Rheinwald
Encyclopedia
The Rheinwald is a valley in the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland
. The river Hinterrhein
flows through three valleys in Graubünden; the Rheinwald is the highest of the three.
It is lined on both sides with peaks of over 3000 m high. The highest peaks are the Rheinwaldhorn
(34020 m) to the West and the Pizzo Tambo
(32790 m) in the South. The Hinterrhein leaves the valley at the entrance to the Rofla Gorge
, which separates the Rheinwald from the Schams
valley.
Two mountain passes lead South from the Rheinwald: the San Bernardino Pass
into Misox valley and the Splügen Pass
into Val San Giacomo in Italy. The San Bernardino Tunnel (Swiss Highway A13
) was opened in 1967 and stays open all winter. Mule tracks on Mount Safierberg and Mount Valserberg connect the Rheinwald with its Northern neighbour Safien
valley and Vals. Another trail leads through the Val Curciusa
valley via Bocchetta di Curciusa Pass and then connects to the San Bernardino.
The villages in the valley are all on the Northern bank of the river and between 1420 m and 1620 m high, at the foot of the moderately steep slopes on the sunny side of the valley. The northern slope is covered with many Alpine meadows
; the Southern side also has some meadows, separated by several side valleys.
The Rheinwald Kreis
is a sub-district of the Hinterrhein District. It includes the municipalities of Hinterrhein, Nufenen, Splügen and Sufers
. The municipality of Val Curciusa belongs orographically
to the Rheinwald, but administratively to the district of San Bernardino.
and the route via Splügen have been used since at least the days of the Romans
. The Rheinwald valley, however, was sparsely inhabited until well into the High Middle Ages
. During the 13th Century, Walser
settlers travelled into the valley, at the behest of the Barons of Sax-Misox and the Barons of Vaz. Their language and culture shape the valley today. The 1286 Erblehensbrief ("Letter of enfeoffment
") documents the legal relations between the settlers and their ruler.
In 1337, after the death of the last Baron of Vaz, the Rheinwald came was given as a dowry to the counts of Werdenberg-Sargans. They sold it in 1493 to the Trivulzio
family of Milan. In 1616, the umbrella contract with the Trivulzio was terminated, and after paying the last interest payment the inhabitants of the Rheinwald obtained full autonomy within the Grey League
, to which they had belonged to since around 1400.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The river Hinterrhein
Hinterrhein
Hinterrhein can refer to:* Hinterrhein , a tributary of the Rhine* Hinterrhein, Switzerland, a municipality* Hinterrhein , the district including that Swiss municipality...
flows through three valleys in Graubünden; the Rheinwald is the highest of the three.
Geography
The Rheinwald is about 26 km long and mainly runs from East to West.It is lined on both sides with peaks of over 3000 m high. The highest peaks are the Rheinwaldhorn
Rheinwaldhorn
The Rheinwaldhorn is the highest point in the Swiss canton of Ticino at 3402m. It lies on the border between the cantons of Graubünden and Ticino, in the Adula massif, part of the St. Gotthard massif of the Lepontine Alps in southern Switzerland....
(34020 m) to the West and the Pizzo Tambo
Pizzo Tambò
Pizzo Tambo is a mountain located at the eastern extremity of the Lepontine Alps on the Swiss-Italian border. The mountain lies west of the Splügen Pass which divides the Western Alps from the Eastern Alps....
(32790 m) in the South. The Hinterrhein leaves the valley at the entrance to the Rofla Gorge
Rofla Gorge
The Rofla Gorge is an ancient and narrow section of the Hinterrhein river between Sufers and Andeer in the Canton of Graubünden. This narrow gorge was another obstacle on the approach to the two mountain passes Splügen Pass und San Bernardino Pass in addition to the Viamala gorge.- Modern era...
, which separates the Rheinwald from the Schams
Schams
thumb | The Schams north of [[Andeer]]. In the top left, the ruins of [[Cagliatscha Castle]]The Schams is a section of the Hinterrhein valley in the Swiss Canton of Graubünden.- Geography :...
valley.
