Viamala

Viamala is the name of a great gorge in Switzerland, on the Hinterrhein, the upper course of the Rhine, in southern Graubünden, and by extension of the valley region around it. The name is Latin for bad road, via mala, and it records the old fear of the route. For centuries the path from the Rhine valley at Thusis toward the Splügen and San Bernardino passes ran along or high above the river through a canyon so narrow and steep that travellers had to be carried or led along cliff ledges, with a drop of up to three hundred metres to the water. The way was made safer in the late Middle Ages by the construction of a path and bridges, and in the early 19th century a proper carriage road was built, which opened the passes to wheeled traffic and trade.

Today the Viamala Gorge can be visited safely. From a visitor centre on the road above the gorge, a stairway of several hundred steps descends the cliff to the bottom, where a viewing platform stands close to the Rhine as it rushes through the canyon, with walls that rise vertically so close together that little daylight reaches the river. The scale is impressive: the gorge is only a few metres wide in places and around three hundred metres deep, and the sound of the water echoes between the walls. A short walk and a descent of this kind need no equipment, but the steps are steep and wet, so careful footwear is advised, and the visit can be crowded on summer weekends.

The region around the gorge has several other attractions. The village of Zillis, at the entrance to the Schams valley, has a Romanesque church famous for its ceiling of painted wooden panels from the 12th century, a series of about a hundred and fifty square pictures of biblical scenes and sea monsters that is one of the great medieval art works of Europe. Andeer, a village known for its traditional houses and its mineral baths, and Splügen, a former trading station on the pass road with old stone houses, show the history of the trade routes. The Beverin Nature Park covers the mountains of the Schams and Safien areas, with hiking trails, alpine pastures and quiet villages, and in winter, there are cross-country skiing and snowshoe routes.

The Viamala is easy to reach. The railway runs to Thusis, from where a bus climbs the pass road, and it is accessible by car on the A13 motorway or on the old road. It is part of a larger tour that links Chur, the Rhine gorges, the Viamala and the Splügen Pass with Italy. The region has good guesthouses and restaurants serving Grisons specialties such as barley soup, air-dried meat and nut cake.

The Viamala suits families, walkers, history lovers and anyone interested in the story of Alpine roads. Allow an hour for the gorge and a day for the wider area.