Lenk im Simmental (or simply Lenk) is a municipality in the Obersimmental-Saanen administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. History Lenk is first mentioned in 1370 as An der Leng. The oldest traces of a settlement in the area come from neolithic artifacts that have been found scattered around the municipality. During the Bronze Age Burgbühl and Bürstehubel were both fortified. Under the Romans the area was on along a major north–south road that passed over the Rawil and Kaltwasser Passes. They built a way station and a small shrine at the Iffigsee and a road and lime kiln at Iffigenalp. By the Middle Ages the Bronze Age fortifications were reoccupied and the area was split between the Herrschaft of Mannenberg and the estates of the Freiherr von Raron. The lands passed through several owners and by 1502 Bern ruled over the lands of the modern municipality. The municipality split from the neighboring St. Stephan in 1504–1505. In 1522 it achieved its sovereignty in the canton of Bern. The village church was built in 1505. The church became a parish church in 1513. In 1528, the city of Bern accepted the new faith of the Protestant Reformation. Lenk, along with much of the Oberland, initially resisted the new faith but was forced to accept it in the same year. In the following year, Lenk had to protect itself against the Catholic Valais. The conflicts over religion closed the Rawil Pass into Valais for a time. However, the Pass remained an important trade route until the construction of the Lötschberg railway line in 1913. In 1878 much of the village was destroyed in a fire. The parish church rebuilt three years later in 1881. In the mid 19th century tourists began to come to Lenk to see the natural attractions and to bathe in the mineral springs. A medicinal spa opened in 1843 and gradually expanded into a grand hotel by 1900. In 1969 the old hotel was replaced with a new spa and indoor pool. Today tourism is the main industry in Lenk. A number of second homes and vacation chalets were built outside the old village center. Geography Lenk has an area of . As of 2012, a total of or 36.4% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 23.0% is forested. The rest of the municipality is or 2.0% is settled (buildings or roads), or 0.9%