Early Winter Sports

The origins of winter sports date back to the seventies and eighties of the last century, after Englishmen had dared to travel by horse-drawn sleighs to cross the Julier pass in winter of 1864, on the initiative of Johannes Badrutt. They were looking for recreation and pleasure even in this time of the year.

Above all, and simultaneously with skiing, ice skating and curling were the most popular sports. 1882 the first ice skating competition was held with participation of Vienna. Followed in short intervals by the foundation of the first curling clubs, the tobogganing clubs and others. Bandy (now hockey) was also played, the first bobsleighs were invented and designed, and with the beginning of this century there was a peak development in all sorts of winter sports.

All these modern sports have one thing in common: they were all played in the spacious Kulm Park from the very beginning. And thus made the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz the cradle of modern winter sports. Later, in the years 1928 and 1948, even the Olympic Winter Games have been opened in the park of the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz.

Until now the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz is the home of the St. Moritz Tobogganing Club (the medal ceremonies are still held in the legendary Sunny Bar), as well as the Cresta Run and the Olympic Bob Run St. Moritz-Celerina. Both on the grounds of the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz. Equally important throughout the years was Badrutt's sense of social pioneering work.