Stony Guardians of the Water

Stony Guardians of the Water

In the village of Zillis-Reischen, Via Mala Region, Canton Graubünden

The lady on the right wasn't smiling either ;-)

Ah, but the photographer was.

Zillis, along with the neigboring village of Andeer, sits along the road connecting Splügen to the Via Mala Gorge.
My hosts at the lovely Hotel Bodenhaus in Splügen suggested I explore them both on the way back from
photographing the wildromantisch chasm along the Hinterrhein, and I was glad I did.

Zillis' history can be traced to Roman times. It was along the trade route that connected Italy
and Switzerland over the Splügen Pass and the treacherous route across the Via Mala.

It is the location of the Romanesque St. Martin's Church, first mentioned
in the year 831, although the structure was most likely rebuilt a few centuries later.

Additional images of Zillis, Andeer, and Via Mala can be seen in my Swiss Alps folder.

This image is available in archival gallery prints and as a custom printed Photo Note Card.

Image, Narrative, and Design ©2010/2011 Steve Ember