Architectural historian Ludo Groen sets out like a detective on the trail of Swiss gold. Deep into the Alps and far beyond, he follows the winding paths of the banking system and reveals the hidden architecture of a lucrative business. The author in conversation with historian Monika Dommann.
This book takes readers on a journey through places built by Swiss banks to trade, transport, and treasure gold. From a mountain vault inside the Gotthard to the grand hotels of the Bernese Oberland, from to the mines of South Africa to a fondue restaurant in London, architecture serves as evidence of a history that has long remained inaccessible and disputed. Written with the pace of a detective story, Mountains of Gold unravels the concerted efforts of bankers, military officers, politicians, and architects throughout the twentieth century to fortify Switzerland as a financial centre.
