St. Moritz, Switzerland, has a rich history that stretches back thousands of years before it became a modern luxury resort.
- Bronze Age Origins (c. 1411 BC): Long before it was known for skiing, people recognized the value of the region’s natural, iron-rich, and carbonated mineral springs (the Mauritius Spring). Archaeological excavations discovered ancient spring catchments built out of hollowed-out larch wood trunks dating back to around 1411 BC to 1412 BC.
- Early Votive Offerings: Archaeologists have uncovered Bronze Age artifacts—including three swords, a dagger, and a sewing needle—at the bottom of the ancient spring catchment. Historians believe these items may have been left as sacred votive offerings by early peoples, such as the Celts, who venerated the healing and spiritual powers of the bubbling waters.
- Europe’s Oldest Wooden Spring Structure: The ancient Bronze Age spring constructions found in St. Moritz are recognized as Europe’s oldest and best-preserved prehistoric wooden buildings associated with a high-altitude mineral spring. You can still view these remarkable relics today at the Forum Paracelsus in St. Moritz Bad.
- The “Sour Fountain”: The famous physician and naturopath Paracelsus visited the springs in 1535 and praised them for their healing qualities, describing them as the acetosum fontale (sour fountain). His writings helped turn the location into a renowned European destination for health and spa pilgrimages centuries before winter tourism began.
WE&P by: EZorrillaMc&Co.
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