Der Glaspass - Das Tor zur Aussenwelt

"For centuries, the Glaspass was the gateway to the outside world for the Safiers. The goods were transported in the summer with the tragreff, a wooden frame, which was carried on the back from valley to valley. In winter, the very steep descent to Safien could be overcome by sledge over the snow road. At that time, the farmers of Safien Platz had meadows on glass and had to pull the hay from the barn down to the Safien Valley in winter. The postman brought the mail from Thusis over the Glass Pass to Safien on foot and back on the same day. Until the fifties of the 20th century, the Safiers and their cattle still went over glass to the 'Thusnermärt'."

For centuries, the Glass Pass was the most important connecting route for the inhabitants of the Safien Valley. They regularly wandered over the Glass Pass to Thusis to get food and other goods. The interest for the monastery of Cazis was transported over the pass and at the market in Thusis the Safier often sold their cattle. In winter, sledges were used for material transport, in summer the support reef, a wooden frame on the back, was used. With ropes and knots, the cargo was tied up so that it arrived safely at its destination. The steep ascent from Safien to Innerglas, which was also called "Stägä" because of its many curves, took about 1 1/2 hours. Avalanches, debris flows and fallen trees made it even more difficult to pass. In 1501 Tschappina took over the maintenance of the path. This was time-consuming and repeatedly led to conflicts between Chalkinia and Safien. Nevertheless, this route was easier to keep open than the way over the Safierberg to Splügen in the south of the Safien Valley.

Construction of the road in the Safien Valley

The Glaspass lost its importance when in 1885 the carriageway from Thalkirch to Versam was built and the valley opened to the north. The stagecoach ride from Safien Square to Versam took four to five hours in good weather conditions. The mail, which used to be brought over the Glaspass by carriage, could now be delivered by carriage to Thalkirch. It was not until the winter of 1953/54 that the horse-drawn carriage was replaced by a postbus in winter.