Vals Thermal Baths

The Therme Vals opened in 1996 and made Peter Zumthor's international reputation. It is built from sixty thousand slabs of Valser quartzite quarried up the valley, laid in thin courses so the whole building reads as stacked stone, and the interior is arranged as a sequence of chambers cut into that mass - hot, cold, sounding, flower-scented - lit in narrow slots, with the temperature and acoustics changing as you move between them. The commission came about because the commune bought the bankrupt spa in 1983 to save the village's economy and then chose an uncompromising architect. The building is a protected monument. The valley around it is remote and largely undeveloped.

Highlights

• Sixty thousand quartzite slabs - quarried up the valley and laid in thin courses.
• A sequence of cut chambers - hot, cold, sounding, scented, each different.
• A commune's own commission - the village bought the failing spa in 1983.
• A protected modern monument - listed for its architecture.

When to go

All year. Half a day.

What to expect

Entry is limited and should be booked; hotel guests get the quiet slots. Photography inside is generally not allowed, which surprises architecture visitors. The valley is a long drive or bus from anywhere. It is expensive.

Nearby

Ilanz and the Rhine gorge are down the valley; Flims is north.