Viamala Gorge (Viamala Schlucht)
Fascinating rock canyon
The Viamala Gorge is one of the most impressive natural monuments in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On the way between the towns of Thusis and Zillis, the Hinterrhein River cuts deep into the rock massif, creating a narrow canyon with huge, smoothly-cut walls. Some reach a height of up to 300 meters, and in the narrowest places the gorge has a truly monumental impression.
Viamala – a bad road through the Alps
The name Viamala comes from Romansh and means “bad road”. This name is certainly not accidental. For centuries, the gorge was part of an important trade and transport route leading through the Alpine passes towards Italy.
For ancient traders, pilgrims and muleteers, the passage through the gorge was a significant danger. The narrow path led along rocky ledges high above the turbulent river, in places literally biting into the vertical rock walls. Falling rocks, rushing water and lack of space made this route a very difficult section of the journey.
Visitor area
Viamala is not only an interesting geological formation. For centuries, it was also one of the most feared routes across the Alps. Today, we can safely look into its interior thanks to the built visitor area, a system of stairs, lookouts and historic bridges. A short but very impressive tour awaits us, during which we will almost reach the wild mountain river.
Descent into the gorge
The tour of the gorge begins at the visitor center, where there is a ticket office and a small souvenir shop. From here, a long staircase leads down into the canyon. However, the gorge is only accessible during the main tourist season. It remains closed in the winter months for safety reasons.
359 steps into the heart of the rocks
Visitors will have to climb a total of 359 steps into a deep rocky valley. The stairs are solid and designed for visitors, but you should take into account that the way back will take the same route up.
Massive rock walls
During the descent, interesting views of the massive rock walls begin to open up. The lower we get, the more their height and massiveness stand out. In some places, the surrounding rocks almost look like a closed stone cathedral.
Narrow gorge
Down below, we find ourselves in a completely different world. Sunlight penetrates the gorge only to a limited extent, the air is cooler, and the roar of water can be heard from all sides.
The river here flows through an area only a few meters wide in places. Its water has beautiful shades that change depending on the light, depth and surrounding environment.
The damp rock walls, fog and roar of the river can create a very impressive atmosphere.
Bridges in the Viamala Gorge
The technical highlights of the tour are the historical and modern bridge structures, which show how people in the past tried to overcome the difficult terrain here.
Hinterrhein River and Giant Rock Cauldrons
The main creator of the local landscape is the Hinterrhein River, or the Back Rhine. Together with glacial ice and water, it has gradually carved a deep canyon into the hard bedrock over thousands of years. Of interest are the huge rock cauldrons and depressions that were created by the action of water eddies. The flow of water gradually carried stones and other material into them, which, as they rotated, abraded the rock.
The power of the river
From the lookout points, we can watch the water rushing through the narrow rocky bed. The roar of the river is so pronounced that we realize the enormous power of the natural processes that created this landscape. During floods, the river can rise very quickly to a considerable height. This can be seen from the sign indicating the maximum level in 1951.
