Gruebisbalm Höhle

Grubisbalm Höhle

Useful Information

Location:	Above Vitznau on 900 m asl, Rigi south side. Ascent with Rigibahn, 7 min from Vitznau, Grubisbalm station, 10 min/400 m easy walk to the cave. (47.0254959, 8.4869235)
Open:	no restrictions. MAY to OCT for feasts. [2026]
Fee:	free. Rigi-Bahn Vitznau-Gruebisbalm and back: Adults CHF 27. Groups (10+): Adults CHF 19. [2026]
Classification:	Erosional Cave Caves Behind Waterfalls
Light:	bring torch Electric Light
Dimension:	A=900 m asl.
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Hotel Gruebisbalm, Familie Schaub, Gruebisbalm 2, CH-6354 Vitznau, Tel: +41-41-3971681. E-mail: Public feasts: Vitznau Tourismus, Tel: +41-41-3980035.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1871	Rigi-Bahn inaugurated.
1902	lake in the cave artificially dammed.

Description

Gruebisbalm-Höhle or simply Gruebisbalm is the name of a natural cave located on the slopes of the Rigi mountain. It is not far from the Gruebisbalm station of the Vitzau-Rigi cog railway, which was named after the cave, as well as the nearby Hotel Gruebisbalm. The cave is freely accessible, but there is no light. The landlord of the hotel is actually the owner of the cave, and so it is advertised as the oldest dance arbor of Switzerland. The huge single chamber is used for celebrations, public feasts and private festivals, for thirty years. As the Rigi Bahn carries visitor uphill, and the cave is equipped with electricity and gas radiators, the cave feasts are very comfortable. Obviously it’s not possible to visit the cave during such events.

There are four public feast every summer, in other words its possible to visit the cave without restriction, and there is even food and drink for sale. The current dates may be found on the website below. The cave seats about 350 people, but a reservation is recommended. At other times the cave may be booked for private events. This is free if the Hotel Gruebisbalm is contracted for the food, or there’s a fee otherwise.

The name Gruebisbalm is a local word which may be translated "recreation cave". The word Balm is the local word for cave, and gruebe means to rest. The explanation is easy: before the Rigi-Bahn was built, the foreign tourist visited the area by sedan, and the mules had to rest several times. This was a very popular resting place, especially on hot summer days, when the cave provided free air-conditioning.

The cave is quite exceptional, as it is a waterfall cave in conglomerate. The waterfall, which is today rather tame, was quite forceful when the glaciers of the last ice age melted, and so the water hitting the plunge pool eroded the huge chamber. The geologists guess the cave was probably formed during the two or three last warm periods, not only during the current.