For many centuries now the Spluga Pass has watched over the constant traffic - all the year round - of travellers, pack animals, horses and carts, and carriages.
Shortly after the construction of the road over the Spluga (1823) with a view to safety during the winter months, an important tunnel as a protection against avalanches was constructed to the south of the toll-house. Today this represents one of the last reminders of the enormous commitment to road works undertaken in the 19th Century in order to combat the severe and dangerous winter conditions.
Discoveries from both Bronze and Iron ages indicate that the Spluga crossing was already popular in prehistoric times.
The name "spluga" is quite common in Valchiavenna and indicates a mountain region; it originates from "spelu(n)ca" or "spelonca" meaning cave.
As if to confirm this, close to the village of Montespluga there´s a cave which the locals call "truna de l´urs" - cave, or bear´s den; and in the past the crossing point was actually known as Bear Mountain, or Bear Pass.
