Germany	1363-083	Grundwiesen	Alleshausen		0.54	3.42	3020–2700
Germany	1363-084	Siedlung Forschner	Bad Buchau		3.54	285.14	1767–1480
Germany	1363-085	Olzreute-Enzisholz	Bad Schussenried		1.82	20.62	3000–2500
Germany	1363-086	Schreckensee	Wolpertswende		1.06	7.05	3651–3263
Germany	1363-087	Ehrenstein	Blaustein		1.33	2.42	4000–3500
Germany	1363-088	Pestenacker	Weil		0.57	3.66	3495–3481
Germany	1363-089	Unfriedshausen	Geltendorf		0.79	7.69	3813–3535
Germany	1363-090	Rose Island	Feldafing		15.16	34.3	5000–2500, 2000–500
Italy	1363-091	Palù di Livenza – Santissima	Polcenigo		13.48	86.72	4766–4375, 3768–3538
Italy	1363-092	Lavagnone	Desenzano del Garda		6.04	14.45	2500–1000
Italy	1363-093	San Sivino, Gabbiano	Manerba del Garda		1.85	3.46	2500–1500
Italy	1363-094	Lugana Vecchia	Sirmione		2.59	11.16	2500–1000
Italy	1363-095	Lucone	Polpenazze del Garda		7.66	68.2	5000–3500, 2500–1500
Italy	1363-096	Lagazzi del Vho	Piadena		2.77	18.46	2000–1500
Italy	1363-097	Bande - Corte Carpani	Cavriana		7.33	36.4	2005–1959
Italy	1363-098	Castellaro Lagusello - Fondo Tacoli	Monzambano		1.23	59.04	2000–1000
Italy	1363-099	Isolino Virginia-Camilla-Isola di San Biagio	Biandronno		3.79	25.07	5000–1000
Italy	1363-100	Bodio centrale o delle Monete	Bodio Lomnago		1.67	28.55	2000–1000
Italy	1363-101	Il Sabbione o settentrionale	Cadrezzate		1.18	9.61	2000–1000
Italy	1363-102	VI.1-Emissario	Viverone, Azeglio		5.86	852.77	2000–1000
Italy	1363-103	Mercurago	Arona		5.16	270.06	2000–1000
Italy	1363-104	Molina di Ledro	Ledro		0.78	2.31	1900–1300
Italy	1363-105	Fiavé-Lago Carera	Fiavè		10.7	73.92	4000–3500, 2000–1000
Italy	1363-106	Belvedere	Peschiera del Garda		2.52	12.46	2500–1500
Italy	1363-107	Frassino	Peschiera del Garda		1.48	31.19	2000–1000
Italy	1363-108	Tombola	Cerea		1.51	123.76	1500–1000
Italy	1363-109	Laghetto della Costa	Arquà Petrarca		1.56	6.52	2500–1500
Slovenia	1363-110	Kolišča na Igu, severna skupina	Ig		19.2	516.65	3000–1500
Slovenia	1363-111	Kolišča na Igu, južna skupina	Ig		26.1	516.55	5000–2500

See also

• Prehistoric pile dwellings around Zürichsee

External links

• Official website