Evangelische Kirche Safien Platz

Today's late Gothic church from 1510 replaces an older building that dates back to the Romanesque period, when the Rhaeto-Romans still called the Safiental their own around the year 800. In the 14th century, the Walser came from the Rhine Forest via the Safier and Löchliberg to the Safiental. The Walser took over the existing chapel at the entrance to the Carnusa Gorge. In 1350 the parish of Safien was founded. Ten years later, the church received a bell that still calls the faithful together today.

The new church was consecrated in 1510 in honor of John the Baptist. It bears the signature of the master Andres Bühler from Gmünd in Carinthia. His master's mark and the date of construction can be seen in the choir vault. He also built the village church in Thusis. The late Gothic, southeast-facing complex, consisting of a nave and a choir closed on three sides. Above the choir a two-bay star vault. Two ogival windows with fish-bladder traceries above central supports. In the south wall there is a Gothic-chamfered door, above the nave a diamond vault of three bays. On the north and west walls a wooden gallery.
The tower: stands on the south side, with ogival and a round-arched light slit. The belfry with octagonal pointed helmet.

Above the nave is a diamond vault with striking painting. Flowers, a stork (symbol of the resurrection and return of Christ), two crossed crane necks (symbol of togetherness and vigilance) and masks with caps (symbols of past and future) adorn the spandrels. In the keystones you can see the monogram of Christ, the coat of arms of the Upper Covenant and the abbess Margareta von Reitnau of the monastery of Cazis, who gave the order for the construction of the church (black ball). The third keystone is broken. In pre-Reformation times, it was called the "Holy Spirit Hole". During the Pentecost service, a white, wooden dove was hovered over the believer on a rope as a symbol of the Holy Spirit.