One of the oldest Swiss cities - Chur, Graubunden - LAAX stories #3

I happen to be living some 30 kilometers away from Chur at the moment. This ancient/medieval town has interesting historical and cultural significance in the region and beyond.

I had some administrative business to do in Chur, but it wouldn't be me if I wouldn't combine my trip with pleasure and exploration. Travel is expensive in Switzerland, so it is advised to use every opportunity to go on a trip seriously. With some planning and detailed itinerary. For myself the biggest mission was not to miss my appointment at the local immigration office.

I arrived way too early and was forced to wait outside for half an hour or so.. luckily for me, Chur is pretty charming little place and I was occupied with walking and looking around.

Chur has plenty of statues with weird symbolism and hidden meanings, but don't expect that to be the case everytime...

After my appointment I was finally free to explore the old town. With one more potential meeting I had few hours to explore. So I took the closest way straight to local castle or a building of that sort.

As first settlements of the area dates back as much as 4000 years BC, one really had an impression of being in somewhat old and deep atmosphere. With the expansion of the Roman empire and it's business roads, Chur happend to be on important place in space and time. To this day one can feel the significance of Roman or should I say Catholic culture.

Later on in around 14th century, the Habsburgs granted Chur a special rights privilege and locals assembled under the three main colours.

Notice the three flags of Graubunden on top of the building.

Wandering around the old town really brings all the stories out to life again. Not a single building is the same, although on the first glance they do look similar. Needless to say that my trained eye of expert European traveler recognise the Roman and German influence as moving from one part of the city to another. Of course one cannot undermine the original Swiss-twist to top the historical cake with some "swisschease" coating. The perfection, cleanness and well planned car free zone is a delight for a small late morning walk.

Bischöfliches Schloss - Chur, Graubunden 

All the statues and fountains in the old town look really medieval, mystical and all bear some religious or mythological meaning. One can almost smell the secrecy around. It is maybe one of the ingredients for a secret recipe for established trust of the infamous Swiss banking. Places like Chur, so old, you can easily imagine how your precious possessions survive another milenia in the local underground bank-bunker.

After some little shopping it was time for me to move on. I had arranged a meeting in the village 15 kilometers next to Chur, because of a bicycle purchase...

So I took the Bernina express to a village called Cazis. A guy as big as a mountain came with his jeep straight to the train station to sell me his old mountain bike. Even if I didn't want to buy I would be afraid to say no to him :)

Luckily I needed exactly such bicycle and we made a deal. With both tires half flat I was than moving myself slowly back home.

Hinterrhein - later joining famous Rhein on it's way to Black sea, dominates the valley.

My way home was full of obstacles, mostly due to the state of the bicycle, but I managed to bring it home and was spending my evenings repairing it the next days.

But that would be already another story, so with that I am signing off.

All the best,

Global Local 

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