Before Interlaken became synonymous with paragliders and mountain trains, it was a quiet village that grew around a 12th-century monastery bearing its current name — Interlaken literally means "between the lakes," referring to its position between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. The monastery, founded by Augustinian monks around 1130, served as a religious and agricultural center for centuries before its role shifted entirely at the start of the 19th century.

The birth of alpine tourism. By the early 1800s, wealthy European travelers, the British foremost among them, began discovering the beauty of the Bernese Oberland, finding Interlaken an ideal base for excursions into the mountains. The English poet Lord Byron visited the region and wrote about it, and his writings, alongside other travelers' accounts, helped put Interlaken on the map of early European tourism. By mid-century, grand hotels began rising along Höheweg, many of which still stand today with their historic facades.

The Unspunnenfest: a living tradition. One of the most striking expressions of preserved local heritage is the Unspunnenfest, a traditional folk celebration held on the meadows near the nearby village of Unspunnen, featuring competitions in traditional Swiss stone-throwing, folk wrestling ("Schwingen"), alpine music, and long alphorns. The festival isn't held annually but at irregular intervals sometimes spanning two decades, making attendance a rare experience tied to the collective memory of local Swiss communities; its origins trace back to early 19th-century gatherings celebrating solidarity among Swiss regions.

The railway that changed everything. In 1912, the Jungfraubahn railway was completed, hand-tunneled by workers through the rock of the Eiger — an extraordinary engineering feat that took 16 years of grueling labor under harsh conditions. This line, which put Jungfraujoch within reach of any visitor without climbing, permanently transformed Interlaken from a waypoint into a world-class tourist destination in its own right.

Interlaken today. Despite significant tourism-driven modernization, the town retains its traditional Swiss architectural character, from wooden chalets to historic hotels overlooking Höhematte meadow, while modern adventure sports like paragliding have become a new chapter in a long story that began with monks and continues with the world's thrill-seekers.