Swiss Heritage Society Poschiavo GR wins the Wakker Prize 2025
SDA
14.1.2025 - 10:30
The Swiss Heritage Society has awarded the Wakker Prize 2025 to the Graubünden municipality of Poschiavo. The mountain village combines tradition, progress and a sense of community and thus offers a forward-looking model for mountain regions.
It is an "exciting story of a once flourishing trading village between Graubünden and Italy", wrote the Swiss Heritage Society in a press release on Tuesday. In other words, Poschiavo made the best of an economic collapse in the 18th century.
Back then, many people emigrated after Napoleon took over the Valtellina. They sought their fortune as confectioners in major European cities. When they returned, they brought urban flair with them. Elegant patrician houses, also known as "palazzi", were built, which still characterize the townscape today.
They are listed in the Federal Inventory of Sites of National Importance in Switzerland. To ensure that this remains the case, new buildings must be based on traditional principles in accordance with the municipality's building regulations.
Secluded and independent
With its 3500 inhabitants, Poschiavo is located in the Bernina region. The only way through Switzerland is over the pass of the same name. The municipality makes the most of this remoteness: there is a hospital, district heating facilities, schools, a library and a wide range of cultural activities. According to Giovanni Jochum (FDP), president of the municipality, you have to invent and define yourself here.
This independence is a decisive factor in combating the exodus that many mountain regions have to contend with. "It is a place where people live, work and enjoy meeting up - the epitome of homeland protection," said David Vuillaume, managing director of the association, explaining the award.
Poschiavo is also constantly developing the surrounding nature. 90 percent of all agricultural land is certified organic. This makes the village a pioneer in this sector. In addition, traditional terraced landscapes are being restored and used to grow vegetables and herbs.
The Wakker Prize is a tribute to this commitment, explained the Heritage Society. According to Jochum, this is of inestimable value.