All Paths Lead to the Mountains – Following the Trails of Walser Heritage
They are cryptic symbols. No X, no U – yet unmistakably a sign. But what does it mean? The curious wanderer will begin to understand while walking through the ancient Walser settlements from Arosa to Medergen and onward to Langwies. The journey takes about five hours – a discovery tour into another world. And upon returning to the BelArosa Chalet, one might notice: similar geometric markings appear here too – on the soap, the butter, and even on the Welcome Card. Let us reveal the secret.
Marked on Every Possession
At first glance, they may look like symbols from another planet – a language only a few insiders can still read. In truth, these peculiar geometric carvings found on the beams of wooden houses and storage barns are an ancient tradition: a family signature.
Originating from the Walser culture, these markings served as identifiers for entire family lines. Each family or individual had their own distinctive brand mark. It was used to label stables and homes, which were sometimes completely dismantled and rebuilt elsewhere in the valley. Fountains, furniture, and tools also bore the mark, clearly indicating ownership. In that sense, these house signs were tribal symbols – signatures of belonging.
From the Valais to the Grisons
Let’s take a step back in time. More than 700 years ago, the Walser people migrated along old mule paths from the Valais into the Grisons – and eventually into the Schanfigg valley and Arosa. Many settled here permanently, shaping the life and culture of the region.
As farmers, they cultivated terraces and meadows, practicing both crop and livestock farming. They left their imprint in more ways than one – through their unique language, their traditions, and most visibly, through these distinctive house marks. Each sign stood for a home, a farm, and a family.
A Chalet Needs Its Own Mark
It didn’t take us long to decide: our Chalet needed a house sign, too. We wanted to bring this tradition to life once more – this time from the perspective of our owning family, the Kasper family.
Strongly abstracted and strictly geometric, our House Sign 2.0 continues that story in a contemporary form. Who knows – perhaps centuries from now, someone will find the beams of the BelArosa Chalet and wonder about our mark.
Our Hiking Tip
From Arosa via Medergen to Langwies – For Walser Explorers
Those wishing to experience Walser life should set out from Arosa toward the Isel reservoir, continue over the Lower Furggenalp, through forest and meadow, until reaching Medergen – a scattered settlement at 2,000 meters above sea level, once inhabited year-round by the Walser. Numerous richly decorated wooden houses still tell their stories. A stop at the Walserstube in the Alpenrose inn is a must.
From there, the trail descends through Chüpfertäli into Sapün – another must-see, home to one of the best-preserved Walser hamlets from the 13th and 14th centuries. Continuing across hay meadows, the path leads to Langwies, once the main Walser center in the Schanfigg valley. From there, take the Rhaetian Railway back up to Arosa – including the spectacular crossing of the Langwies Viaduct.
Facts & Figures:
5 hours | approx. 17 km | 600 m ascent | 1,000 m descent
