Arosa, Switzerland Tourism

... More

937ft below, to Arosa is 30km/19mi long and has many bends; there is also a narrow-gauge railroad, opened in 1914, which takes just under an hour to reach the resort.

The first settlement in the Arosa valley, then accessible only by troublesome bridle-paths, was initiated about 1220 by the monasteries of Churwalden and Sankt Luzi in Chur, and soon afterwards the population was increased by some families brought in from the Valais by the Barons of Vaz. From 1320 to 1851 Arosa belonged to the parish and commune of Davos, but thereafter became an independent commune. In the 15th C. the village had a population of only 150. The little village church was built in 1490. In 1575 most of the mountain pastures were sold to the town of Chur, which still owns some land in the commune. By 1850 the population had fallen to no more than 50. In 1875, however, the post road from Chur to Langwies was constructed, and in 1890 it was extended to Arosa; in 1880 the Seehof hotel was built to provide accommodation for visitors. By the turn of the century Arosa had made a name for itself as a health resort, and in 1913 it ranked briefly as the leading resort in the Grisons. By 1930 the population had risen to 3,724. The first ski school was opened in 1933, and the first three cableways were constructed in 1939.