Kunkelspass

Finds suggest that the Saum route via Kunkels Pass was already crossed during Roman times. The route later took on great importance for the monastery of Pfäfers which owned a lot of land in Graubünden. Kunkels Pass was an alternative route for times when the Rhine valley was inaccessible due to flooding, or to bypass the tolling stations located in the valley. The Saum route also connected the alpine pastures of Tamins to the markets in the south. The current narrow road with its panoramic tunnel (width 2.3m) towards Tamins was constructed during the First World War. Kunkels Pass connects Vättis in the canton of St. Gallen to Tamins in Graubünden. On the Kunkels Pass there are the Tamins pasture alp Überuf and the mountain restaurant Überuf. The plateau is surrounded by impressive mountain formations such as the Calanda, the Crap Mats or the Ringelspitz.  The impressive mountain landscape is part of the UNESCO World Heritage tectonic arena Sardona. The municipality of Tamins has set up an interesting showroom on the Kunkels Pass.