Meiringen is a municipality in the Haslital valley of the Bernese Oberland, located in the administrative district of Interlaken-Oberhasli within the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It functions as a local service and tourist centre for surrounding mountain communities and serves as a gateway between central Switzerland and the high Alps.

The town occupies a strategic position where valley roads and rail links converge. Meiringen is reached by the Brünig railway line, which connects the region with Interlaken and Lucerne, and by the metre-gauge Meiringen–Innertkirchen line. Road routes and cable cars provide access to neighbouring passes, alpine pastures and ski areas, making the settlement a year-round base for outdoor activities.

Historically, Meiringen developed as a market and transit point for the Haslital. Over time it expanded its role in trade, crafts and mountain agriculture. In the 19th and 20th centuries the arrival of railways and tourism transformed the local economy and encouraged preservation of natural attractions and historic streetscapes.

Culturally Meiringen is known for a few distinctive associations. It is traditionally credited with the invention of the meringue dessert, a local culinary claim celebrated in visitor information. Internationally the town is famous for its proximity to the Reichenbach Falls, the dramatic cascade where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle staged the apparent death of Sherlock Holmes—an episode commemorated by a small museum and memorials in the area.

Notable sights and activities

  • Reichenbach Falls — steep waterfall reached by a hiking path and funicular; linked to the Sherlock Holmes story and visited for its scenery and viewpoint.
  • Aare Gorge — a narrow limestone gorge cut by the River Aare with a guided walkway that makes the geological formation accessible to visitors.
  • Historic centre — traditional buildings, parish church and market-place that reflect the town’s regional role.
  • Alpine recreation — nearby ski slopes, hiking trails and alpine pastures provide summer and winter outdoor options.

Meiringen’s economy blends tourism, local services and mountain agriculture. It functions both as a visitor destination and as an administrative and commercial hub for the surrounding valleys. For travellers it offers a compact introduction to the landscape and culture of the Bernese Oberland and convenient connections onward into the Swiss Alps.