Mario’s Palace Hotel (Swiss Stories 2012, by Valérie Chételat) - Swiss Press Award
Valérie Chételat
Marios Palace Hotel 1
Der Bund
Photo / Swiss Stories
2012
Valérie Chételat
The world's largest mining operator, BHP Billiton (Broken Hill Proprietary Company), was founded in Broken Hill, a small town in the Australian outback. In November 2011, when the Australian government approved a controversial mining tax, BHP made global headlines. Mario's Palace Hotel is also well-known in Broken Hill. After an Italian miner, Mario Celotto, struck a silver vein, he fulfilled a dream by purchasing the hotel. He had an Aboriginal man paint the walls for years. After Mario's death, the hotel stood empty for several years. The current boom in the Australian mining industry is breathing new life into the hotel, which has served as the backdrop for numerous films, among other things.
