Die statt Chur im Schweytzer gebirg in der Grawen pündter land unfern vom Rhein gelegen.

Title

Die statt Chur im Schweytzer gebirg in der Grawen pündter land unfern vom Rhein gelegen.

Representation of the city of Chur in Graubünden, Switzerland.

ca. 1550

Artist

Münster (1489-1552)

Sebastian Münster (1489–1552) was a leading Renaissance cosmographer. His most famous work, the Cosmographia (1544), was a comprehensive description of the world with 24 maps, based on research dating back to 1528. Continuously revised, the 1550 edition already included many new maps. It was the first scientific yet accessible world description published in German, illustrated with numerous woodcuts by artists such as Hans Holbein the Younger. Between 1544 and 1650, the Cosmographia appeared in 46 editions (27 in German) and was translated into several languages. Münster’s work combined the knowledge of scholars, artists, and travelers and remained influential long after his death.

Historical Description

Chur lies in the wide valley of the Alpine Rhine. Chur originated from Roman settlements. From its military structure, the bishopric of Chur probably developed as early as the 4th century AD, making it the first bishopric north of the Alps. Chur was already a local administrative center in the first centuries of its existence, which is indicated, among other things, by the honorary monument to Lucius Caesar. In the 9th century, the city was under the rule of Emperor Louis the Pious. In the 13th century, the settlement, which at that time had a good 1000 inhabitants (craftsmen, merchants, farmers), was enclosed by a city wall. The founding of the Gotteshausbund in 1367 marked a first major step in the citizens' striving for self-government. In 1413 a mayor is mentioned for the first time. By storming the bishop's residence several times in 1418-1422, the people of Chur forced the city ruler to make concessions. The bishop, who often acted as a vicarious agent of the House of Habsburg, lost power and prestige. In 1464, large parts of the city fell victim to a fire. The reconstruction was mainly carried out by German-speaking craftsmen. After their work was done, they stayed in Chur, which led to an advance of the German language in Chur. To protect their interests, they joined together in guilds. The citizens of Chur sent the town scribe Johannes Gsell to Emperor Frederick III and asked for help. The king confirmed the old rights and granted almost complete exemption from episcopal rule. The new constitution was essentially based on the newly founded five guilds (vintners, shoemakers, tailors, blacksmiths, Pfister). Only town citizens could become guild members. The guild regime came to an end shortly before 1840. From the middle of the 17th century, the town took a quiet development based on the transit traffic, which increased again. The relationship between the citizens and the bishop was, if not one of sympathy, at least one of mutual respect. After Graubünden joined the Swiss Confederation in 1803, Chur officially became the capital with the cantonal constitution in force from 1820. In 1852, the hitherto sovereign court district (Hof Chur) was incorporated.