Chur, mid 19th century

On the evening of December 16th, 1859 a fire broke out in the cantonal armoury in Chur. The fire fighters were able to salvage some powder carts and artillery pieces before the building collapsed and was completely burned out in a matter of hours. The bulk of the weapons and uniforms were destroyed.

The fire complicated the museum founders' efforts to build up their militaria collection. To this day, it includes only a few early items. These uniform buttons and rifle parts found in the fire debris, however, were added to the collection in the year of the museum’s founding. They serve as a reminder of the fire in the armoury.