Top 9 Lakes around Savognin

A village submerged - Marmorera The flooding (1954): 29 houses, 52 stables and a church sank into the water. A new Marmorera was built slightly higher up on the slope for the relocated inhabitants. On September 14, 1955, the Marmorera Castiletto dam was inaugurated. Among those present were, in addition to the Zurich City President Emil Landolt, local politicians such as Gion Not Spegnas, District President of Oberhalbstein, as well as involved entrepreneurs and officials. While the illustrious guests attended the ceremony in the high-alpine valley basin, the plant further down in Tinizong, one of the three power station stages, was already producing electricity for Zurich. The reservoir looked like a natural mountain lake with a smooth water surface, in which the sunlight glittered. But the apparent mountain idyll hides a secret. On the dark ground lie the ruins of the village of Marmorera – once a flourishing community that benefited from coach traffic over the Julier Pass before the construction of the Albula Tunnel, but whose citizens had been barely making a living from agriculture since the Second World War. Text / Source: Swiss National Museum, Landesmuseum Zürich, Museumstrasse 2, Zurich https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/2022/09/staudamm-marmorera/

Lai da Marmorera / Marmorerasee since 1954 Sunken village and lost homeland – The story of Marmorera The story of Marmorera is a story of change and loss. In the 1950s, as Zurich increasingly needed electricity, a reservoir was built on the Ova da Marmorera river. This led to the flooding of the village of Marmorera, which then sank into the reservoir. The inhabitants were resettled, and the old village disappeared into the water of the new Marmorerasee. The Marmorera Castiletto dam was completed in 1954, and the old municipality of Marmorera was replaced by the new Marmorera. Today, only a few houses remain on the shore of the lake, and the story of Marmorera remains a fascinating testament to a turbulent past. Text / Source: wikipedia.org https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lai_da_Marmorera

Beautiful view up- and downstream. In spring with impressively low water levels, which makes the massive dam visible.

At the beautiful, small forest lake with the sonorous name Laj la Villa there is a well-equipped fire pit with a permanently installed steel grill, a wood depot and some seating.

The Lai Barnagn bathing lake is a must on hot days. It offers something for everyone. Big or small, old or young. The area around the lake is very diverse. - Children's playground - Mini golf course - Lake area for small children - Flippers and bouncy cushions and more in the lake - Small soccer field - Beach volleyball court - Lawn area for relaxing - Barbecue areas - Large kiosk with hot meals, e.g. burgers or fries and much more. After a bike or hiking tour, it's worth stopping here for a beer or a coffee.

Bathing lake / Large parking lot in winter About the origin of Lai Barnagn In summer, a swimming lake with everything a bathing heart could wish for. In winter there is a large parking lot for the cable cars. This dual use of the Lai Barnagn is unique. Baltermia Peterelli, one of the initiators, tells us how this brilliant idea came about over 35 years ago. Children splash around at the water playground, stand-up paddleboarders cruise the lake and beach volleyballs fly on the shore. Anyone who sits at Lai Barnagn in summer and enjoys the cozy atmosphere cannot imagine that there is a large parking lot here in winter with up to 700 cars lined up side by side. The water is simply drained in the fall and refilled in the spring – a miraculous transformation that has occurred every year for 35 years. Today I would like to tell you the story of how the idea and realization of this unique and ingenious dual-use facility came about. To do this, I met with Baltermia Peterelli, former head of the Savognin building department and one of the fathers of Lai Barnagn. Text / Source: Tourism Savognin Bivio Albula AG, Stradung 42, 7460 Savognin https://www.valsurses.ch/de/vom-ursprung-des-lai-barnagn

At this point there is a well-developed fire pit. Even wood is available for free use. There are benches and tables and a large grill. There is also an artificial pond. Here you can see frogs and toads in summer.

Beautiful lake landscape with picnic areas and fireplaces, but also a number of "natural rest stops". Here you should simply take a little time and enjoy this unique place.