Mühlebach the sunny and quiet little village is situated at 1248 m above sea level. Far away from the hectic of life 79 people are living in Mühlebach. Kardinal Schiner Cardinal Schiner was the most famous inhabitant of Mühlebach. He was born 1465 and was educated in his youth by his uncle Nikolaus Schiner. Later he frequented the cathedral school in Sitten, finished his studies at external high schools and received his ordination as a priest in 1489 by the pope. 1496 he became the priest of Ernen and was in 1499 nominated as the Bishop of Wallis from pope Alexander Vl. His enemy Georg Supersaxo also from Ernen, was a good friend of France. On the other part Schiner was on the Popes side and a friend of the German king. This fight between the two leaders wasn't good for the country and it's inhabitants. As a leader of the Wallis region he made a pact with Bern. In the peace of Arona (1503) he made sure that Bellinzona and Blenio still remained a part of Switzerland. He convinced the united parts of Switzerland to build an alliance with Pope Julius ll. and to chase the French army out of Italy. Therefore the Pope gave the Swiss the name "Liberator of Italy and protector of the church". After the defeat of Marignano (1515) the prestige of Schiner went down and he exiled in Rome. Schiner became nearly pope after the death of Pope Leo X, but missed the votes of the French party. He died 1522 of pestilence in Rome. His image was darkened a long time by his enemies. Today we know of reliable sources that he was a big statesman in the service of the church.   Village center The old centre of the village kept his original atmosphere and is very well preserved. Here you find the oldest village centre with it's charming wooden houses. Dendrochronological measuring has been done to tell us that the oldest building dates from 1381. And Mühlebach has the biggest range of old "Heidenhäuser" in Wallis. "Heidenhäuser" means they fixed not only a cross like ornament on the front of the houses but often left the pagan signs also on it. In the village itself you can still see the old house in whom Cardinal Schiner was born (picture above). Also in the centre there is the common baking house where guests and natives bake from time to time together very good bread, in the traditional way. On the Biel, a hill with a very nice view, stands the chapel of the holy family and St. Josef, which was constructed in 1676. 1988/89 it was carefully restored.   Mühlebach is a very good starting point for excursions in the Rappental valley, a wild-romantic valley. In the summer there are about 1000 sheep on this Alp. In the winter Mühlebach is starting point for skiing and tobogganing from Chäserstatt. Sledges can be hired at the restaurant Chäserstatt or at the sport shop Seiler in Ernen. Since the summer 2003 you can follow a learning path through the old village. A map with descriptions can be obtained by your tourist office in Ernen.