Fame & Image

Fame: St. Moritz  owes its original fame to its therapeutic springs, which have been known for almost 3,500 years and were first recorded in 1466 BC. The resort was visited by summer spa guests as early as the Middle Ages. In 1519, Pope Leo X actually granted total absolution to every religious St. Moritz spa guest. Unbelievable but true: in 1830 St. Moritz had only 200 inhabitants.

Events and image: In 1928 and 1948, St. Moritz hosted the Winter Olympics – to date the only Olympic Games to be held in Switzerland. Numerous ski and bob World Championships and other major winter sporting events – as well as famous guests – have ensured the exceptionally high profile and prestige value of St. Moritz throughout the world. St. Moritz hotels, restaurants and businesses are now found in Miami Beach, Dubai, Shenzhen, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, Manila and Tokyo. To protect its name from misuse, St. Moritz registered its name as a trade mark in 1986 – the first resort to do so – and since then the name has been protected in around 50 countries.

The appeal: The delightful harmony of the Upper Engadin landscape with around 90 mountain lakes, the famous "champagne climate" and the strong Engadin sun are the assets that really create the St. Moritz appeal. The spa centre, concentration of cultural offers, Switzerland’s only national park and - last but not least – the sophisticated clientele, 70 per cent from abroad, also play their part. They have a strong bearing on the cosmopolitan ambiance for which St. Moritz is so world famous. The name St. Moritz is synonymous throughout the world with chic, elegance and class. It is an embodiment of style, tradition and quality. As confirmed by its success: St. Moritz keeps the promises made by its name.

Famous guests: At that time, as today, St. Moritz was a popular playground for many famous people. Alfred Hitchcock, Brigitte Bardot and Gunter Sachs were regular guests to St. Moritz, as were Charlie Chaplin, Henry Ford, Greta Garbo, Thomas Mann, the Kennedy family and the Shah of Persia.