UNESCO-World Heritage Site Sardona

A unique glimpse into the formation of the Alps

Have you always wondered how the Alps were formed? Then you’ve come to the right place at the UNESCO-World Heritage Site Sardona. There is hardly any other place in the world where you can see how mountains are formed as well as in the region above Flims. For this reason, the Tectonic Arena Sardona was recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO together with an area spanning 32,800 hectares in 2008. If you are interested in how the world looked when the Glarus thrust was still active, you should take a look around the visitor pavilion Sardona or download the "Sardona Aktiv" app.

Virtual tour

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Free public transport journey - for 3 nights or more

When booking three or more nights in accommodation in a Swiss park, guests receive free travel to and from the park by public transport! Offer valid for travel from 1 August to 31 October 2023, or while stocks last.
 

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Accommodation

Das UNESCO Weltnaturerbe Tektonikarena Sardona mit den Tschingelhörnern.

Tschingel-Hörner & Martinsloch

One of the best places to see the effects of the Glarus thrust are the nine peaks of the Tschingelhörner. The jagged peaks edges are unique and impossible to miss. However, twice a year, the Martinsloch opening below steals the show. For a few minutes in March and October, the sun shines through the 22-metre high, 19-metre wide, window in the rocks onto the church steeple in Elm. This is a unique experience and always attracts many visitors to the area.

Das UNESCO Weltnaturerbe Tektonikarena Sardona mit den Tschingelhörnern.

Glarus thurst

Here, mountains are king. The geological fact that older rock lies on top of younger rock sounds false to our ears. Yet this is exactly the case here. When two tectonic plates from Africa and Europe collided, the older layer of rock was pushed above the younger one. The original layers of rock were pushed onto one another, folded over and ultimately broken into pieces. The consequences of this enormous force are clearly visible from the Martinsloch opening on the Tschingelhörner.

Segnesboden

Even if you are a regular visitor to the upper and lower Segnesboden, you will experience something different each time. The streams on the two elevated plains are constantly changing their course, so the moor, which makes up around half of the alluvial soil, keeps forming new patterns, with new lakes continually forming and disappearing. In 1996, this cauldron-shaped alluvial plain, known as Plaun Segnas Sut or the lower Segnesboden, was recognised as a landmark of particular beauty and importance in the Federal Inventory of Alluvial Zones.

Visitor Pavilion Sardona

In the visitors' pavilion Sardona at the Segneshütte you get a unique insight into the history of the origin of the alpine mountains and the biggest landslide in the Alps. Immerse yourself in the past and travel back to the origins of the geological highlights of our region. The pavilion is open every day and every Sunday an expert GeoGuide gives you a modern view of the origins of the Alps.

Dates
Daily from 25 June 2023 until 22 October 2023

Prices
Free for all (no registration necessary)

Suggested hikes

Lower Segnesboden: Grauberg - Nagens

The plateau can be experienced on a two-hour hike from the Grauberg mountain station. The Lower Segnesboden is part of the national inventory of fens of particular beauty and importance. At the same time, Untere Segnesboden is one of only two fenland protected areas in Switzerland that shows no traces of settlement. Untere Segnesboden can be reached easily on a two-hour hike from the top station of the Grauberg cable car. On the way, the Segneshütte invites you to take a break.

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Trutg dil Flem, upper part

A wild mountain stream, a fairy-tale forest, several bridges and a breathtaking mountain panorama in the heart of the UNESCO-World Heritage Site Sardona. Trutg dil Flem leads you along the Flem stream from the Segnesboden, passing through the site of the largest landslide in European history, before returning to Flims. From the lower Segnesboden, you can enjoy wonderful views of the Tschingelhörner. On the descent back to the town, you will cross seven bridges, some of them based on audacious designs, before returning to the Flims fairy-tale forest.

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Etappe 6: Elm - Flims

The first almost 500 meters of altitude up to Tschinglen-Alpkann can be overcome with the Tschinglen cable car. There are also refreshment and overnight accommodation facilities here. This is followed by the steep ascent to Brünschegg, from where the summit jags of the Tschingelhörner are very clearly visible above the razor-sharp line of the Glarus main overthrust. Arriving at the Segnespass, you have a magnificent mountain panorama. The steep descent follows over the lower Segnesebene to the Segneshütte, from where the Flimserstein becomes visible. Via the Trutg dil Flem you descend to Flims, the destination or starting point of the Sardona World Heritage Trail.

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Segnesboden climbing garden

Looking to try out the fascinating world of climbing sports for the first time? This high mountain valley situated at 2,100 metres above sea level with 31 climbing routes is the perfect place for novices and families to make their first attempts. The rocks on the Segnesboden are strong limestone rock, perfect for climbing. In preparation, take note that the walls of the Segnesboden climbing garden may still contain traces of snow at the beginning of summer due to its high altitude and location.

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Sleeping under the starry sky of Flims

Spend the night at 2,000 meters above sea level and at the same time enjoy the benefits of accommodation under the stars. The World Heritage Experience offers you an outdoor overnight stay at Alp Nagens and at the same time you can enjoy a meal at the Alp Stalla restaurant. On Sundays, at the Segneshütte, a GeoGuide Sardona explains the modern view of the formation of the Alps.

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Sardona Aktiv App

Plan your next journey of discover with the Sardona Aktive App. This App is the best companion to discover the UNESCO-World Heritage Tectonic Arena Sardona on your own terms! The descriptions provide a wealth of knowledge about the formation of the Alps, the local geology, the climate and the natural hazards that characterize the beautiful landscape. 

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Opening hours and getting there (cable cars and visitor pavilion Sardona)

The Sardona World Heritage Site visitor pavilion is open from June to October. We recommend travelling by cable car from Flims or taking the Nagens shuttle from the Laax cable car followed by a short hike from Nagens to the Segneshütte mountain lodge. Every sunday an expert is present at the visitor pavilion to answer all your questions.

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