Page 250 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

Middle Eastern character of
HIDDEN GEM the buil ding’s interior decora-
Alien Barscape tion. The exterior also reflects Did You Know?
On the unassuming an affinity for Middle Eastern
Comercialstrasse, lurks culture, with two sphinxes Chur-born painter
the Giger Bar (www. that greet visitors, flanking Angelica Kauffmann
hrgiger.com). The bar is both sides of the front steps, was a well-known
themed on the most and a golden dome designed portraitist by the
fa mous (and Oscar- in the Byzantine style. The age of 12.
EXPERIENCE Eastern Switzerland and Graubünden
win ning) work of Swiss pinnacle of this style takes
artist H R Giger – the the shape of the crescent
surrealistic crea tures moon that crowns the top
and nightmare land- of the dome. Next to the villa
scapes of Hollywood stands the award-winning 6 '
blockbuster Alien. The annexe, de signed by the Rathaus
entire bar, from the fit- Barcelona-based architect
tings to the roofs, are all Barozzi Veiga. On the upper ⌂ Poststrasse # By prior
designed in his iconic floors are airy public spaces, arrangement § 081 252
bio mechanical style. 18 18
while the exhi bitions are laid
out on the lower floors under- Built in 1465, the Gothic town
ground. A pedestrian zone hall stands on the site of an
links the two buildings. earlier building that was
5 "'-= Most of the paintings and destroyed by fire. At ground
Bündner sculptures that fill the rooms level is a handsome arcaded
Kunstmuseum of the two spaces are by artists area that was once used as a
who either were born or lived market place. The upper floors
⌂ Postplatz § 081 257
28 68 # 10am–5pm and worked in Graubünden of the town hall contain two
Tue–Sun ∑ buendner- be tween the 18th and 20th finely decorated council
centuries. The impressive roster chambers, one with a wooden
kunstmuseum.ch
includes Angelica Kauffmann, ceiling and the other with
Chur’s museum of fine arts is Giovanni Segantini, Ferdinand Renaissance panelling. Both
spread across two buildings. Hodler, Giovanni and Alberto chambers have 17th-century
One is a large, hand some Neo- Giacometti, and Ernst Ludwig tiled stoves.
Renaissance villa dating from Kirchner, as well as members The house that stands at
1874–5, built for Jacques of the Basel group of artists Reichsgasse 57, nearby, is
Ambrosius von Planta, a mer- Rot-Blau (Red-Blue). the birthplace of the Swiss
chant who traded in Egypt. painter Angelica Kauffmann.
This heritage accounts for the Born in 1741, she later moved
to London, where she became
a well-known portraitist and
painter of mythological
themes, such as Cupid.

7
Regierungsplatz
Lining this square, on the
north side of the Old Town,
are several historic buildings,
which now serve as the seat
of the cantonal authorities.
One of the finest is Graues
Haus (Grey House), a stately
three-storey residence dating
from 1752. It is also known as
the New Building, to distin-

The gridded cube-
shaped annexe of the
Bündner Kunstmuseum
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