Our tip: Winter tourism began more than 150 years ago on St. Moritz’s local mountain, Corviglia, at an altitude of 2,486 m. The so-called Corviglia sports mountain is very easy to reach. The funicular railroad, built in 1928, starts in St. Moritz village and takes you to the top of the mountain.
St. Moritz: Cradle of Alpine winter tourism and luxury resort in the Engadin
St. Moritz, located in the Upper Engadine region of Graubünden is known as an Alpine resort that holds significance as the birthplace of alpine winter tourism. Renowned for its health benefits this Swiss village was named after St. Mauritius featured on its coat of arms. Situated at an elevation of 1,822 meters, above sea level St. Moritz is home, to 5,000 residents.
St. Moritz is famous, for its hotels and excellent dining options attracting visitors worldwide with its events and high end shopping particularly renowned for luxury brands. Also famous are the Piz Corvatsch and Piz Nair, the local mountain Corviglia, the mountain peak Muottas Muragl, Lake St. Moritz, the leaning tower of the Mauritius Church, the Segantini Museum, the Engadine Museum…
In 1856 tourism took off with the debut of the Kulm Hotel, in St. Moritz. The community showcased advancements with the introduction of the first electric light during Christmas in 1878 the inaugural powered flight in 1910 and the pioneering ski lift in 1935 all thanks, to forward thinking locals and visitors.
St. Moritz: Venue for the Winter Olympics and World Cup races
St. Moritz has hosted the Winter Olympics on two occasions in 1928 and 1948. Additionally it is a host of World Cup ski races and bobsleigh competitions. The town is known for drawing in a range of visitors such, as European royal family members and celebrities, from the entertainment industry.
St. Moritz is one of the world’s most famous ski resorts and offers 350 km of pistes with state-of-the-art infrastructure. The steepest starting slope in Switzerland is located on St. Moritz’s local mountain, Corviglia. On the Piz Nair steep face, the gradient is a dizzying 100%.
The Bob Run, the oldest natural ice bobsleigh run in the world, was put into operation in 1904. Today, this ice channel between St. Moritz and Celerina is the last remaining natural ice track on earth and the world’s largest snow sculpture, with around 5,000 m3 of snow.
Another popular winter sports activity is skeleton sledging, with which riders hurtle down the 1.2 km long Cresta Run ice channel at speeds of up to 140 km/h. The Cresta Run ice track is already over 125 years old. Snowboarders have fun in the Corviglia snow and fun park. The fun slope is a winding adventure for beginners to professional snowboarders.
Excursion mountains around St. Moritz
The nearby excursion mountains around St. Moritz offer an unforgettable mountain and hiking experience: Piz Corvatsch (3,451 m), Piz Nair (3,055 m), St. Moritz’s local mountain Corviglia (2,486 m) and Muottas Muragl (2,456 m).
Piz Corvatsch
The Piz Corvatsch is a 3,451-metre-high mountain in the Bernina Alps near St. Moritz. It is the highest mountain peak in the Corvatsch region and offers a magnificent view of the surrounding mountains, glaciers and valleys. Piz Corvatsch was first climbed on July 13, 1850.
The mountain is a very popular excursion destination for hikers, mountaineers, skiers and snowboarders in summer and winter. The mountain restaurant offers delicious food and drinks.
The Corvatsch cable car is also the highest cable car in Graubünden. The Corvatsch ski area is suitable for both beginners and advanced skiers. Night skiing on the floodlit slopes under the stars is a unique experience. Paragliding is a great experience for adrenaline junkies due to the high altitude and breathtaking views.
Piz Nair
The Piz Nair is a popular panoramic mountain in St. Moritz and has an altitude of 3,055 meters. The cable car takes you to the mountain station at 3,030 meters.
On Piz Nair you can enjoy a fantastic view of the Engadin lake landscape. The municipal boundaries of St. Moritz and Celerina meet right at the summit. Piz Nair is part of the Albula Alps and belongs to the Piz Ot group. A dense hiking network makes the area accessible.
Geologically, the region offers mountain hikers and climbers a great deal of variety. In winter, skiing and snowboarding are popular sports on Piz Nair. Piz Nair is also home to the highest ski area mountain station (3,030 m above sea level) on the Corviglia. The start of the men’s downhill at the 1948 Olympic Games took place at 2,700 m on Piz Nair.
St. Moritz’s local mountain Corviglia
The St. Moritz’s local mountain Corviglia is 2,486 m high and can be reached by funicular from St. Moritz. Winter tourism began on the Corviglia sports mountain more than 150 years ago. The funicular railroad, built in 1928, starts in St. Moritz village and takes you to the top of the mountain.
Once at the top, there is a spectacular view of the Engadin valley and the surrounding mountains. The mountain is recommended for hikers, mountain bikers and, in winter, skiers and snowboarders.
Muottas Muragl
The Muottas Muragl is an excursion mountain in the municipality of Samedan. It lies at 2,456 m and can be reached by funicular. The Muottas Muragl funicular is the oldest mountain railroad in the Engadin and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2007. Its route is 2,199 meters long and it climbs 709 meters in altitude.
From the mountain summit, you have a fantastic view over the entire Upper Engadine with Lake St. Moritz, Lake Silvaplana and Lake Sils. The observation tower also offers a spectacular view of the Bernina mountain range and the Roseg glacier.
The panoramic trail winds its way through a landscape of meadows, lakes and rocks. A wonderful hike leads to the Segantini hut on the Schafberg, where the painter Giovanni Segantini died in 1899. There is an easy path to Alp Languard that is accessible for young and old.
Museums in St. Moritz
A trip to St. Moritz is not complete without learning something about history. The best museums are the Segantini Museum and the Engadine Museum:
Segantini Museum
The Segantini Museum Sankt Moritz exhibits works by the Italian painter Giovanni Segantini (1858 – 1899). The museum was opened in 1908. It is a kind of walk-in monument and was designed by the architect Nicolaus Hartmann.
Segantini enhanced the naturalistic effect of his paintings with his own pointillist painting technique, which reproduces the unbroken light of the high mountain world. The paintings Ave Maria bei der Überfahrt (1886), Bündnerin am Brunnen (1887), Frühmesse (1885) and Mittag in den Alpen (1891) are particularly well known. Segantini’s main work, the “Alpine Triptych”, is exhibited in the large domed hall on the upper floor. A bust of Segantini, created by Paolo Troubetzkoy, can also be seen in the museum.
Engadine Museum
The Engadine Museum in St. Moritz is a folkloristic museum of local history. It is one of the first exponents of the local history style in the canton of Graubünden. The floor plan and external structure correspond to a typical Engadine house. The museum contains Graubünden and Engadine furniture and household appliances, which were installed by Richard Campell, the founder of the museum.
Older structural elements such as the bay window, coat of arms panel and corridor grille on the second floor come from the demolished Salis House Turtach in Celerina. The wooden gate with baroque ornamentation and forged lock comes from Zernez.
This museum is unique in Switzerland and a jewel in its own right. The atmospheric parlors, which are up to 500 years old, form the heart of the museum. Various exhibitions and events take place in the historic building.
Lake St. Moritz for sporting events
Lake St. Moritz lies directly below the village of St. Moritz. As the smallest of the four lakes on the Engadin lake plateau, it offers a picturesque backdrop with views of St. Moritz and the surrounding mountains. Like Lake Silvaplana, Lake Sils and Lake Lej da Champfèr, the Inn flows through it.
Lake St. Moritz is located between Piz Nair (3,055 m above sea level) in the north and Piz Rosatsch (3,123 m above sea level) in the south. It is 1.6 km long, 600 meters wide and 26 meters deep on average. The maximum depth is 44 meters.
The lake also became famous thanks to the numerous events that take place on the frozen lake in winter. These include the “White Turf” horse race, which attracts celebrities and high society from all over the world. The Snow Polo World Cup tournament has been held on the frozen lake every year since 1985. It is worth mentioning that the first polo field in continental Europe was built in St. Moritz in 1899.
The Engadin ski marathon route also runs across the lake. Ice skating and ice hockey are other popular sports. In summer, you can swim, boat, sail and windsurf in Lake St. Moritz.
Other well-known activities and attractions in St. Moritz are: The 1.7 km long Olympic Bob Run track with 19 bends, the ice pavilion, a golf course, the jazz festival in summer, the leaning tower of the Mauritius church, shopping in the luxurious boutiques to traditional craft stores and much more…
Video SUMMER IN ST. MORITZ
St. Moritz….
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