How Switzerland’s Valais sparked Rilke’s most intense creative explosion
Poet Rainer Maria Rilke once dismissed the Swiss Alps as 'stupid mountains' and called Zurich 'nerve-racking'. Yet, by 1922, Switzerland had become the setting for one of the most intense creative bursts of his life. In a matter of days, he completed some of his greatest works at a small château in Valais.
Rilke’s relationship with Switzerland began uneasily. In 1914, he found the country's landscapes and cities uninspiring. But by 1920, his opinion had shifted after discovering the Valais region. The Rhône plain reminded him of Provence and Spain, places he deeply admired.
Rilke’s time at Muzot transformed his view of Switzerland from indifference to deep connection. The poems written there remain among his most celebrated works. His brief but intense period in Valais left a lasting mark on 20th-century literature.
