Quite different to the sparkling St.Moritz the lower Engadine is much more narrow, wilder, more shady and less inhabited. Geographically the charming Zuoz belongs to the upper Engadine but everybody who is familiar with the area knows that this village is far away from upper Engadine with his buzzing St. Moritz in the center. There they inaugurated the “Art Masters” some years ago at the end of August. But lower Engadine turns out as the perfect environment for contemporary art. There is a lot to discover.
Zuoz One of the most atmospheric villages of the Engadine here you can see a central marketplace surrounded by a village Inn and typical engadine homes. This could be the reason that a lot of non locals have their holiday homes in Zuoz.
Hotel Castell Very rarely you can enjoy contemporary art more easy than in the Hotel Castell in Zuoz. The impressive building from the beginning of 20the century is sitting high above the valley and inside you will find a lot of zeitgeist. The interior design of the 68 rooms is done by the architect Hans-Jörg Ruch of St. Moritz and the dutsch UN group. All floors are decorated with contemporary art, mostly from Switzerland. As a hotel guest you should enjoy the stylish hamman, as well designed by the UN-group and the small cinema with his sophisticated program. Regarding wintersports, directly at the hotel you find one of steepest slope of the Engadine and in the valley there is the cross country ski run, part of the famous of the Engadine Marathon. Tel. 081 851 5253. www.hotelcastell.ch
Gallery Tschudi In the center of Zuoz you find the gallery Tschudi in a former Engadine farmhouse named Chesa Magdalena, now perfectly restorated. Inmidst of massive walls and impressive wooden beams the international art delights with an amazing charisma. Somvih 115, Tel. 081 850 1390. Geöffnet Mo – Sa 15 – 18.30 Uhr. www.galerie-tschudi.ch
Galerie Monica de Cardenas Just a stone’s throw the gallery of the milanese Monica de Cardenas is located as well in the old Engadiner house named Chesa Albertini. You can see international art, as Thomas Struth, Stephan Balkenhol or the swiss Franz Gertsch. Quite exciting ist the actual exhibition of Gianni Colombo, a representative of kinetic art and Op Art. Via Maistra 41, Tel.081 868 8080. Open Tu – Sat 3 – 7 pm. www.monicadecardenas.com
S-chanf Another village which pleases with a traditional structure and this might be the reason that many people prefer to stay in S-chanf with its 700 inhabitants instead of the cosmopolite St. Moritz.
Hotel Villa Flor The owner Ladina Florineth worked many years in a gallery for contemporary art before she took over the pinkish house. Since 2009 the former manor house is a small hotel with 7 rooms, all of them have a individual interior design. All over the hotel you can see a lot of art. Somvih 19, Tel. 081 851 2230. www.villaflor.ch
Gallery Peter Vann Because of his children and the education at the well known Lyzeum Peter Vann and his wife Claudine came to Zuoz and opened a gallery mainly for photos. Actually Peter Vann is famous for car photography but since many years he is totally thrilled by the Engadine landscapes. Somvih 24, Tel. 081 850 1622. Open Wed – Sat 4 – 7 pm. www.galeriepetervann.ch
Gallery von Bartha For nine years the Gallery von Bartha from Basle has an branch in S-chanf, where they have exhibition in winter and two months in summer. In the White Cube, the barn of the manor house, artists are invited to spent some weeks there. Somvih 46. www.vonbartha.com
Scuol The little town is the business center of the lower Engadine, around 4700 Menschen are living here. Because of the mineral waters it had been a health resort today you find a quite popular wellness facility named Bogn Engiadina.
NAIRS Directly at the river Inn the former health spa of Scuol is located but closed in 1976. In the year 2005 an initiative founded the Fundaziun NAIRS and in the spacious building there is an art hall and artist’s house under the direction of the architect Christoph Rösch. The interesting aspect of NAIRS is the combination of swiss and international contemporary art. In the very moment the building is closed because of renovation. Some art projects will be relocated to places like the Hotel Chasa Piz Tschütta in Vnà. Tel. 081 864 9802. www.nairs.ch
Vnà Not more than 70 people live in Vnà, a tiny village on an altitude of 1630 meters, 11 kms away from Scuol. Many houses are abandoned nothing unusual in little villages of the lower Engadine high up in the mountains.
Chasa Piz Tschütta This 300 years old farmhouse was redesigned 2008 by volunteers into a contemporary hotel with 9 rooms. The small restaurant serving local dishes and throughout the year they have quite sophisticated art exhibitions organised by the fundaziun NAIRS. Last year the swiss artist Isabelle Krieg was here. Tel. 081 860 1212. www.hotelvna.ch
Sent At the eastern entrance to lower Engadine the charming Village Sent is located, nearly 1000 inhabitants and quite a center of attraction for many artists and writers. On many houses you can see the decoration of the typical Sgrafitto and another trademark is the “gable of Sent” and came with the craftsmen of South Tyrol to this Village.
Galerie Gian Enzo Sperone In the charming Chasa del Guvernatur the gallery of the New York based Gian Enzo Sperone is located. The old manor house has been renovated by the local architect Duri Vital, in the gallery you find a room only dedicated to his famous brother, the artist Not Vital. The main gallery Sperone Westwater, founded 1972 in SoHo and now located in an amazing building of Sir Norman Foster, has many major artists as Wolfgang Laib or Tom Sachs under contract. Tel. 081 860 3978. Open Tue – Sat 3-6pm. Unfortunately very often the gallery is closed.
Parkin Not Vital The best known artist of the Engadine ist Not Vital, born 1948 in the village of Sent. In his sculpture park you see a lot of his major art pieces. Already designed in the beginning of the 20th century the park was bought 1999 by Not Vital and restorated by his brother Duri. Only open in summer from june to october, guided tours only each friday at 4pm. You can sign up at Tourist -Info Sent 081 861 8829. www.notvital.ch
Hotel Aldier Renovated by the local architect Duri Vital, the former Hotel Rezia is now a stylish guest house with 14 rooms and 2 suites. A wonderful place to relax with a view on the village square. The couple Gross are ambitious collectors of printmakings and overall in the house you see art pieces of Alberto Giacometti, Eduardo Chillida, Joan Miró as well as photos of the swiss icon Ernst Scheidegger. Plaz 154, Tel. 081 860 3000. www.aldier.ch
Bieraria Tschlin Near to the border of Austria the little village Tschlin is sitting on 1550 meters and the tourist attraction is die local brewery. Renovated by Duri Vital the tasting room is as well a meeting point for amateurs of interesting architecture. In the past barley was growing in the steep fields around Tschlin and now the tradition is reawakened plus hops from Switzerland and the water from Tschlin. A wonderful idea was born and creating as well additional jobs. Bügl da Pedri 24, Tel. 081 860 1250. www.bieraria.ch
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