History

The Switzerland engineer Roberto Züst and his family founded right here in Verbania-Intra the “Züst, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili” back in 1878. In the early twentieth century, the first ad picturing “Züst”, the first automotive mechanical construction, appeared.

Turbines, steam machines, machine tools were built in the garage of Züst of around 20.000 square meters, partially with power supply that at the time was a great novelty for all over the world.

It was thus that, in the early twentieth century, the first cars were built, which were regarded as “Italian Mercedes”, well-studied and refined.

The success led them to transfer the company’s headquarters to Milan, while the operating one remained in Intra, together with a second company of Brescia, the Brixia Züst, that has specialized itself in the realization of lighter models.

From 1905, the Züst cars has taken part in the first cars races gaining great results in Italy, in Europe, and even in the 35,000 kilometers long race New York-Paris. Aside from luxury cars and economy cars, Züst has decided to invest also in the construction of industrial vehicles, building in 1910 military trucks for the Italian Government. Subsequently, the production was centered on the construction of the first omnibus with 12/20 seats for the Italian public transportation.

During the First World War, Züst focused its production in military and industrial vehicles, at the expense of cars, which witnessed a great demand after the end of the war.

In the ensuing years, the factory has become the seat of the “Istituto Maria Consolatrice” offering a complete educational training. In fact, the Institute has been the seat of the elementary, lower-middle and upper-middles schools. For several years, this private catholic school has trained boys and girls coming from all over the surrounding territory.

In the 1990s, the Institute was moved at the gates of Milan and the Manoni family has decided to purchase the building and to turn it into an accommodation facility.

In 2000, the Hotel Residence Zust welcomed its first guests on Lake Maggiore.

(Texts and pictures: Photographic archive of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola)