In 1864, hotelier Johannes Badrutt made a bold wager with some of his English summer guests: he promised them that if they came back in the winter, they would still be able to enjoy the mild Engadin sunshine on his terrace in their shirtsleeves. If not, he would pay their travel costs. The guests came back at Christmas – and returned home at Easter, tanned, relaxed and happy. And so, 150 years ago, winter tourism was born in St Moritz. However, the village had been welcoming guests long before that.
The rich and beautiful from all over Europe flocked to St Moritz in the summer to visit the iron-rich mineral springs, which were discovered in St Moritz over 3,000 years ago. The scintillating Alpine resort has written history in other ways, too.
Switzerland’s first electric light shone here, Europe’s first Palace Hotel was built here, and new sports have been created here that have gone on to achieve worldwide popularity – the most recent being kite-sailing on the nearby Lake Silvaplana. Today this Alpine metropolis is renowned throughout the world as the ultimate holiday resort.
Dokumentationsbibliothek (Documentation library)
Plazza da Scoula
7500 St. Moritz
T +41 81 834 40 02
F +41 81 834 40 01
doku.stmoritz@bluewin.ch
Tuesday, 3.00pm – 6.30pm
Wednesday, 3.00pm – 6.30pm
Thursday, 3.00pm – 7.30pm
