The best traffic-free bike rides around Naturpark Beverin

The rest of the "Old Town" doesn't need to be seen as it has too many architectural sins.

A church stood here as early as 840. The 14th-century church tower was later topped with an onion dome in the Romanesque period. Today, this charming, snow-white building is the landmark of Castrisch.

Impressive landscape with good cycle paths

Great views and good cycle paths

The Upper Gate provides access to and from the old town of Ilanz. It was built in the Middle Ages and was one of four gates providing access to the town. Today, two of these city gates still exist: the beautifully painted Upper Gate and the more modest Red Gate.

Until now I only knew this as a ski slope, but it's also great for riding a bike

Reformed Church of Castrisch The parish of Castrisch/Riein/Sevgein consists of the communities of Castrisch (including the diaspora community of Sevgein) and Riein, which were formerly independent parishes. They embraced the Reformation when the Ilanz Articles came into effect in 1526. The church in Castrisch is first mentioned in imperial documents in 825, and later in Carolingian records in 831 (‹Ecclesiae Sancti Georgii in Kestris›). It was a small chapel with a nave measuring 4.70 by 9.50 meters and a horseshoe-shaped apse. Around 1150, the Romanesque church tower was added. In 1470, the building was completed in the Gothic style. When the inhabitants of Castrisch converted to the Reformation, those in Sevgein who remained Catholic separated from their mother church in Castrisch. The Church of St. Nazarius in Rein is first mentioned in Carolingian documents in 831 as an independent royal church. In 960, it was given to Bishop Hartbert of Chur. The Carolingian church tower was built before the year 1000. From then on, Riein belonged to Sagogn. In 1487, the parish of Riein became independent, and the Church of St. Martin in Pitasch became its branch church. The parish of Riein was among the first in the Surselva region to be Reformed. The list of pastors who have served since the Reformation is completely preserved. In 1872, Riein, Pitasch, and Duvin formed a pastoral association. Castrisch did the same with Ilanz in 1910. From 1942, a pastoral association existed between Castrisch and Riein. It lasted until 2005. The first pastor of this association was Rev. Dr. Peter Dalbert, who later became a teacher at the cantonal school. Since 2005, the previously independent municipalities have merged to form the parish of Castrisch/Riein/Sevgein. Text / Source: (Rev. Dr. Jan-Andrea Bernhard, trad. Rev. A. Murray) / Evangelical Reformed Parish, Castrisch-Riein-Sevgein https://pleivreformada-castrisch.ch/ueber-uns/

The structure was built in 1717, and two baroque spheres proclaim the Christmas message. In the center field are the coats of arms of the Three Leagues. Directly above the archway is the city's coat of arms. Other coats of arms include those of the Capols, Salis, Schmid von Grüneck, and the coats of arms of Zurich and Bern with the text: IN HONOREM POT. DOM ORUM TUGINORUM ET BERNATUM HOC GRATTUDINIS MONUMENTUMPOSUIT JOH. GAUD. SCHMIDIUS DE GRUEN. PRAET. TIR AO MDCCXVII., in gratitude for his help in renovating the gate in 1717. The paintings were restored in 1924 by Chr. Schmidt, Zurich. Text / Source: Surselva Tourism website https://www.surselva.info/Ganzjaehrig/Kultur/Zeitgenoessische-Architektur/Altstadt-Ilanz/Das-Obertor-Ilanz#/article/3e665af0-b7a9-4b37-a1d7-c04a89bb34d9