Kapellstiftung Maria-Rickenbach

The Kapellstiftung Maria-Rickenbach is a Swiss foundation (Stiftung) dedicated to the small hamlet of Niederrickenbach, popularly known as Maria-Rickenbach, in the Engelbergertal. According to its official website, the foundation cares for the traditional contemplative values and socio-cultural activities of the place, and it also maintains the varied infrastructure that serves those purposes. The hamlet sits at about 1,100 metres above sea level amid an intact mountain landscape and looks back on a roughly 500-year tradition as a pilgrimage site — a place of rest, reflection and renewal. The foundation describes itself as having existed for nearly 130 years, during which it has repeatedly realised large and small infrastructure projects. Its current focus is on two major construction projects: the comprehensive renovation of the Hotel Restaurant Pilgerhaus and of the residential building Kaplanei. Because the foundation cannot carry these costs alone, it is running a financing campaign, including crowdfunding, to raise the necessary funds. The foundation's work is publicly endorsed by figures such as former Swiss Federal Councillor Samuel Schmid and Ständerat Erich Ettlin, who frame the renovation of the Pilgerhaus and Kaplanei as essential to preserving Maria-Rickenbach's continuing role as a place of strength and orientation. The Kapellstiftung is a non-profit, privately organised entity rather than a commercial company; its "offerings" are the maintained pilgrimage and hospitality infrastructure of the site.

The Kapellstiftung Maria-Rickenbach is a Swiss foundation associated with Niederrickenbach, commonly called Maria-Rickenbach, a hamlet in the Engelbergertal at roughly 1,100 metres above sea level. The site has a pilgrimage tradition of about 500 years, described on the foundation's website as a place of rest, reflection and strength. The foundation itself states that it has existed for nearly 130 years, a period during which it has repeatedly carried out both large and small infrastructure projects for the benefit of the place and its visitors. Its mission combines the care of traditional contemplative values with socio-cultural activities, supported by the upkeep of a diverse infrastructure. In the present period the foundation is undertaking two major renovations: the Hotel Restaurant Pilgerhaus and the residential building Kaplanei. Since it cannot finance these works on its own, it has launched a financing campaign, including crowdfunding for the Kaplanei renewal, to gather the required means. Public supporters, including former Federal Councillor Samuel Schmid and Ständerat Erich Ettlin, have emphasised that renewing the built infrastructure is indispensable for the continuity of Maria-Rickenbach's role as a contemporary place of pilgrimage and orientation.

• Foundation established (nearly 130 years of existence as of the official website's account)

• Pilgrimage tradition of Niederrickenbach/Maria-Rickenbach spans about 500 years

• Current major renovation projects: Hotel Restaurant Pilgerhaus and Kaplanei

• Crowdfunding campaign for the Kaplanei renewal

A charitable Swiss foundation preserving a historic pilgrimage and retreat site and its infrastructure.

• Hotel Restaurant Pilgerhaus

• Kaplanei residential building

• Pilgrimage and retreat infrastructure

1. 1Maria-Rickenbach: Kraftort in luftiger Höhekapellstiftung.ch
2. 2Kapellstiftung Maria-Rickenbach (Wikidata)wikidata.org