🏛️ Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps
Serial UNESCO World Heritage archaeological sites spanning five countries
📋 Fast Facts
- 111 prehistoric settlement sites across five Alpine countries
- Occupied 5000–500 BCE (Neolithic and Bronze Age)
- 56 sites located in Switzerland; others in Austria, Germany, France, and Italy
- Exceptionally preserved due to waterlogged conditions
The Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps comprise 111 archaeological sites consisting of the remains of prehistoric stilt house settlements built on the edges of lakes, rivers, and wetlands in and around the Alpine region. Occupied from approximately 5000 to 500 BCE, these settlements provide uniquely well-preserved evidence of Neolithic and Bronze Age life in Alpine Europe. The sites' exceptional preservation—a result of anaerobic waterlogged conditions—has yielded extensive organic ...