The Swiss Chalet 
MEIRINGEN 
better receive the shock of the prevailing winds. 
Without making a study of the beautiful in archi¬ 
tecture, this son of the Swiss mountains has in his 
effort to construct an abode best suited to his needs, 
and with the least expense, succeeded in drawing 
from Ruskin one of his greatest compliments. 
Finding himself for the first time in front of a Swiss 
chalet he considered it the most beautiful piece of 
architecture he had ever seen, “and at the most,” 
said he, “it was nothing in itself. Nothing but some 
mossy trunks of trees, with one or two gray stones on 
the roof. The value of this modest human habitation 
comes from its perfect harmony 
with its surroundings, and all its 
beauty consists in its perfect adap¬ 
tation to its purpose, in its total 
absence from pretension.” 
The great “ value” placed upon 
these “modest human habita¬ 
tions ” by Ruskin was viewed en¬ 
tirely from the standpoint of an 
outsider, as it were by one, who, 
while standing at a distance, com¬ 
mented upon the beautiful land¬ 
scape, and remarked that the 
chalets in color and lines blended 
in well with the natural surround¬ 
ings, that they did not clash in 
any way, nor jar his susceptibili¬ 
ties. How different would be the 
report of the in dweller from that 
of the critic! How the very dark 
interior would be brightened on 
the long dull days by a large glass 
window facing the sun and view! 
in Switzerland, called le Grand 
Chalet, beautiful in its coloring 
and elaborate in the carving of 
its facade; each main division of 
the interior clearly traceable on 
the exterior by the joining of the 
beams, and a vast roof covering 
all. Alpine architecture has al¬ 
ways had a character peculiarly its 
own, and, notwithstanding the 
influence of the countries that 
surround it, in this little Republic 
the true national type maintains 
its identity very distinctly. 
The grouping of the chalets in 
the small villages is often most 
picturesque, and continually sup¬ 
plies subjects for the pencil and 
brush of artists. By the absence 
of all systematic arrangement of 
the buildings artistic effects are 
produced such as no architect 
would be likely to originate. The 
dark colored walls, the broad gray roofs, and the 
bright green fields together form large bold masses of 
color which, with a few simple details, produce a 
pretty and very artistic picture. 
A practical arrangement, followed in some parts, 
is to build all the chalets on the north side of the road, 
allowing the sun to enter freely, and the residents a 
view of their gardens, fields and cattle. In some 
neighborhoods the deep gables are all facing the 
street, and the roofs form long interesting wavy lines. 
In other districts the long slanting roof without 
openings is turned toward the north and south, to 
WILDERSWYL 
5 
