Brienz/Brinzauls is best explored through its cultural heritage: the Brienz/Brinzauls Culture Trail leads to the ruins of Belfort Castle, the parish church of St. Calixtus, a memorial stone dating from 1471 and the old stone bridge Paunt da la dieschma. Green trail markers and route number 750 indicate the way. Medieval defensive and residential architecture, sacred art and the commemoration of the union of the Three Leagues thus offer different perspectives. This gives you a clear cultural and historical focus for planning; you can also consider the village as part of a cycling stage.
The Culture Trail and regional history
The memorial stone in Vazerol commemorates the union of the Three Leagues in 1471. Vazerol is part of the Brienz/Brinzauls area and lies on the old Julierstrasse/Septimerstrasse, the Obere Strasse. The stone bridge Paunt da la dieschma is another cultural heritage site on the Culture Trail. The Voia Culturala offers another way to explore cultural history: information panels present vivid details about the culture and history of the Lenzerheide region. The Rhaetian Railway and PostAuto GraubĂĽnden are recommended for travelling to the Voia Culturala, as only a limited number of parking spaces are available. Check current connections and parking information before your visit.
St. Calixtus: construction history and altar
The Catholic parish church of St. Calixtus was built between 1513 and 1519 on the remains of a Carolingian church first mentioned around 814. The choir houses a masterfully carved Late Gothic winged altar, regarded as the most significant winged altar in Graubünden. The retable is 5.6 metres high and has stood in its current location for over 500 years. The altar was probably made before 1519 in Ivo Stringel’s workshop in Memmingen. The tower is another architectural feature of the church: it leans because of landslides. The building’s history, the altar and the tower offer different perspectives on the history of St. Calixtus.
Explore the ruins of Belfort Castle
Belfort Fortress was built around 1230 as a new, noble ancestral seat of the Barons of Vaz. It stands on a narrow rocky ridge between two deep, difficult-to-cross stream ravines; the ridge drops steeply to the south. The towers also had different functions: the main tower has three storeys and was topped by a defensive platform, while the four-storey gate tower served as living quarters. Visitors can explore the walls, views and stairs at the castle ruins. From a parking area, the ruins can be reached in a 15-minute walk. The 15 minutes refers to the walk from the parking area to the ruins; time spent exploring is additional.
Landscape and cycling stage
Brienz/Brinzauls lies on a natural sun terrace and on the road between Lantsch/Lenz and Davos. For those exploring the area by bike, the village is on Stage 7 of Graubünden Bike. This route passes through Bergün, Filisur, Schmitten GR, Alvaneu Dorf, Brienz/Brinzauls, Lantsch/Lenz and Lenzerheide. The Culture Trail and the cycling stage offer different ways to plan your visit: the Culture Trail focuses on named architectural and memorial sites, while the bike stage places Brienz/Brinzauls in a sequence of other villages. You can therefore tailor your trip to your interests—whether you want to focus on cultural monuments or visit the village as part of the specified cycling stage.
Discover more destinations: Cunter, Schmitten, Alvaneu Bad, Mutten, Riom-Parsonz, Tinizong-Rona, Mons, Wiesen
Return to the broader travel overview: Albula.
