Our next stop is Maienfeld - the town at the base of the mountain in the story of Heidi. This whole area is now called "Heidiland" and is one of the most popular areas of Switzerland. Apparently the Japanese make HUGE pilgrimages here. A lot of the things we read said to skip this part because it is too touristy - but we thought it sounded good to us. And, how could Aunt Linda go to Switzerland and not go to Heidiland?? It gives us an opportunity to see the "cow culture" of Switzerland. Capitalizing on the whole Heidi thing you can sleep in barns on straw - for the same price as you can stay in a B&B. We opted for the B&B! We will be staying in Maienfeld 2 nights.
Our trip here from the Bernese Oberland will take us on some of the train route of the "Glacier Express." The Glacier Express is one of Switzerland's most famous train excursions. The Glacier Express, which has been operating since 1930, is billed as "the world's slowest express train" and averages 36 km/h (22 mph). This route cost 297 CHF in summer 2007 + a surcharge of anywhere from 16-68CHF depending on the train and if you have a meal. But - with our Swiss Rail Pass all we have to pay is the surcharge! I have to admit - I can't tell you how long this trip will take us because I can't figure out how to read the train time tables! Guess we'll count on Swiss hospitality to help us with that when we get to Switzerland. We will have to take either another train or a postal bus to get to the Glacier Express route. 
I think we get off the train at the town of Chur (and transfer to either a different train or a postal bus - again, I can't read the timetables). The city of Chur is the seat of the bishops of Chur and capital of the Swiss canton of Graubünden, in which Chur is the most populous municipality. Archaeological evidence of settlement at the site goes back as far as the Pfyn culture (3900-3500 BC - a "pig economy" culture) and is the country’s oldest town. If we want to spend a few hours in Chur sites include the Gothic old town, the cathedral with its three-sided carved altar and the Episcopal palace. Since Chur is the capital of Graubünden, it hosts the three cantonal museums with collections of Alpine culture. Visits to the Graubünden Museum of Fine Art for example, with works from Alberto Giacometti, Giovanni Segantini and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, are particularly rewarding. Chur is about 20 km from Maienfeld.
One of the things Jeanie and I read when we first started planning this trip is that in May and June the buildings and houses in Maienfeld are festooned with brightly blooming flower boxes. Here is a link to an article about a woman's pilgrimage to Heidiland http://www.escapeartist.com/efam/43/In_Search_of_Heidiland.html . The spa she talks about (Tamina Spa) is closed right now but set to re-open in June. If Jeanie and I are reading it correctly it looks like the pools cost about 18CHF - which doesn't sound too bad to go to a world renowned spa (so bring your suits).
Maienfeld is surrounded by "resort towns" - the biggest being Bad Ragaz (where the Tamina spa is) and only 3 km away. It also appears to have a lot of castles in the area - and of course beautiful alpine scenery.
Some things to do in Maienfeld and the surrounding area:
The Short Heidi Path The railway station in Maienfeld (at an altitude of 510 metres) is the starting point for both the short (marked in red) and the long (marked in blue) Heidi paths. From there the way leads past Schloss Brandis castle through the narrow streets of the historic little town of Maienfeld. The path leaves the upper edge of the town to plunge into the vineyards where the grapes for the ripen for the aristocratic Blauburgunder wine. It soon reaches the Heidi Fountain. This landmark was created in 1953 by the artist Hans Walt in memory of Johanna Spyri, the author. If you do not feel like stopping at one of the numerous barbecue spots, you can continue towards Heidi Village (altitude 660 m). The authentic Heidi House has been converted into a museum showing what it was like when Heidi lived here over a hundred years ago. From Heidi village the path continues past Rofels and back to Maienfeld
The long Heidi Path If you want to visit the Heidi Alp as well, you branch off at the Heidi House and take the longer Heidi Path. This route takes you through the Luva forest, passes close to Peter the little goat herd’s house, to the Ochsenberg (altitude 1,111 m). There you come to the original Heidi Alp where Heidi used to visit her dearly loved Grandfather and the goats. After a short climb to Kaltboden, a wonderful vantage point you can start down for Jenins. This is where Johanna Spyri used to spend her holidays. As it leaves the picturesque vintner village the path runs past the monument to the Duc de Rohan, the famous 17th century warrior who brought the Blauburgunder grapes to Graubünden. There is a fascinating view of the Rhine Valley all the way back to Rofels. The circle closes at the this point and the long Heidi Path joins the shorter, red-marked path again.
