Kurhaus Bergün

Geschichte

The Kurhaus Bergün was built as a grand hotel, opening in 1906.Located in the village of Bergün/Bravuogn in the Albula valley, south of Chur and north of St. Moritz, at an altitude of approximately 1350m above mean sea level, the Kurhaus is a well preserved/restored hotel of the Jugenstil (Art Nouveau) era.HistoryThe optimism of the early yearsAfter the construction of a road, following the river downstream to Filisur in 1855-58, the opening of the stunning Albula Railway in 1903 ushered in a second burst of development for Bergün, and an "initiative committee" started planning for the construction of a hotel in the village. Design was entrusted to the Zurich architect Jost-Franz Huwyler-Boller (1874–1930) who also worked on the Hotel Cresta Palace in Celerina at about the same time.The hotel opened to guests in the Spring of 1906, offering 120 beds in 85 rooms. It was hoped that Bergün's altitude and remote location would make it attractive as an acclimatisation location for guests preparing to stay higher up in the Engadin and as a health resort in its own right, based on the air quality. The hotel was able to advertise luxury features such as central heating, electric lighting, a lift/elevator, a bathroom, a large dining room, several large south-facing terraces, an elegant vestibule and a ladies' room. Entertainment facilities included a bar, a billiards room, a reading and writing room along with a darkened room "Dunkelkammer". Modern baths and wcs had been delivered by train direct from England and installed by the manufacturer's own technicians.