Chisti Lumbrein, Tower house in Lumbrein, Grisons, Switzerland.
Chisti Lumbrein is a medieval tower house at the southern edge of Lumbrein in the Val Lumnezia. Its residential area is protected to the north by a massive shield wall, and it is covered by a shed roof sloping south. On the east side, the third and fourth floors each have a high entrance reached by a staircase on a masonry base from the north; the original iron door of the lower entrance survives.
Dendrochronological dating places the tower's construction around 1316, likely over the walls of an earlier building. It was probably the ancestral seat of the lords of Lumerins. Since at least the mid-16th century it has belonged to the Capaul family, who still inhabit it. Peter Zumthor restored it in 1969–70.
The tower reflects how prosperous families built their homes in the mountains and established their presence in the valley community. Visitors can observe through its solid construction how the alpine landscape shaped the way people designed their dwellings.
The tower is located in Lumbrein and remains visible from outside, making it easy to spot within the mountain village. Visitors should expect steep terrain surrounding the area and wear sturdy footwear suitable for alpine conditions.
Inside, original beam ceilings survive, along with a late-Gothic carved panel fragment bearing the coats of arms of the Werdenberg and Brandis families, dated to the late 15th or early 16th century. The lower east entrance still keeps its original iron door.
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