The Reichenbach Falls
The mist-shrouded Swiss precipice where genius met its apparent end.
The Reichenbach Falls is a dramatic waterfall located near Meiringen in Switzerland, forever etched into history as the site of Sherlock Holmes's supposed demise. In the canon narrative, this remote and treacherous location serves as the stage for the final confrontation between the world's greatest detective and his arch-nemesis, Professor James Moriarty.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Schattenhalb
- Canton of Bern
- Switzerland
- Height
- 250 m / 820 ft
- Number drops
- 7
- Average flow
- 3–5
Lore & Background
However, the falls were the stage for a deception: in The Adventure of the Empty House Holmes tells Watson that he used a Japanese martial art called baritsu to fling Moriarty to his death, and that his own death had been faked.
Reader's Guide
The Reichenbach Falls serves as the geographical and thematic climax of Holmes's early career. Located in Switzerland, it contrasts sharply with the urban grit of London, shifting the genre from a street-level detective story to a high-stakes adventure thriller. '
Did You Know?
- The falls are reached by the Reichenbach Funicular, where a memorial plate commemorates Holmes, and the nearby town of Meiringen has a Sherlock Holmes museum.
- Arthur Conan Doyle originally intended for Holmes to die here permanently, but public outcry forced him to bring the character back years later.
- Conan Doyle was shown the falls on a Swiss holiday by his host Sir Henry Lunn, and of the many waterfalls of the Bernese Oberland they seem to have impressed him most.
More in London & Locations
Elsewhere in Sherlock Holmes
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