The History of Zuoz

Zuoz was first mentioned in a document at the beginning of the 9th century. At that time, excavations revealed that another small settlement had existed for a long time – since the Bronze Age, to be precise – on the hill of Chastlatsch above the present-day Hotel Castell. The royal Suste (transit point for the mule trains) of Zuoz from the time of Louis the Pious may have stood on the site of the present-day hotel ‘Crusch Alva’. Like all the Susten in the area, it points to the importance of the old transalpine north-south route over the Julier and Maloja passes and its branch to Vintschgau.

As is so often the case with the sonorous names of the Engadin villages, several meanings or origins are possible for ‘Zuoz’: is it based on the Latin ‘subtus’ (below)? Or the ‘Sust’ that also goes back to Latin roots? It is also possible that the Akkadian ‘Zuzu’ (thicket of reeds) is responsible for the place name... However unresolved this linguistic detective story may be, the political and economic development of the village is beyond doubt:
Originally, the centre of this process was the farm Dorta in the Zuoz district of the same name. The Bishop of Chur, Konrad I. von Biberegg, bought the property in 1137 as part of his extensive acquisition of large tracts of land in the Upper Engadin, and thus marked the beginning of 400 years of episcopal rule in the Upper Engadin - with its seat in Zuoz. The criminal jurisdiction and the high court were also exercised in the village.

In the course of the 16th and 17th centuries, a closed square with an impressive effect was created in the centre of the village, framed by stately bourgeois and patrician houses. The late Romanesque chapel of San Bastiaun, with its old frescoes and modern windows by Gian Casty, and the Gothic church of Santa Catharina, also contribute to the village's charm. The Engadine houses may look impressive from the outside, but the splendour of their interiors far exceeds their external beauty: they reflect not only the domestic culture of their inhabitants, but also their economic success.

Some had originally emigrated as tradesmen and returned home wealthy, while others – usually members of noble families – served foreign princes or held high offices in the Veltlin and returned even richer. The names of these influential families can still be found today in many contexts, such as Planta, Travers, Juvalta or Jecklin Schucan. An important part of the cultural heritage of Zuoz was contributed by Gian Travers, who introduced the reformed religion in 1552.

In 1499 Zuoz burnt down completely. The cause of the fire was not carelessness, no, the inhabitants themselves had set fire to their houses in order to leave only scorched earth behind them for the approaching Austrian imperial army. Since then, peace has reigned in the region and Zuoz soon flourished with the impressive buildings we know and admire today.