The History of Maloja
The merger of the municipalities in Bergell in 2010 turned five municipalities into one. One of the five was previously the municipality of Stampa, whose farmers began to develop what is now Maloja for their alpine pastures in the 15th century. Original buildings in the hamlets of Cresta, Cad'Maté, Orden and Pila still bear witness to this. In summer, the farmers of the former municipality of Stampa still bring their cattle to the Casternam Alp - which is located at the entrance to the Val Fedoz.
The name Maloja
"Alder Grove" is the name of the tranquil village, which was first mentioned in documents in 1244 as "Malongum", then as "Malodia" and "Maloggia", until "Maloja" finally came into official use in 1947. The name goes back to shepherds from the nearby Valtellina, who thereby created a linguistic monument to the alder - Romansh: Malös or Marös. However, the history of Maloja begins as early as 2000 BC, when the first hunters roamed the area. The ornamental stones of Maloja, the tub graves and the coin finds are eloquent witnesses to this history. The settlement was already of great importance as a pass village during Roman times and even today, on the Malögin, the hiking trail from Maloja to Cavril, you can still find cart tracks from a Roman road. The influence of the smugglers, who made their way to Italy and back, also contributed significantly to the economic and cultural development of Maloja." The end of the 18th century was marked by devastation. A consequence of the Napoleonic Wars.