The long Heidi Path If you want to visit the Heidi Alp as well, you branch off at the Heidi House and take the longer Heidi Path. This route takes you through the Luva forest, passes close to Peter the little goat herd’s house, to the Ochsenberg (altitude 1,111 m). There you come to the original Heidi Alp where Heidi used to visit her dearly loved Grandfather and the goats. After a short climb to Kaltboden, a wonderful vantage point you can start down for Jenins. This is where Johanna Spyri used to spend her holidays. As it leaves the picturesque vintner village the path runs past the monument to the Duc de Rohan, the famous 17th century warrior who brought the Blauburgunder grapes to Graubünden. There is a fascinating view of the Rhine Valley all the way back to Rofels. The circle closes at the this point and the long Heidi Path joins the shorter, red-marked path again.
Sites say this walk (can't tell if it is the "long one" or the "short one") takes 60-90 minutes. And it looks like you can take a horse drawn carriage instead of doing the walk (or walk one way and ride the other).
Maienfeld Castle stands in the south-east corner of the town. The defense tower from the 13th century has been augmented by a subsequently added residential wing.
If Linda has overcome her fear of heights (or we want to scare her again) there are chairlifts you can take up into the alps. There are tobaggan runs, lakes, rock climbing, hang gliding and rapelling --- sounds a lot like The Amazing Race!
Bad Ragaz and Pfafer and other towns in the area also have lots to offer:
Northwest of Bad Ragaz are the Freudenberg ruins which were destroyed in the 15th century. Close by stands the St. Leonhard chapel with an Italian style choir. This castle clings daringly and imposingly to a rocky prominence and belongs to the Swiss Castles Association.
On the left bank of the Tamina River stands the parish church (1703) of St. Pancras with 18th C. ceiling paintings. In the churchyard is the grave of the German philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm von Schelling.
8 km to the northwest of Bad Ragaz is the little town of Sargans, its old town was completely destroyed by fire in 1811. The 19th C town Hall is built in Classical style. The parish church of St. Oswald and Cassian is of 18th C origin, restored and extended in the 19th and20th C. Sargans is dominated bythe castle, former seat of the Coutns of Werdenberg-Sargans. The Castle was first documented in 1282
Pfafers has the former Benedictine monastery of St Pirminsberg (founded 740 and rebuilt in 1672-93). And a Baroque Monastery Church.
2 miles southeast of Bad Ragaz are the ruins of the Wartenstein castle and St George’s Chapel. The upper part of the fortress served as a stone quarry after it was abandoned in 1586, while the better preserved lower castle now looks out into the Rhine Valley from empty window frames.
Flums (19 km from Maienfeld) is home to the Ritterburg in Flums (Knight's castle) which dates from 1574 - past the days of "chivalry" and thus it presents itself in and unwarlike character like a country manor near the village church. Stone Age people settled first on the rock projection above Flums, where later in the Middle Ages the Castle Grapplang came to exist.
On the left bank of the Tamina River stands the parish church (1703) of St. Pancras with 18th C. ceiling paintings. In the churchyard is the grave of the German philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm von Schelling.
8 km to the northwest of Bad Ragaz is the little town of Sargans, its old town was completely destroyed by fire in 1811. The 19th C town Hall is built in Classical style. The parish church of St. Oswald and Cassian is of 18th C origin, restored and extended in the 19th and20th C. Sargans is dominated bythe castle, former seat of the Coutns of Werdenberg-Sargans. The Castle was first documented in 1282
Pfafers has the former Benedictine monastery of St Pirminsberg (founded 740 and rebuilt in 1672-93). And a Baroque Monastery Church.
2 miles southeast of Bad Ragaz are the ruins of the Wartenstein castle and St George’s Chapel. The upper part of the fortress served as a stone quarry after it was abandoned in 1586, while the better preserved lower castle now looks out into the Rhine Valley from empty window frames.
Flums (19 km from Maienfeld) is home to the Ritterburg in Flums (Knight's castle) which dates from 1574 - past the days of "chivalry" and thus it presents itself in and unwarlike character like a country manor near the village church. Stone Age people settled first on the rock projection above Flums, where later in the Middle Ages the Castle Grapplang came to exist.
2 comments:
Well, the horse drawn carts pose a problem as well. Remember how allergic I am to horses? Perhaps I really shouldn't be going to Switzerland! I was counting on the weather warming up so I could start walking daily to at least be able to enjoy the walks...I should have taken up skiing and maybe I could have done that?
Ok, there have to be people who stand at the bottom, or near the middle, of the mountain and look up and over...NOT everything has to be viewed from above does it? You do realize that once most people travel with me,they refuse to take me to Glacier Park...and Switzerland is apparently just like on BIG Glacier Park. But of course, I am NO Longer afraid of heights, I am no longer afraid of heights...I am no longer..
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