Center cultural Baselgia San Niclà

The historical importance

of the church of San Niclà

It is no coincidence that the Romanesque church with semicircular choir of San Niclà, built shortly before 1200, was dedicated to Saint Christopher. Among other things, he was the emergency helper of the skippers and bridge builders. San Niclà is located on an ancient road where the Inn could first be crossed through a ford and, probably very early in the Middle Ages, over a bridge. The monumental Christophorus painting, which is still partially preserved on the southwest façade of the tower, proves that the valley path led from Ramosch via Raschvella to San Niclà at the end of the Middle Ages. It was only visible to travellers when they used this right-hand valley path via Raschvella. The coats of arms, painted alongside the representations of St. Christopher and St. Anthony Abbot, belong to the families of Matsch and à Porta. These were probably created between 1490 and 1504. In fact, family members of the von Matsch had long controlled castles in the region (Tarasp, Ramosch). It is significant that the coat of arms of the à Porta stands next to that of Matsch. The à Porta were among the most influential family clans in the region (source: book "Visibly Holy" by Simona Boscani Leoni).

When the left-hand valley path through Plattamala was built around the middle of the 15th century, the church of San Niclà lost its regional importance. During this time, the ridge turret was replaced by the current tower, presumably so that the people of the newly built houses of Strada could hear the bells better. The fact that the church of San Niclà was used at least until the construction of the church of Strada (1750) is proven by the well-preserved nave vault built in 1718.

In the "

Anzeiger für schweizerische Altertumskunde" 1876, written by Johann Rudolf Rahn from Zurich, p. 717, the following is written:"

Schleins, Unterengadin. The church of S. Nicolaus, located far below the mountain village on the other (right) bank of the Inn just above Strada, has now been transformed into a farmhouse. At the S.-W. corner of the ship, and partly built into it, stands the unadorned novel. Thurm, each with two coupled arched windows on the two upper floors and covered with a low tent roof. The semicircular apse on the east side is partly destroyed and now provided with a gable roof. 1874".

In order to prevent the church from being transformed into a holiday home or something similar, some proactive people from the region created the Foundation pro Baselgia San Niclà in 1982, with the aim of restoring the church to its original state so that it could be used as such again.

The set goal has been achieved and we are particularly pleased that since 1987 San Niclà has regularly hosted religious and cultural events of all kinds.

Additional information can be found at www.san-nicla.ch The Board
of Trustees