Spassegio cultural tras vischnanca - Savognin

Nr. 7: The regional museum
Kitchen
The regional museum
The property «Museum Curvanera» is an impressive evidence
of our ancestors way of living. A tower house from the
12th/13th century constitutes the oldest part of the building,
connected to the stable. A two-storied log construction annex
was added in the 15th century. At the end of the 16th century
the log construction was sealed with a mantlet wall although
the log construction is still visible in the living room close
to the windows. The largest extension and also todays form
was added in the year 1769. The house was extended by one
rooms length to the west and todays stable was built. The
facade was freshly plastered and adorned with a picture of the
Mother of God. The house was inhabited until the beginnings
of the 1970‘s. The community bought the property and made it
available to the «Museum Curvanera» foundation to establish
a museum. With a lot of idealism and knowhow the house was
restored in the years 1980/1981 and inaugurated with a large
folk festival in 1982. The living room with a massive gothic
wooden ceiling is being used for civil wedding ceremonies.
The museum holds special exhibitions every year and in the
summer and winter season the house and stable are open for
visitors at certain times.
Some history...
Savognin is mentioned for the first time in 1154 in a document
of the bishop Adalgott of Chur. In this document there is mentioned
a «curium de Sueningin». These farmyards (curts) were
cultivated by a tenant and his people. It is assumed that the
museum was part of that farmyard. Even today two parts of the
village are named «Surcurt» (above the farmyard) and «Sotcurt»
(below the farmyard). The parts of the village have grown
together more or less over the years but on old photos one can
see the different parts of the village quite well. Even though
it isn‘t documented, it is certain that our village had existed
for a long time before 1154 already. The passes over the Julier
and Septimer were important passes over the alps and known
already in prehistoric times. Archaeological excavations in the
valley, especially in Riom and Padnal, as well as the discovery
of a foundry mould in Padnal which consisted of two stone
slabs and a needle from the Bronze Age are proof that the
valley was inhabited already around 2000 years before Christ.
These inhabitants also already knew about the sources of iron
ores in the Val Err. The first contract of the Gentlemen of Marmels
for the digging of iron ores was established in 1338.
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