„Davos Monstein“ – A village with culture and tradition. The beautiful Walser village of Monstein is only a few minutes away from Davos Switzerland.
Pictures and text by Marc Gottwald
Davos Monstein – the mountain village near Davos Switzerland
What can you do when you are in Davos? I hear this question again and again. Away from the city, the region around Davos offers so many unique pearls that one or two overnight stays are always worthwhile.
One such gem is „Davos Monstein“, a Walser village with a wonderful culture.
The Walser – from Valais to Graubünden
As the name “Walser” suggests, this people originally came from Valais (Alemannic ethnic group), more precisely from the Upper Valais, where you can still admire their typical wooden settlements today.
What exactly led to the migration from the Valais to other regions, such as Davos in Graubünden, nobody knows. There are simply no records. Reasons could be lack of space, dryness (typical for the Valais), dangers or simply the desire for adventure. If we look at the climate data, we can see that in the 12th and 13th centuries the climate became warmer, which favoured the expansion through better conditions. This also gives rise to the assumption that there were various dry periods. Even today, Valais is the driest of all the cantons in Switzerland.
According to various references, the Walser spread in several waves in several directions, including the Bündnerland, where they built settlements in Obersaxen, Rheinwald and Landwasser near Davos. From there they spread out again, which is how „Davos Monstein“ was founded. The earliest record that the Walser were in Davos dates from 1289. The Walser living in Davos come from the area between Brig and Leuk.
Davos Monstein – a village with culture
When you reach the parking area of „Davos Monstein“, you immediately notice the brown-black wooden houses. The houses that the Walser built.
But not only that!
It is also striking that the Swiss village has two churches! And the church in the centre of the village was built almost 500 years ago, the second one is now almost 120 years old.
Also otherwise the small village with approx. 180 inhabitants has everything what a village needs. And this means a village shop with integrated post office, four carpenters, a butcher, a driving school. And of course also a post bus connection to Davos, a school and this is a surprise: a brewery.
Yes, the Monstein brewery has become so popular that even the supermarket Coop has added two types of beer to its range. And it is one of the highest breweries in Europe.
Since 2006, the primary school has also been reopened. But how does that work when only 17 children in various age categories attend school?
The pupils are taught by a teacher who teaches all age categories from 1st to 6th class. After the 6th year, the children are placed in the upper school in Davos.
An excursion to „Davos Monstein“ in Switzerland is not only culturally worthwhile. There are also beautiful hiking routes. For the hiking trails, however, it is advisable to travel by public transport (Postbus from Davos). Because many exciting paths lead to another destination. Well then “auf und davon”, as “Davos Tourism” says it so nicely.
