The Belvedere Castle (Schloss Belvedere) was built by the Belgian Count de Renesse in 1884. After his bankruptcy, it was abandoned. Giovanni Segantini proposed to rent it in 1898.
After he died in 1899, the castle became a hotel called “Nuovo Albergo Castello” and then the institute for boys and girls (Hochalpines Knaben- und Mädchen-Institut) “Kasteel Belvedere”. Today, the castle is home to the Pro Natura Foundation.
The church was first mentioned around 1100. Bishop Burkard von Fenis (ca 1040-1107) donated St. Theodor (Kleinbasel) to the monastery of St. Alban (Grossbasel).
At that time, the area on the right bank of the Rhine (Kleinbasel) belonged to the diocese of Constance. However, the bishop of Basel owned St. Theodor in the 11th/12th centuries. The church was rebuilt in the 13th century. Of the building consecrated in 1277, only the lowest parts of the façade and the two towers remain.
The 1356 earthquake largely destroyed the church and severely damaged it. The reconstruction took many decades. When Gross- and Kleinbasel became one municipality in 1392, the church remained the property of the Basel chapter.
Carthusian monks settled next to St Theodor in 1402 (see Swiss Spectator 7 July 2021: The Carthusian Monastery of Basel). The church has been Protestant Reformed since 1529. In the following centuries, the church underwent little change in appearance.
(Bron: www.altbasel.ch).
The 400-year-old Ronmühle (mill) in Schötz (Canton of Lucerne) houses the approximately 7,000 objects of the collector Paul Würsch, who died in 2002.
The collection in the mill consists of objects that have shaped the lives of ordinary people in the hinterland of Lucerne for many generations.
The collection is housed in different rooms of the historic mill. There is a living room, a bedroom, a schoolroom, a kitchen, a workshop and two rooms with religious objects. The rooms also contain magical objects, curiosities, tools and everyday objects from various centuries.
The aim of the association “Freunde der Ronmühle” (Friends of the Ron Mill) is to keep the collection and the mill accessible to the public and to record its history and culture.
(Further information: Museum zur Ronmühle, www.ronmuehle.ch).
The water springs in Scuol (Graubünden, Lower Engadin/Unterengadin) and other villages are often the centres of a square surrounded by houses. The springs had both a social function (as a meeting place) and a domestic function (for water consumption).
Scuol
Many springs also have a composition of minerals that are beneficial to health. In the region, this has been known or suspected for centuries. However, the application of tourism in spas and baths only developed from the mid-19th century onwards. Bellevue, built around 1900, is an example, as are many other villages in Graubünden (and other cantons in Switzerland).
The mineral springs have copper plates containing their composition. Viva is the Romansh expression for ‘cheers’ or ‘to your health’.
(Source and further Information: Bogn Engiadina Scuol; www.engadin.com)
Further information on the German Site.
The Pfäfers Abbey (St. Gallen) was the most important cultural centre in the region in the Middle Ages. It was founded around 740 and owned properties and rights in Liechtenstein, the Sarganserland and Graubünden. A major crisis occurred during the Reformation. However, the monastery gradually succeeded in bringing about a first and second golden age in the 17th and 18th centuries.
With the end of the old Confederation in 1798 came another crisis from which the monastery never recovered. In 1838, the Great Council of the canton of St. Gallen decided to close the monastery and confiscate its property. Around 1850, a psychiatric clinic was established in the building.
(Source: Historsiches Lexikon der Schweiz, Pfäfers (Kloster) (hls-dhs-dss.ch).
The first church of St. Mauritius in Appenzell (Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden) was likely built between 1068 and 1071. The second church was built in the same place around 1291-1300.
Between 1488 and 1513, the third church was constructed, featuring a lower church and a mighty tower, with the late Gothic choir still standing today. The nave was completely renewed in 1826. Between 1890 and 1892, the interior underwent radical reconstruction, followed by an external renovation in 1917.
The last major renovation of the interior took place between 1969 and 1971. The exterior of the church was restored in 1995/1996.
(Source: www.appenzell.ch).
Jachen Andri Dorta founded the first printing press in the Engadine in 1660, in this house. Many Romansh books and other writings appeared, and in 1679 the “Holy Bible” in the Romansh language (Bibla da Scuol), translated by Jacob Dorta and Jachen Tönet Vulpius.
La Gazetta ordinaria da Scuol, printed by the printing house, was the first newspaper in Graubünden. After the Bible was printed, the printer Nuot Cla Janett took his wooden printing press to Tschlin and moved the Stamparia (printing house) to Strada in 1689. The original of the press is in the Rhaetian Museum in Chur. The museum in Strada is housed in the Stamparia. The printing house in Scuol continued to operate until it closed in 1881.
(Bron: www.museumscuol.ch, Museum d’Engiadina bassa).
Stamparia Museum
Available in German and Dutch
One of the world’s largest outdoor exhibitions is taking place in Bad Ragaz and the village of Valens in the Tamina valley (canton of St. Gallen).
More than 400 sculptures by 83 artists from 16 countries are on display. The festival takes place every three years.
The festival of small sculptures is in display at the same time.
(Further information: ww.wbadragartz.ch/triennale-2021).
The Vallader-Romansh language course, organised by the Lia Rumantscha, began on 19 July in Scuol (Canton Graubünden) with a special guest: Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis (Eidgenössisches Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten, Department of Foreign Affairs).
He was also one of the students at 8.30 a.m. Although his work only allowed him to attend class in the morning, he was an enthusiastic student.
More than one hundred participants were present. The Minister rightly noted that the Romansh language and culture are attracting increasing interest in Switzerland (and abroad) and the Romansh-speaking regions.
Moreover, the Minister is one of the initiators of the annual Week of the Romansh Language and Culture (Eivna rumantscha). The Councillor confirmed the status of the Romansh language and culture, as well as the identity of the Romansh-speaking region.
Although federal financial support is needed to support the development and the promotion, the Councillor, belonging to another minority language (Italian, canton of Tessin), also stated that it is primarily not about economics but the identity of the Romansh-speaking people (s). They have to use the language.
The commitment of the Councillor, the federal government, and parliament reflects the state of Swiss society, including respect for diversity, other languages, and cultures, as well as the functioning of the national model.
Thirty years ago, there was hardly any interest (and thus money) at the national level in supporting and developing the Romansh language and culture. Romansh-speaking inhabitants also lost their commitment due to new media, tourism, and companies from other regions.
Young people left the area for study or work and often did not return. But even among this group, the Romansh language and culture gained prestige and status.
Nowadays, children sing, play and speak Romansh in the streets and school, and older inhabitants are (once again) proud of their identity. And with good reason. Romansh is one of the oldest living languages in Europe and a direct descendant of (vulgar) Latin and its Raetic predecessors. Moreover, it is a beautiful, melodious language, which fits very well with the musical level and character of the inhabitants.
(Further information: www.liarumantscha.ch).
