The stonebreaker from the Fex Valley

In the quarry of memories: Dino Vedovati (*1937) back at his workplace

When Dino Vedovati thinks of the Fex Valley in winter, cross-country ski trails and horse-drawn carriage rides don't come to mind, but rather the bitterly cold nights in the crew's hut at the "La Ganda" quarry. Even today, at the age of 87, the former quarryman remembers them vividly. What is almost unimaginable for us was a happy time for him. Here he tells of a unique chapter in Sils's history.

The stately stone roofs made of Fex slabs characterize the village of Sils. These slabs of finely schistose mica gneiss are now a highly sought-after rarity. The quarry from which they originate lies in the upper Fex Valley at an altitude of 2070 meters. What is now an open-air museum in the summer was once Dino Vedovati's winter workplace. Work in the quarry only took place during the harsh winter months. Splitting the slabs required bitterly cold temperatures – down to minus 20 degrees Celsius were considered ideal.