Our hotel management school is located in Chur-Passugg, surrounded by the Swiss mountains. The small village Passugg became historically important because of its medicinal springs, which were first mentioned in 1562.
At the end of the 19th century, a real alpine euphoria arose, in which many people were drawn to the mountains. One of them was Ulrich Sprecher, a master saddler and upholsterer from Chur, who was in the area around Passugg to prospect for gold and rediscovered the healing springs. Guests from all over the world then travelled to Passugg to be freed from their suffering thanks to the mountains and springs.
Legendary earth spirits live on campus
Water has always been very important as a life-giving and cleansing element. Since time immemorial, sagas and legends have grown up around water sources that emerged from the mysterious interior of the rocks in places that are difficult to access. It was said that the water wells were tears or pearls of the earth spirits.
The Passugger springs were then also named after these earth spirits. Each spring is connected to an earth spirit and can cure a different disease. Today the earth spirit "Fortunat" serves as the mascot of our hotel management school.
The springs attracted visitors from all over the world at an early stage
Due to the increasing number of visitors, the local inn was rebuilt in 1883 into a spa house with a drinking hall above the Rabiosa Gorge. The former spa house has been renovated several times to meet the needs of demanding spa guests from all over the world.
An extract from the guest list from 1911 shows how international the visitors of the spa hotel were already then.
They came from Buenos Aires, Chicago and Paris to Passugg for the cure.
From a health resort to the hotel management school
In 1966, Dr. Markus Christoffel founded a hotel secretarial school with a hotel department in Chur to train specialists and managers for the hotel and restaurant industry.
The range of courses on offer was continuously expanded. In 1972 the first Special Course in English started. The English hotel management course attracted many international students. Thus, the hotel management school gradually developed into an international higher technical school with training programmes over several levels.
Since 1991, the EHL Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality in Passugg has been located in the historic spa hotel Passugg. The former spa hotel forms the heart of the EHL Campus Passugg. By the way, our apprentices and students can still draw and enjoy fresh spring water directly from the tap.
