The Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps are the remains of prehistoric settlements in the lakes and moors around the Alps. This World Heritage Site consists of 111 locations spread over six countries around the Alps - Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, and Switzerland - of which 56 sites are located in Switzerland. These pile dwellings are also called palafittes or stilt houses. These prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps were built between 5000 and 500 BC. The remains of these prehistoric pile dwellings provide a vivid insight into the lives of early agricultural societies and the development of ancient farming techniques in the Alpine region. Due to the rising water level most of the remains of the prehistoric pile dwellings are not visible. Today, they can only be found underwater. The Pile Dwelling Museums house collections of artefacts found by archaeologists during their research. The objects mainly include pottery and tools. These objects fell into the lakes during prehistoric daily life or when a wooden pile dwelling collapsed over the course of time. Some locations of the prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps are: the Islet of Virginia near the town of Varese in Italy, Lake Attersee and Lake Mondsee in Austria, and in Unteruhldingen on Lake Constance (Bodensee) in Germany. The Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps gained status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. World Heritage Art: Palafitte
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Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps: This reconstructed pile dwelling can be seen in the Pfahlbaumuseum in Unteruhldingen on the shores of Lake Constance (Bodensee), situated on the border between Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Unteruhldingen is a location of the UNESCO World Heritage Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps. The World Heritage Site consists of 111 locations spread over six countries around the Alps. The pile dwellings are the remains of prehistoric settlements in the lakes and moors around the Alps, dating from 4000 BC to 850 BC.