The Heraldry House of Engelberg isn’t your typical farmyard barn with simple wood board walls in red with a glaring white cross in front. It exudes greater care in construction while simultaneously being more fundamental in its construction, its Swiss roots evident in its pinewood trusses and wood frames adding elegance to its exteriors.

Tucked between the practical brick walls of the modern lodges on either side, the Heraldry House is a dial back to the 19th Century. The Talmuseum it houses brings visitors on a tour to have a taste of the life of the common folk at the time of construction of the farmhouse. From the finery found in the dining area of thick upholstery and square-tiled flooring you would venture into the more frugal interiors of bedrooms. The meagre possessions of the people are revealed in the form of porous wood bedposts sporting bed spreads stuffed with leaves in the inability to purchase sheep’s wool or pricey cotton. Filigree jewelry with bare traces of precious metals set against family altars constructed with utmost sanctimony are all placed on display. It is a telling physical illustration of what lay in the hearts of these people even during times of hardship at the edge of the European Economic Meltdown of the early 20th Century. You can even trace the history of Engelberg’s inhabitants through the 17 unique coats of arms set proudly on the walls, each belonging to an ancestral family of the land whose lineage can be traced back to the valley for centuries. Built by the past to reach into the present, step through a vivid portrait of the 19th Century at the Talmuseum.