Davos - from health resort to sports mecca

Originally Davos owes its importance to its healing climate, which has been known for about 150 years. As early as 1860, the first Davos guesthouse opened to accommodate spa guests.

The immigrant German doctor Alexander Spengler created a reclining cure for lung patients, which included above all a lot of sleep on the Davos sun terraces and Veltliner wine. This method made Davos world famous and was also immortalized in literary terms in the novel "The Magic Mountain" by Thomas Mann, published in 1924. In addition to Mann, numerous other writers, artists and philosophers traveled to Davos. These brought their own culture with them, made the resort famous in their works or initiated the sports, event and cultural offerings that are taken for granted today.

Pioneer of winter sports

Davos was at the forefront of the development of modern winter sports. The history of the world-famous Davos sledge began in the 19th century. The sled got its name at the first, historic sled race in Davos in 1883. In 1921, the Davos Hockey Club was founded in Davos, which today is both a myth and a living legend. The Spengler Cup, first held in 1923, is the oldest and most prestigious international ice hockey tournament in the world. The Parsenn Derby is the most traditional ski race in Switzerland and was held for the first time in 1924. Ten years later, the first ever bow ski lift was put into operation on the Bolgen. In modern times Davos made headlines when it founded the freestyle scene in the 80s. At that time, the Jakobshorn was the only mountain where snowboarders were allowed to use the lifts.