With a settlement history of over 5000 years, Chur is the oldest city in Switzerland and the picturesque old town is considered one of the most fully preserved in the country. Visitors from all over the world discover its sights during a leisurely stroll or on a guided city tour through the winding alleyways. Especially worth seeing are the episcopal palace, the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, and the superbly preserved buildings in the old town. Numerous boutiques, restaurants, bars, museums, and galleries, as well as regular markets and events, ensure the traffic-free old town has an almost Mediterranean charm.

Attractive, traffic-free, lively

Chur has one of the best preserved old towns in Switzerland. In recent decades it has been continuously restored, and today it is almost entirely free of traffic. Red signs lead you through the city and to the most beautiful sights, squares and alleyways. The old town also provides a backdrop for many colourful markets like the farmer's market every Saturday morning between May and October, the monthly flea market on Arcas square and the traditional Christmas market at the end of the year. The many boutiques, restaurants, cafes, bars, museums and galleries create an almost Mediterranean flair in the traffic-free old town.

Cathedral and Episcopal Court

Above the old town lies the episcopal court and the 800-year-old cathedral with its magnificent golden high altar from the late Gothic period. The cathedral is dedicated to the assumption of the Virgin Mary and is one of the most important cultural monuments in Switzerland. The court area was settled already during Roman times, when it served as a barracks. 451 Episcopal seat with simple basilica. The second cathedral in this place was built in the 8th century. Marble sculptures from that building are now standing in the newer cathedral (ornaments on the St. Lawrence altar and overlay on the St. Fidelis altar).  The current cathedral was built between 1150 and 1272 and, due to the position of our city along pass roads, it shows influences from all major Occidental cultures. Romanesque stone carvings on the capitals and the apostles' pillars. A Gothic sacrament house (1484) and a high altar by Jacob Russ (1486 -1492).

St.Martin's Church

The church that dominates the face of Chur was built after a fire in the city of the remains of a Carolingian church with three apses. It was completed in 1492 and has served as reformed town church since 1526. The south wall is adorned by three impressive stained-glass windows by Augusto Giacometti from the year 1919. The bell tower was constructed in 1509 and got its pointed tip after a series of modifications in 1917 and 1918. The St.Martin's fountain in front of the church was built in 1716, the column and the sculptures were made in 1910 after originals from 1716. A complete restoration was performed in 1990.

St.Lucius' Church

Of the Carolingian church with three apses from the first half of the 8th century, only the ring crypt with its confession remain today. 1140 Foundation of the Premonstratensian monastery, Romanesque Expansion (choir and crypt). After 1500 several fires, 1807 foundation of the priest seminary and elevation. 1951/52 restoration in the original style. Late Gothic carved altar (around 1520). Mosaic pictures by Hans Baumhauser(1952).

City tours

On guided and themed tours you can learn more about the old town of Chur. Whether individually or in a group, there is a lot to discover on the tours offered by Chur Tourism.

www.churtourismus.ch/en/guidedtours

Mother's Day brunch 11.05.2025
Enjoy a delicious brunch in the sports restaurant with your family on Mother's Day - pool admission included. Book a table now!

In the outside area of the Obere Au indoor pool in Chur you'll find the Aquamarine hot water wellness pool. The outdoor pool, which is heated to 31 - 33° in summer and 32 - 34° in winter, offers soothing massage tables, relaxing neck jets, an invigorating whirlpool bay, and a mysterious bubbling grotto with light and music effects. True indulgence in the open air! Particularly fun for kids is the aquarium at the grotto with its catfish, eels, clown loach and South American tilapias. Use of the Aquamarine is included in the indoor pool admission. This facility is perfectly complemented by the spa complex with saunas and infrared cabins, as well as the gym for cardio and strength training.

Additional information

• Water and air temperatures
• Pool rules
• Access for people with disabilities

Get locked in at AdventureRooms and experience a thrilling challenge! You and your group will be left to your own devices as you explore rooms, seek clues and hidden doors and solve mysterious riddles to escape from your confinement before time runs out. Are you up to the challenge?

Offer details
Three adventures are available:

• Die 1990er
• Das Verlies
• Der Hinterhalt 

Game variants

Standard course or duel? Both Episode 1 and Episode 2 can be played as a standard course or as a duel. In the standard course, a team of 2 to 8 players must use skill and cunning to escape a room with locked doors in less than 60 minutes. In the duel, two teams of up to 8 players compete against each other. One team has 30 minutes to catch the other using its skill and cunning, while the second team simultaneously has to use its skill and cunning to escape the first team. After a half-time break, the game is reset and the roles are reversed. 

Recommended age

Under 16s are allowed only when accompanied by adults. Basic recommendation: From 9 years

The blue Cinema is more than just a cinema. Experience the multitainment at the blue Cinema in Chur. The cinema has around 8 auditoriums including an IMAX and 4DX. With the roof-top you can enjoy the view over Chur. The Gamezone and Sportsbar with live broadcasts provide fun and further entertainment. Or you can visit the restaurant Hans im Glück. 

The cinema can be visited by public transport (Chur Bus, line 2 and 6) or by car. Additional parking spaces are also available in the City West (passage to the cinema).

The exhibitions at the Natural History Museum are dedicated to the rock formations, flora, and fauna of Graubünden Canton, with a focus on the biodiversity of the Alpine region. A rich programme of temporary exhibitions, events, and courses introduces visitors to fascinating natural phenomena. Collection work, research, and publications complete the museum services. Some of the most popular exhibits of the museum, like Switzerland's most notable gold discovery or the brown bear "JJ3" who roamed the Swiss mountains in 2007, are integrated into exhibitions on geology or mammal species in Graubünden. Temporary exhibitions complement the varied programme.

The museum takes great care to ensure that the complex ecological contexts are presented in a fashion that speaks to visitors of all ages. There is even a kids' play area for the smallest among them. 

The Cathedral Treasure Museum comprises of two groups of objects: The actual cathedral treasure and the cycle of murals of the death pictures from 1543, both of which are exhibited on two floors and are of unique value to visitors of all ages and specialists.

The location of the museum, the baroque Episcopal Palace in Chur, is a grown cultural monument of national importance and also one of the most important secular buildings in Graubünden.

The Apollo cinema lies a little outside Chur town centre and offers space for 333 guests on two floors. The cinema is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. The cinema offers everything for a great movie experience, from loyalty cards to ticket vouchers, it organises kids' birthdays and hires out its rooms for events.

Quader Center cinema is Chur's town centre, with 301 seats across 3 screens. The screens are equipped with state of the art equipment. The cinema offers everything for a great movie experience, from loyalty cards to ticket vouchers, it organises kids' birthdays and hires out its rooms for events.

The boulder hall Quadrel is with 700 square meters one of the biggest boulder halls in Switzerland. Besides different main walls with different steepness it offers a specific area for beginners and children, a national competition wall as well as a training area for ambitious boulderers.
A spacious children's paradise and a cosy bistro, where you can enjoy excellent coffee, drinks and small meals, complement the offer.