Our Region
In pre-Walser times, the area on the Hinterrhein was used as an alpine pasture by the Romansh people. From around 13th century the area was settled by Walsers (German-speaking settlers from the Valais). Hinterrhein is the oldest documented Walser settlement in Graubünden.
From the beginning of the 14th century to the end of the 19th century, the economic foundation of the inhabitants of the Rheinwald was shaped by muleteers traversing the Alpine passes of Splügen and San Bernardino, alongside agriculture and alpine farming.
With the opening of the Gotthard Tunnel in May 1882, mule traffic collapsed overnight, and many inhabitants of the Rheinwald lost their livelihood. This was followed by strong waves of emigration to the USA, Australia, and New Zealand.
The remaining inhabitants relied on agriculture and the slowly emerging tourism industry for their livelihood. Prominent travelers such as Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Albert Einstein, and Conrad Ferdinand Meyer were impressed by the landscape of the Rheinwald.
Agriculture
High alpine, extensive agriculture, characterized by harsh winters with heavy snow and a spring awakening that is unparalleled in vigor and strength.
Steep slopes and a lot of manual labor. A hay harvest from natural meadows up to 2300 meters above sea level, with the most extensive areas yielding a crop only every two years.
Since 1992, all farms have been operating according to the Bio-Suisse Partners guidelines. You won't find large enterprises here. Family farms with 10 to 30 cows are the norm.