Monte Laura

Here nature envelops you in an embrace of colors and scents and gives you a splendid view of the surrounding valleys.

History of Monte Laura
The origin of Monte Laura is lost to time. However, it is known that four hundred and fifty years ago, in the distant year 1545, the mountain already had no fewer than 62 farms and extensive meadows and pastures, as evidenced by ancient documents kept in the municipal archives of Roveredo. Later, towards the end of the 17th century, Roveredo's massive emigration to Austria, Swabia, Franconia and Bavaria began a long and uninterrupted abandonment of the mountain.

The mountain then recovered only at the beginning of the twentieth century, when the Roveredan Silvio Schenardi had the idea and the courage to build a hotel, the Albergo Laura (1903-1904), which soon attracted numerous foreigners and holidaymakers who enjoyed the healthy wanted the climate and the enchanting mountain landscape. The first telephone connection came with the Albergo Laura in 1908. And after the hotel, numerous existing farmhouses were renovated and converted into holiday homes.

In 1921-1922, on the initiative of the parish priest of Roveredo, Don Gioacchino Zarro, the picturesque church of San Domenico was built, designed by the famous architect Enea Tallone and painted ten years later by his brother Guido.

In 1933-1934, the first cable car connected the valley floor with the mountain and enabled the daily transport of mail, food and building materials for several new holiday homes, which until then had to be transported by mules up a steep and impassable mule track.

However, the greater development of the mountain was made possible by the Roveredo-Laura carriage road, begun in 1936 and finally completed in 1940, also thanks to the intervention of the military authorities, who extended it to the Gesero-Biscia barracks. With the advent of the new road, paved in 1969, Monte Laura had its small post office and one or two daily mail services, provided first by a cart pulled by a donkey, then by a small pickup truck and, from 1946, a more comfortable postal bus. After the post bus service was stopped in 1996, the Pro Laura association took over the responsibility of ensuring the public transport connection from Roveredo to Monte Laura. Nowadays the service is provided by a minibus that transports passengers, mail and bread with two daily trips. Always thanks to the new road, Laura had another remarkable development. New holiday homes and the first chalets were built. A restaurant and guesthouse was added to the existing Albergo Laura, which was later called the restaurant “La BoIa”. In 1948 the “Colonia don Zarro” was built, which housed hundreds of children from Mesolcina and all of Ticino for thirty years.

The construction of the aqueduct certainly gave it a further boost in 1953, thanks to the Laura Aqueduct Association, which still ensures the drinking water supply to all vacationers today.

The Pro Laura association was also founded in 1959, which contributed significantly to the improvement and upgrading of the mountain. Do not forget the creation in August 1982 of the association Pro Chiesetta di Laura, which over the years has promoted various works for the preservation of the Church of San Domenico.

Among the most important innovations of the last twenty years has been the transformation (on the initiative of Antonio Schenardi from Rovereto) of the former Albergo Laura and the colony into a study and holiday center for youth, which offers courses in German, French every year in July and August and mathematics, since 2001 also in English, for around 150 elementary and middle school students who want to use the summer time to improve their school skills and at the same time spend a vacation in a healthy and still untouched environment.

Today Monte Laura is a splendid example of the union of man and nature, probably unique of its kind. The presence of the carriage road and a public transport service guarantee easy accessibility, while the presence of the former Albergo Laura, the restaurant "La Bola" and the Colony (the latter is available for stays for groups during times when it is not being used as a study and holiday center) are meeting points and refreshments for passing holidaymakers and hikers. Respect for nature is absolute since electrification is only guaranteed by solar energy. The enchanting landscape, embedded in a still wild and perfectly preserved nature, the numerous paths that wind through an alpine area of great beauty,



Nikola Fornara

(Partially taken from the article “II Monte Laura yesterday and today” by Prof. Piero Stanga, published in the Italian Almanac 2000 by Pro Grigioni)