FiliTour Nr. 3: Chesa Fontana

Cold house - warm Stüva

The cold was part of everyday life in the Engadinerhaus. Seraina Heinrich-Planta, the niece of former owners Valentin and Caty Schmid-Juvalta, recalls how dangerous she could be:

"My mother took care of the elderly relatives in Filisur. Uncle Valentin was very weak and Aunt Caty was slowly losing her memory. One evening in late autumn, she called us in St. Moritz because she felt threatened. I drove with my mother over the Albula Pass to check on the two. When we arrived in Filisur, it was already deep black night.

It was bitterly cold in the house. Uncle Valentin lay frozen on the cold stove bench in the Stüva. We had to fire in the kitchen stove to warm it up. There was also almost nothing left to eat. The two had been eating an old Engadine sausage and a little risotto for a week. Luckily, my mother had brought something with her and cooked them a hot meal. Afterwards they fell asleep contentedly in the warm Stüva.

We crawled in the bedroom above the stove stairs in the high old beds under the thick feather duvets. The next morning, the walls and ceiling were covered with hoarfrost, the window panes covered with ice flowers. Uncle and aunt had slept well in the warm Stüva.

After that night, my parents took Uncle Valentin and Aunt Caty to Thusis to the old people's home.

Exemplary renovation

The house was renovated in 2013-2015 in collaboration with the Preservation of Monuments. The extensive renovation work with selective new installations such as a new development was planned and realized by the architect Men Duri Arquint on behalf of Helen Fontana. Close cooperation took place with the Archaeological Service, the Cantonal Preservation of Monuments and recognized restorers and specialist craftsmen such as Ivano Rampa, Aaron Bellini and Ruedi Krebs.

In the audio, the current owner Helene Fontana tells how she took over the house, how she had it renovated and what personal relationship she has with the house. The audio file can be found at the back of the pictures.