history

past times
(1913–1951)

One hundred years ago, the Dutch conductor Willem Mengelberg, a prominent figure within the music avant-garde of the 20th century, undertook a hike from his holiday resort in Scuol-Tarasp towards the Fimber Pass with the destination of Ischgl in Paznaun. He passes by Zuort on the way and is enthralled by this mystical place.

The chalet, designed by him and richly decorated by the local Lanfranchi family and Swiss carvers, some of them locals, was completed in its first version in 1911. In 1920, he bought the farm and the farmland from the Frigg farming family. Their nephew, Clot Corradin, had been the tenant farmer for more than ten years and responsible for the actual construction. He became an artisan himself, under the guidance of the local carver Häfner from Strada and Lucerne's Furrer.

Together they now build a chapel as a log structure and produce the ornate furnishings including pews and altar, all according to Mengelberg's exact specifications. The work is essentially completed in 1928. The carillon - a speciality of the Dutch - was installed on the ridge of the chapel by the famous bell foundry Rüetschi Aarau, in the form of 15 bells operated by a keyboard. The carillon still works today, even if it is no longer operated regularly, as it was in Aunt Elly's (see next section) time in the 80s. A mechatronic upgrade for electronic operation has been installed in 2022 and the carillon can once again sound daily.

The Mengelberg Foundation
(1951–2010)

1951 is the year of Mengelberg's death (born on 28 March 1871 in Utrecht). In wise foresight, he placed the fiefdom with land and all buildings to a foundation bearing his name. Thus, for about 50 years, countless musicians were able to visit the Chasa during their summer holidays. Until 1987, they were looked after on site in the summer by Miss Elly Heemskerk, who was the actual guardian of the Chasa until her old age and was herself active on the foundation board. She was the daughter of a famous Dutch admiral (Spitsbergen) and the first violinist in Mengelberg's Concertgebouw Orchestra, which he conducted for 50 years, from 1918.

New times in 2010

Operational self-sufficiency is on a promising path: Hof Zuort has been part of the Swiss Historic Hotels group since autumn 2012 as a selective request for such niches is on the rise.

2019
AWARD

We are happy to announce that Zuort was recently awarded one of the most beautiful Swiss historic hotels by Gault&Millau.

Who needs a time machine, if you can check into these remains of the past. Please find more information here (in German).

past times
(2010–2016)
 

Since May 2017 our Haflinger horses are no longer in Zuort and back in their home place of South-Tirol, at the Wietererhof in Jenesien, Bozen.
www.wietererhof.com