St. Moritz — Badrutt's Enigma

Your adventure begins in front of the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz, Via Veglia 18. It was here, in 1856, that Johannes Badrutt, a pioneer of winter tourism, laid the first stones of what would become a legend. Imagine the audacity of his 1864 wager: inviting English tourists to spend the winter in the Grisons, promising bright sunshine or a full refund. This bold move transformed St. Moritz into a world-renowned winter destination, establishing the Kulm as the first ski resort in 1864 with a 30-meter ski jump, a Swiss historic monument.

Walk along Lake St. Moritz, a frozen mirror spanning 0.8 km² at an altitude of 1,856 m, which hosted the first ice hockey championships in 1905. This lake, fed by alpine streams and surrounded by reeds, has been frozen in winter for events like ice polo since 1906. Think of Badrutt's first visitors, marveling at this landscape where sport and elegance already met, long before the Badrutt's Palace Hotel became the venue for events like the Snow Polo World Cup in 1985.

Admire the Badrutt's Palace Hotel, built in 1896 by Johannes Badrutt's son. Its Neo-Renaissance architecture, with 157 rooms and 38 suites across 5 floors, testifies to the expansion of the paternal dream. Adjacent to it, the Leaning Tower, dating from the 13th century, is an imposing remnant of St. Moritz Dorf's medieval fortifications. It symbolizes the meeting between the ancient history of the Grisons and the era of luxury initiated by the Badrutt family, a unique Grisons heritage.

Continue towards St. Maurice's Church, built between 1590 and 1595 in a late Romanesque style. Its 60-meter-high bell tower and 15th-century Gothic frescoes tell centuries of faith and culture. It is here that masses in Romansh, a Rhaeto-Romance language protected since 1938, keep local traditions alive. Nearby, the Schiefer Turm, or Leaning Tower of St. Moritz, 33 meters high, leans at 5.5 degrees. Restored in 1950 after a partial collapse in the 19th century, it is a powerful reminder of the ramparts protecting Dorf against invasions and the history of St. Moritz.

Conclude your journey at the Engiadinais Museum, opened in 1908 in a 1672 Engadine house. This museum houses a collection of 2,500 objects on Grisons culture, including Romansh costumes. It features an exhibition dedicated to Johannes Badrutt and the birth of alpine tourism, bringing your exploration of Grisons heritage full circle. Your interactive visit to St. Moritz will have allowed you to trace the history of this historic alpine resort, from its ancient monuments to its leading role in Swiss tourism.