Zizers: Royal Court, Churches and Vineyards
Accommodation in Zizers
Zizers in the BĂĽndner Rheintal brings together archaeological traces, churches, vineyards and a varied range of leisure activities. If you are looking for a hotel in Zizers, you can get to know the area through its history, a walk through the vineyards or its various leisure options, depending on your interests. The following highlights show what makes Zizers special without limiting your stay to a single theme.
Archaeology and architectural history
In Zizers Archaeological Park, a ground plan marked out on the ground with metal strips illustrates the core building of a former royal court. Seating and three information panels complement the site and invite visitors to explore. Measuring at least 25 Ă— 13 metres, the building is the second royal court in Switzerland to have been archaeologically documented. Unique building remains dating from the 8th to the 10th century have also been examined at Schlossbungert in the municipality and linked to the royal court of Otto I mentioned in written records. Here, architectural traces and written sources come together.
The churches, too, tell the story of different building phases. The Catholic parish church of St. Peter and Paul was first mentioned in 955. The present-day church was built in the 15th century, and the Rosary Chapel was added after 1686. The slender tower of the Protestant Church was heightened in 1698; the choir and nave were extended in 1711. The dates make the sequence of these changes easy to follow.
The three-storey Baroque Zizers Castle is framed on three sides by arcades with massive columns; a park lies on the valley side. At the centre of the castle rises an octagonal tower with a domed roof, a landmark of the Zizers region. Friedau Castle had a different historical role: it was built by Chur Bishop Volkhart (1237–1251). It was once the centre of episcopal lower jurisdiction; later, offenders from the Fünf Dörfer district were imprisoned there. The castle and the fortress thus represent different aspects of local history.
Vineyards, the Rhine Valley and trails
Zizers lies on a gentle slope, about 10 kilometres north of Chur, surrounded by mountains and wine-growing areas. The municipality extends along the right bank of the Rhine, from the river across the slopes cut by the SchlundrĂĽfi and ChessirĂĽfi mountain streams to the watershed ridge above the Valzeina valley. To the southeast, Cyprianspitz reaches the highest point at 1,774 metres.
The Wine Round Zizers offers an easy, clearly defined way to experience the wine-growing landscape: it is an easy circular hike through the vineyards and also a section of the signposted Wine Trail, which starts in Chur. Along the way, there are views across the Chur Rhine Valley and the surrounding mountains, including the Calanda. When planning, consider the circular route as a hike in its own right and weigh up its viewpoints against the town’s historical highlights.
Natural areas are also part of the municipality’s character. An educational biotope provides a habitat for species found in wetlands and dry sites, and is used for excursions and to inform passers-by. In the Rappagugg-Tschalär vineyard area, dry-stone walls, piles of gathered stones, individual trees and shrubs, hedges and scattered meadow plots shape the landscape. These features show a different side of Zizers from its historic buildings and vineyards.
Leisure and getting here
The paved Zizers pump track is 240 metres long and includes ten banked turns and 42 rollers. Right next to it is the Föhrenwäldli children’s playground, with an open fire pit, wooden tables and benches, play equipment, toilets and parking. The facilities are free to use during daylight hours in the snow-free season. The season and time of day are therefore useful points of reference when planning a visit.
Other leisure facilities include an indoor swimming pool, an indoor sports centre with tennis, sauna, squash and billiards, and a beach volleyball facility with two courts. There are options for activities both outdoors and indoors, with the facilities described offering a range of sports and leisure activities.
Zizers has a railway station on the Rhätische Bahn’s Chur–Landquart line, which runs every half hour. A PostBus service also runs from Landquart station to Zizers. If you plan to travel by public transport, check the current timetable before setting out. This will help you coordinate your journey with the cultural and scenic highlights of your stay.
Discover more destinations: Untervaz, Jenins, Mastrils, Says, Malans, Landquart Fabriken, Maienfeld, Igis.
View the main travel overview: Landquart.
