Festungsmuseum Crestawald

Useful Information

Location:	At Crestawald near Sufers. A13 exit Avers, follow road through the Rofflaschlucht towards Sufers. Signposted. (46.566457, 9.387671)
Open:	JUN to OCT Sat 10-17. Summer School Holidays daily 10-17. [2022]
Fee:	Adults CHF 10, Children (6-16) CHF 4, Seniors CHF 8, Military (in uniform) CHF 5. Groups (10+): Adults CHF 7, Children (6-16) CHF 3. Guided Tours CHF 100. Audioguide CHF 5. [2022]
Classification:	World War II Bunker Secret Bunker
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided. Max=15.
Photography:
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Gästeinformation Viamala, Bodenplatz, CH-7435 Splügen, Tel: +41-81-6509030, Fax: +41-81-6509031. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1936	planning started.
1938	construction started.
17-JUN-1941	inaugurated and manned.
1942	construction finally completed.
1995	fortresses decommissioned.
2000	taken over by the Verein Festungsmuseum Crestawald.
JUN-2001	opened to the public.

Description

The Festungsmuseum Crestawald (Crestawald museum of fortifications) is located in one fortress of some 100 which were created before and during World War II in the area of Graubünden. The system was in use until 1995 when it was decommissioned during an army reformation. Later it was transformed into a museum and opened to the public.

The fortress was intended to block the shortest route between Nazi Germany and faschist Italy through the Rhine valley and over the Splügen Pass. The best location was here at the narrow Roffla gorge. In 1936 a team of Swiss army officers decided where it should be constructed, later the area was surveyed. Planning started in winter 1936, but they took rather long because of geologic difficulties. Finally, construction started end 1938. At the beginning of the war only two fortresses, Sufers and Geissrücken West, were completed. And although the fortress was inaugurated in 1941, the last works were completed in 1942.

The fortress was manned by the Festungsartilleriedétachement 236, commanded by Hauptmann Max Rüedi from Thusis. 95 soldiers manned the fortress until the end of the war. They worked in a three shift system with eight hours work, eight hours guarding and eight hours sleeping.

After the war, the alarm status was reduced, but the fortress was continually operated, until it was abandoned in 1991. It was continually updated and the technology improved. The last upgrade was a filter system which was installed in 1941. But when the fort was decommissioned, the weapons, ammunition and other material was removed. The Verein Festungsmuseum Crestawald, a non-profit organization, was founded and became new owner of the fortress in 2000. The fortress was opened to the public the following year.