Brown-burnt houses and barns, small churches, a few residences of wealthy families. Until the middle of the 19th century, Davos was a dispersed settlement of Walser mountain farmers. Then came the first sanatoriums for lung patients, followed by health resorts, a spa park, and wellness hotels. The Rhaetian Railway connected the emerging, unique town in the mountains to the world. While the sick body founded the town, the healthy body ensured its ongoing rise. The health resort evolved into a sports and holiday destination. This brought about a diverse construction task to create a temporary paradise with hotels, holiday homes, mountain railways, walking paths, a sports stadium, as well as buildings for the care of holidaymakers and spa guests and the disposal of their waste. Ultimately, the people of Davos added the city of knowledge to the health, sports, and holiday town, with research institutes, conference centers, and more.