Grigioni, also known as Graubunden or Grisons, is a canton of Switzerland and a historical Italian region currently divided between Italian-speaking, Romansh-speaking and German-speaking populations. The cantons of Ticino and Grigioni together form Italian Switzerland.
Like the neighboring Ticino, many Italian artists, architects and craftsmen came from Grigioni. Many of them worked in Germany and Austria. Below are some of the most important Italians from Grigioni:
• Carlo Angelini - Architect
• Giacomo Angelini - Architect
• Giovanni Albertalli (Giovanni Albertallo) - Architect
• Giovanni Battista Artari - Sculptor
• Giovanni Bonalino - Architect
• Alberto Camesina - Stuccoist
• Giovanni Battista Camessina - Architect
• Tommaso Comacio - Architect
• Guido Fanconi - Pediatrician and one of the founders of modern pediatrics
• Gabriele de Gabrieli - Architect
• Francesco de Gabrieli - Architect and stuccoist
• Paganino Gaudenzi - Theologian
• Giovanni Rigalia the Elder - Architect
• Giovanni Rigalia the Younger (Giovanni Pietro Rigaglia) - Architect
• Antonio Riva - Architect
• Domenico Maria Sala - Architect
• Lorenzo Sciascia - Architect
• Giovanni Serro - Architect
• Elda Simonett-Giovanoli - Journalist
• Giovanni Simonetti - Architect and stuccoist
• Giovanni Antonio Viscardi - Architect
• Giorgio Genatio (Jenatsch) - Politician and military commander
(Giorgio Genatio was of Romansh origin. His native language was a Romansh dialect known as Putér. He learned multiple languages, but wrote primarily in Italian and consistently called himself Giorgio in his letters. His original surname was Genatio or Jenatz. His name has been popularly Germanized to "Jürg Jenatsch" due to the influence of a 19th century novel by Conrad Ferdinand Meyer, who changed his name from Giorgio to Jürg in order to appeal to German readers.)
There have also been several prominent families from Grigioni:
• Barbieri Family - The Barbieri were a family of architects and builders from Roveredo. In the 17th and 18th centuries the family produced five architects: Alberto Barbieri (c. 1580-1645); Martino Barbieri (1583-1633); Giulio Barbieri (c. 1610-1681); Domenico Barbieri (c. 1615-1686); and Giovanni Domenico Barbieri (1704-1764).
• Giacometti Family - The Giacometti were a family of artists and architects in the 19th and 20th centuries. The most notable members of the family were: Giovanni Giacometti (1868-1933), a painter; Augusto Giacometti (1877-1947), a painter; Zaccaria Giacometti (1893-1970), a professor of constitutional law; Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966), a sculptor, painter, draughtsman and printmaker; Diego Giacometti (1902-1985), a sculptor and designer; Bruno Giacometti (1907-2012), an architect.
• Planta Family - The Planta family is one of the most ancient families of Grigioni. The family is of Roman origin and likely belonged to the senatorial class. Their oldest recorded ancestor is Julius Planta, a friend and emissary of Emperor Claudius, whose name is recorded on the 1st century Tabula clesiana, discovered near Cles in Trentino, Italy. Another ancient member of the family, Pompeius Planta, is mentioned on an inscription discovered in Balbura, Anatolia. Pompeius Planta was the Roman Procurator of Asia Minor under Emperor Vespasian. A second Pompeius Planta (perhaps the same as the first) was the Roman governor of Egypt from 98-100 AD and was a friend of Emperor Trajan. A third Pompeius Planta, mentioned by Probus, was a Roman historian in the 2nd century. Lucius Avilius Planta, another ancient member of the family, is commemorated on an inscription in Rome from the year 90 AD. The oldest Planta recorded in Grigioni's history is Orsicinus or Ursicinus, bishop of Chur in the 5th century. Another bishop of Chur, also named Ursicinus, is venerated as a saint. He was the founding abbot of Desertina (Disentis) in the 8th century and also belonged to the Planta family. An Angelina Planta was abbess of the Abbey of Monastero (Müstair) in 1110. The modern history of the Planta family began in 1139, when they obtained feudal rights in the Upper Engadine. The Planta family was later one of the co-founders of the Three Leagues. A branch of the family lived in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Planta family still exists today in Switzerland.
• Salis Family - The Salis or De Salis family first appeared in Grigioni at the end of the 13th century. The founder of the family was Rodulfus de Salice de Solio (died in 1300). He was a descendant of the Salici, an Italian patrician family from Como. The Salis family became ministeriales of the Prince-Bishops of Chur and occupied many political offices, becoming mayors and governors in Bregaglia and Valtellina. They were also squires and knights, and held many castles in Grigioni. A branch of the family later moved to Britain and adopted the title Count de Salis-Soglio. Another branch of the family adopted the title Count de Salis-Seewis. Descendants of the Salis family still exist today. The most prominent member of the family was Colonel Giovanni Ulrico di Salis-Soglio (Johann-Ulrich von Salis-Soglio), commander of the Sonderbund in the Swiss Civil War of 1847.
• Victorid Family - The Victorid or Zacconi family were bishops of Chur and independent rulers of Raetia Curiensis between the 7th and 9th centuries. The founder of the family was Zacco, a 6th century military commander whose descendants married into the Victorids, a local family of Roman origin. The first member of the family to hold religious office was Victor I, bishop of Chur in c. 614. His brother Jactatus was ruler of Raetia Curiensis. Tello was the first Victorid to simultaneously hold the office of bishop of Chur and ruler of Raetia Curiensis (759-765). The last Victorid ruler was Victor III, bishop of Chur. He died in c. 833.
• Zuccalli Family - The Zuccalli were a family of architects and builders from Roveredo. The most notable member was Enrico Zuccalli (1642-1724), who was the official architect of the Bavarian court and one of the major architects who introduced Italian Baroque architecture to Germany. Other members were Gaspare Zuccalli (1629-1678), Domenico Cristoforo Zuccalli (1650-1702) and Giovanni Gaspare Zuccalli (1661-1717).
