The Cazis Stone Church was built using shotcrete, a technique used mainly for tunnel construction in the region. This combination of church architecture and a method otherwise associated primarily with tunnel construction makes it a distinctive cultural feature of Cazis. The municipality is in the canton of GraubĂĽnden and belongs to the Viamala region. Situated in the valley, it lies west of the Hinterrhein on the Heinzenberg, about three kilometres north of Thusis. Cazis is accessible by train or PostBus.
Stone Church, parlour and St. Martin
The Stone Church consists of three elements reminiscent of rocks shaped by glaciers. Inside, the architecture conveys a sense of both shelter and freedom. St. Martin’s Church was the first parish church in the Domleschg valley. An archaeological interpretation links its origins to an Iron Age sun shrine; the Iron Age is dated from 800 BC onwards.
The Pfrundhaus houses a late Gothic parlour whose construction has been dated to around 1454. It is considered the oldest known parlour in Graubünden. Together with St. Martin’s and the Stone Church, it offers a different perspective on Cazis’s architectural and ecclesiastical history: from an archaeological interpretation to a late Gothic room and a church with an unusual construction method.
Monastery and regional history
The Dominican convent in Cazis has a 1,300-year history as a place of faith and contemplation. It was founded around 700 by Bishop Victor II of Chur and is considered the first women’s convent in Churrätien. From the 12th century onwards, with five large estates in Cazis and on the Heinzenberg, the convent was the largest landowner on the left side of the valley. In 1156, the parish rights of the early medieval Church of St. Martin passed to the convent church of St. Peter.
The convent offers a wide range of courses. If you plan to take a course during your stay, check the current programme, as the offerings may change. The Cazis Cultural Archive also has its own focus: it displays material illustrating excavations on PetrushĂĽgel and in the village of Cresta.
Other heritage remains around Cazis include the presumed remains of a round tower from the 11th or 12th century near Rentiel, as well as high medieval castle sites without surviving masonry at Montair/Montera and Niederrealta. Cazis is also historically linked to the Viamala route and transit traffic over the SplĂĽgen Pass. The road over the pass was built between 1818 and 1823.
Nature at Munté
The cantonal Munté Süd nature reserve lies on the plain below Cazis, between St. Martinwald and Rodels railway station, and borders the Rheindammweg. The Munté nature reserve serves as a stopover and feeding site for migratory birds and as a place for local recreation. It includes a marked hiking trail; visitors must stay on the marked trail within the protected area.
Circular route and mini golf
The Cazis Mitte circular route starts at Cazis railway station. It is 29.1 kilometres long and includes 576 metres of ascent and 576 metres of descent.
Another leisure option is Beverin Mini Golf. The 18-hole course is located on the grounds of the Beverin Clinic in a quiet, park-like setting. Ambitious players can practise or take part in competitions on the professional course. Alongside cultural history and nature, visitors can thus choose from a clearly defined leisure activity and a tour with specified distances and elevation figures.
Discover more destinations: Flerden, Innerferrera, Feldis, Tschappina, FĂĽrstenau, Paspels, Scharans, Nufenen
For the higher-level travel overview: Hinterrhein.
