Malögin

Remains of an Ancient Roman Road in Maloja

 

After about 15-20 minutes’ walk along the Malögin, the footpath that leads from Maloja to Casaccia, you reach an 8-metre rock step on which you can make out ruts left by Roman carriage wheels. This ramp was discovered in 1972 by Armon Planta, a secondary school teacher from Sent in Graubünden. Dating from the 1st century AD, the grooves from the wheels, separated by clearly discernible steps, reveal a wheel gauge of 107 cm, are 10 to 15 cm deep, and lie at a gradient of 25 to 30%. Beside the grooves are six man-made holes whose purpose remains uncertain. More information on historic transport routes in Graubünden can be found in the publication “Non solo romane” (“Not just Roman” – bilingual edition available in Italian/German), published by the Society for Research on Graubünden Culture.