Alvaschein: Village Centre, Churches and Cultural Heritage

Alvaschein is a village in the municipality of Albula/Alvra in the Swiss canton of Graubünden and belongs to the Albula district. It lies at an elevation of about 1,001 m above sea level on a terrace high above the section of the Albula dammed to form the Solis Reservoir. The villagescape of Alvaschein/Alvaschagn is designated a “site of national importance”. The Romansh name of the village is Alvaschagn. An intact village centre and historic churches give the place a clearly recognisable cultural identity.

Village Centre, the Albula and Striking Structures

St. Peter Mistail stands on a rocky plateau above the dammed Albula at the entrance to the Schin Gorge. The Solis Viaduct of the Rhaetian Railway crosses the Albula at a dizzying height. The two structures make different impressions: at Mistail, the church complex is closely connected with its position on the rocky plateau; the viaduct, by contrast, is defined by its high crossing over the river. Together with the terrace on which Alvaschein lies, these different connections to the landscape bring the surroundings of the Albula to life.

St. Peter Mistail: Early Church Architecture and Later Paintings

The monastery church of St. Peter Mistail was built around 800 or slightly earlier. It is the oldest and best-preserved example of a Raetian three-apsed hall church. The church preserves significant wall paintings in four layers; the frescoes and paintings visible today were created around 1400 and are probably the work of a local artist. The period of construction and the visible painted decoration are therefore clearly separated in time. The gap between these phases makes the church an intriguing multi-layered historic monument: its architectural form and later art tell different chapters of its story.

St. Peter Mistail can be reached via a woodland path from a car park near the main road at the turn-off to Alvaschein. As access conditions may vary seasonally, check them before your visit.

St. Joseph’s Church and Art in the Village

St. Joseph’s Church in Alvaschein dates from a later period. It was built between 1653 and 1655 as a branch church at the initiative of the Capuchins who were active in the Albula Valley at the time. On 28 June 1663, Bishop Ulrich VI de Mont, who held office from 1661 to 1692, consecrated the church in honour of St. Joseph and St. Anthony of Padua. The nave has a cruciform ground plan. The high altar dates from 1657 and was created by Giovanni Giuliano. Following a comprehensive restoration from 1971 to 1974, the church was placed under the protection of the Confederation and the canton.

Beyond the churches, a residential house in the village also contributes to Alvaschein’s art history: it has façade paintings by Hans Ardüser (1557–1614), created around 1600. In chronological terms, they fall between the paintings at St. Peter Mistail, dating from around 1400, and the high altar of 1657. This offers a perspective spanning church architecture and frescoes, façade art and 17th-century furnishings.

Alvaschein in the Municipality of Albula/Alvra

Until 31 December 2014, Alvaschein was an independent political municipality. On 1 January 2015, it merged with Alvaneu, Brienz/Brinzauls, Mon, Stierva, Surava and Tiefencastel to form the municipality of Albula/Alvra. This distinction separates the present-day village name from its former political status: Alvaschein refers to the place, while Albula/Alvra is the municipality.

Discover more destinations: Lantsch/Lenz, Savognin, Sur, Schmitten, Tinizong-Rona, Salouf, Riom-Parsonz, Tiefencastel.

For the wider travel overview: Albula.