Attraction Flims Laax Falera

Der Felssturz von Fidaz (10. April 1939)

Eine riesigen Schuttlawine begräbt Teile des Dörfchens Fidaz
...nachdem sich am Flimserstein rund 100'000m3 Fels lösten und zu Tale stürzten

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Der Felssturz von Fidaz (10. April 1939)
A natural disaster as the birth of new life

Description

"Switzerland's biggest natural disaster in decades"

This was the headline in the Schweizer Illustrierte in April 1939 after a huge rock mass of around 100,000m3 broke away from the Flimserstein and thundered down onto the village of Fidaz.

The falling material captured the children's home "Sunnehüsli" in Fidaz. The house was completely destroyed and 18 people were killed. Fortunately, three children were rescued almost unscathed from the pile of rubble.

In order to protect the village from further spontaneous departures of the dissolved rock masses, the rock face was then bombarded with an infantry cannon to bring it down prematurely.

Even 10 years after the accident, the path of the rockfall is clearly visible. Like a "scar" it runs vertically through the forest below the rock face.

From an ecological perspective, however, the rockfall is also the birth of young life. The resulting swath forms a new niche for the growth of pioneer vegetation and thus a habitat for many animals.

After 70 years, the

scars of the rockfall are damaged and the forest is quite fast and already 70 years the forest has reclaimed the devastated area.

A visit to the village of Fidaz at the foot of the gigantic Flimserstein is always worthwhile! The Höhenwanderung Bargis-Fidaz-Flims leads along the foot of the Flimserstein and thus offers a good opportunity to search for the faded traces of the rockfall on your own.

Already estimated 9450 years ago, probably the largest landslide in the Swiss Alps occurred on the Flimserstein - the Flims landslide - in which about 10km3 of rock fell to the valley, which led to the creation of today's impressive landscape, such as the unique Ruinaulta (Rhine Gorge).

Would you like to learn more about rockslides and landslides or earthquakes in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sardona? Then a visit to the exhibition BergeBeben in Vättis.

Directions

Public Transport

Train to Chur, change to the Postbus to Flims Laax Falera, stop Flims Post, from there with the Flims Laax Falera Shuttle in the direction of Bargis, stop Fidaz (with the guest card or the local ID the shuttle is free of charge)

Directions

From the A3/A13 from Chur or from San bernardino, take the Reichenau exit (no. 18) towards Flims. You can park your car in one of the numerous parking lots at the Flims valley station and from there take the Flims Laax Falera Shuttle in the direction of Bargis, continue to Fidaz

Parking

Paid parking spaces in the multi-storey car park at the Flims valley station

Contact

Responsible for this content: UNESCO-Welterbe Tektonikarena Sardona.
This content has been translated automatically.

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