Sent, the highest Engadiner Church Tower and the Alberto Giacometti Museum
31 July 2022
Sent (Lower Engadin/ Unterengadin, Canton of Graubünden) was first mentioned in 930. It has been the official name since 1879.
In 1572, the reformer and chronicler Durich Chiampell (1510-1582) mentioned more than 300 houses and around 1000 inhabitants, the largest village in the Engadin and just as many as there are today.
The Reformation also left its mark. Today, about 80% of the population is reformed. The village church San Lurench (St. Lorenzo), was built in 1496. The neo-Gothic tower replaced 1898 the Romanesque tower from 1250. The ruins of the church of San Peder (St. Peter) are a late Romanesque structure from 1173.
In 1499 and 1622, the Austrians destroyed the village. After the Bündner Wirren (1618-1639) of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), Sent experienced a peaceful development (apart from fires in 1748, 1823, 1911 and 1921).
The village centre and the many beautiful Engadiner houses date from the reconstruction between 1622 and 1650. Only the Sala/la Motta district was completely rebuilt after 1921.
Photo: © Pensiun Adlier
Alberto Giacometti Museum
The museum is housed in Pensiun Adlier Sent. The exhibition shows around two hundred graphic works created by Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966) from the 1930s to 1965. It is probably the most complex and complete show of its kind worldwide.
The collection also includes several scarce and unedited trial prints and works that have been printed after his death. An almost complete collection of his artist books is also on display.
The photographer, publisher and artist Ernst Scheidegger (1923-2016) was a great friend of Alberto Giacometti and documented him and his work in photographs and films over many years.
While the entire photo collection is not on display, a significant portion is accessible to visitors. In addition to Giacometti’s works, the exhibition also features several pieces by his brother Diego Giacometti (1902-1985), including works in bronze and a tapestry.
Vallader
Romansh (Vallader) is the spoken language, but everyone also understands German. The hamlets of Sur, En, Crusch, Sinestra and Zuort also belong to Sent. In 2015, Ardez, Ftan, Guarda, Scuol, Sent, and Tarasp merged into Scuol, the largest municipality in Switzerland in terms of area.
The ruins of San Peder Church
The Sculpture Garden of Not Vital (1948)
Other Impressions