Trojan Horse of St Moritz

The Trojan Horse with the Kulm Hotel in the background

From most of the windows of the delightful apartment we chose for our thirty fifth visit to this magical winter sports resort town in Switzerland, we can see the latest artistic addition to the scenery. I suspect that locally it is something that we Brits would call a Marmite thing; you either love it or hate it.

It is a massive metal painted Trojan Horse, forty six feet high, sixty six feet long, created by Engadine artist Curdin Guler who is said to be a passionate horse lover. I am a horse lover also and used to love to ride when I was a lot younger than I am now.

At the risk of sounding like the child who was the only one to see that the ‘Kings New Clothes’ were a just a great big con; it is a thing of special interest but does not possess the natural perfect beauty of a race horse. Don’t get me wrong though, because I do like it and would prefer it not to be pushed to one side of the lake as it is presently, stuffed clumsily by the walking path around the breathtaking St Moritzersee. I would say that the residents of the region are equally split in admiration or dislike as is often the case. The rectal staircase is hardly inviting and the form is much more cart horse than thoroughbred the gaudy paintwork more carousel than dressage.

 

All that shows yet again my contrary nature because I have to smile each time I see it and do greatly admire the mind behind the form. It is an outrageous adventure and I love it.

The idea to build the horse was it seems the brainchild of the General Manager of the Kulm Hotel and Silvio Martin Staub, President of the St Moritz Racing Association.

The Trojan Horse can be hired for social occasions for up to ten revelers for three hours and I checked the price which is 1250 CHF and could include Fondue but not the Champagne!

The Trojan Horse of St Moritz

A Trojan horse appeared

from thin air

and I wondered

Who had put him there

Was he ridden or steered

Or why for that matter

To advertise a race meeting

How much do the locals care

Suspecting he is quite endeared

Another art work

In an arty town

With their visitors to share

His mane neatly sheared

The tail docked

Smoothly groomed

Shingle set in place with flair

With reflective silver smeared

Great crested neck

Overstatedly proud

Tiny people see studied glare

Artistic mind a little weird

Placed rear entrance

Stairs at natures exit

Dare to compare

Inviting host a window cleared

Cocktails for two

Or six or eight

Party animal metallic stare

A giant never to be feared

See beauty here

Or fairground crude

Heart waits for his mare