Page 590 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

588  GERM AN Y , A USTRIA , AND SWITZERLAND

0 Chur with charming chalets. Davos,
Graubünden. * 35,000. £ on the other hand, is a big,
n Bahnhofplat 3 (081-252 1818). brash town with plenty of
∑ churtourismus.ch diversions away from the
slopes. It has grown from a
Chur, the capital of Switzerland’s 19th-century mountain health
largest canton Graubünden, is a resort to a major sporting
quiet, ancient town with origins center, renowned for skiing,
that go back 2,000 years. It is snowboarding, paragliding, and
located on the upper reaches of tobogganing in the winter, and
the Rhine, on an ancient route hiking, running, and cycling in
between northern Europe and the summer.
Italy. It has long been a religious
center – the bishop of Chur q Swiss National
controls dioceses as far away as Park
Zürich – as well as a commercial
center, and is famous throughout Graubünden. £ Zernez, Scuol,
the country for the Passugger S-Chanf. n National Park House,
mineral water which is bottled Elaborate 15th-century gilded altarpiece in Zernez (081-851 4141). Open Jun–
just outside the town. Chur Cathedral Oct: daily; limited opening in winter.
The pedestrianized historic 8 ∑ nationalpark.ch
town center is a maze of the public) and at the bottom of
cobbled streets and small the small flight of steps leading Switzerland has many small
squares, including Arcas up to the cathedral square is nature reserves but only one
Square with its sunny, café- the Rätisches Museum, which national park. By international
filled corners in summer. At focuses on the history and culture standards, it is small, covering
the southern tip of the old town, of the canton of Graubünden. only 170 sq km (66 sq miles),
the late-Romanesque cathedral, but it is an area where
set in a square, overlooks the E Rätisches Museum conservation measures have
rest of town. The highlight of Hofstrasse 1. Tel 081-257 4840. been strictly enforced since
the cathedral is its intricately Open Tue–Sun. & ∑ rm.gr.ch 1914, and people always
carved and gilded 15th-century take second place to the
altarpiece, depicting Christ Environs natural environment.
stumbling under the weight To the east of Chur, there are The Ofenpass road, linking
of the cross and scenes from a number of world-class ski Switzerland with Austria, cuts
the life of St. Catherine. resorts. The two best-known, through the center of the park
Unfortunately, lighting levels are with very different characters, and affords good views of one
so low inside the building that are Klosters and Davos. The of the park’s valleys. Otherwise,
its full glory is hard to discern. former, famous for its the best way to see the park is
Next to the cathedral stands the associations with British royalty, to take some of the 80 km
Bishop’s Palace (not open to is a small traditional resort filled (50 miles) of marked trails –
walkers are not allowed to
deviate off the paths.
The landscape is one of
wooded lower slopes and
jagged scree-covered ridges,
including the park’s highest
peak at 3,174 m (10,414 ft) –
Piz Pisoc. Among the abundant
wildlife, you may see are
chamois, ibex, marmots, and the
glorious bearded vultures,
which are very rare in Europe
and were reintroduced into
the park in 1991. From June
to August, with the retreat of
the snows at higher altitudes,
a carpet of beautiful alpine
flowers appears.
The park has an interesting
bear exhibition in the
Schmelzra Museum, the
former headquarters of a lead
The lively winter-sports resort of Davos, in the mountains east of Chur and silver mining company.
For hotels and restaurants see p594 and p595

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