The Barral House takes its name from its builder, the clergyman Pierre Barral. Pierre Barral was the founder of a missionary society and had the Barral House built as a holiday facility for his students. Construction of the holiday home began in 1902. However, he went bankrupt and the building could only be completed in 1924 by the "Bethlehem Mission House Society".
Today, the Barral House is owned by the Swiss Army, which uses it as accommodation for troops.
