Switzerland’s oldest city charms visitors with its fine mountain setting, twisting alleys and historic buildings. Numerous boutiques, restaurants, bars, museums and galleries in the largely traffic-free Old Town create a Mediterranean-style atmosphere.Celts, Romans, Ostrogoths, Franks - all ruled Chur, the gateway to important trade routes and alpine passes, at one time or another. What remains today, is its 5000-year history, documented by Early Stone Age and Bronze Age finds anc artifacts from the Roman period, as well as testimonies to more recent history such as the 800-year-old Cathedral near the bishop's residence.