Flüela Pass

The Flüela pass was originally a trading route for one of Switzerland's prized assets, salt.

History

The Flüela was used by settlers in the 13th century and then by traders bringing, amongst other things, salt into the region. Salt is very important in Switzerland - a state-controlled monopoly with only two companies producing it. Salt was important as it became the cure for the cretinism and goitres suffered by the mountain people. The pass road was first built in 1867 for horse-drawn post coaches and today the odd coach can still be found on the pass. Full of tourists, not letters.

Notes

The Flüela pass connects the highest town in the Alps, Davos with Susch and ultimately St Moritz in the Engadin valley. In 1999 a tunnel was opened as a bypass with (uncompleted) plans to close the pass road. At the summit are the Schottensee and Schwarzsee lakes and Hotel Flüela. Susch is the surprising home to a new contemporary art museum built on the site of a 12th-century monastery, worth a look if only for its chutzpah.

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