Two mountain passes lead South from the Rheinwald: the San Bernardino Pass
San Bernardino Pass
San Bernardino Pass is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps connecting the Hinterrhein and the Mesolcina valleys between Thusis and Bellinzona . Located in the far eastern side of the Western Alps it is not to be confused with the Great St. Bernard Pass and the Little St. Bernard Pass...
into Misox valley and the Splügen Pass
Splügen Pass
The Splügen Pass is a high mountain pass which marks the boundary between the Lepontine and Rhaetian Alps....
into Val San Giacomo in Italy. The San Bernardino Tunnel (Swiss Highway A13
A13 (Switzerland)
The A13 is a motorway, at times an Autostrasse , which runs from St. Margrethen in northeastern Switzerland through to Ascona in southern Switzerland, crossing the main chain of the Alps in the Grisons area. It is the southern half of European route E43.- Construction :The A13 started life as a...
) was opened in 1967 and stays open all winter. Mule tracks on Mount Safierberg and Mount Valserberg connect the Rheinwald with its Northern neighbour Safien
Safien
Safien is a municipality in the district of Surselva in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.-Geography:Safien has an area, , of . Of this area, 45.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 18.2% is forested...
valley and Vals. Another trail leads through the Val Curciusa
Val Curciusa
The Val Curciusa is an alpine valley in Graubünden, Switzerland. In the region of the San Bernardino Pass, it provides a connection between the Rheinwald valley and the Misox valley.- Location :...
valley via Bocchetta di Curciusa Pass and then connects to the San Bernardino.
The villages in the valley are all on the Northern bank of the river and between 1420 m and 1620 m high, at the foot of the moderately steep slopes on the sunny side of the valley. The northern slope is covered with many Alpine meadows
Alpine Meadows
The term Alpine Meadows may refer to:* Alpine Meadows, California, an unincorporated community in California* Alpine Meadows Lodge, outside Golden, British Columbia* Alpine Meadows Ranch, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Darby, Montana...
; the Southern side also has some meadows, separated by several side valleys.
Municipalities
The economic and cultural center of the valley is Splügen.The Rheinwald Kreis
Rheinwald (Kreis)
The Kreis Rheinwald forms, together with the Kreise of Avers Domleschg, Schams and Thusis the of Hinterrhein of the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. The seat of the sub-district office is in Splügen.- Municipalites :...
is a sub-district of the Hinterrhein District. It includes the municipalities of Hinterrhein, Nufenen, Splügen and Sufers
Sufers
Sufers is a municipality in the district of Hinterrhein in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.-Geography:Sufers has an area, , of . Of this area, 13.4% is used for agricultural purposes, while 23.8% is forested...
. The municipality of Val Curciusa belongs orographically
Orography
Orography is the study of the formation and relief of mountains, and can more broadly include hills, and any part of a region's elevated terrain...
to the Rheinwald, but administratively to the district of San Bernardino.
History
The San Bernardino PassSan Bernardino Pass
San Bernardino Pass is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps connecting the Hinterrhein and the Mesolcina valleys between Thusis and Bellinzona . Located in the far eastern side of the Western Alps it is not to be confused with the Great St. Bernard Pass and the Little St. Bernard Pass...
and the route via Splügen have been used since at least the days of the Romans
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. The Rheinwald valley, however, was sparsely inhabited until well into the High Middle Ages
High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages was the period of European history around the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries . The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which by convention end around 1500....
. During the 13th Century, Walser
Walser
The Walser are German-speaking people who live in the Alps of Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein and Austria. The Walser people are named after the Wallis , the uppermost Rhône River valley...
settlers travelled into the valley, at the behest of the Barons of Sax-Misox and the Barons of Vaz. Their language and culture shape the valley today. The 1286 Erblehensbrief ("Letter of enfeoffment
Enfeoffment
Under the European feudal system, enfeoffment was the deed by which a person was given land in exchange for a pledge of service. This mechanism was later used to avoid restrictions on the passage of title in land by a system in which a landowner would give land to one person for the use of another...
") documents the legal relations between the settlers and their ruler.
In 1337, after the death of the last Baron of Vaz, the Rheinwald came was given as a dowry to the counts of Werdenberg-Sargans. They sold it in 1493 to the Trivulzio
Gian Giacomo Trivulzio
Gian Giacomo Trivulzio was an Italian aristocrat and condottiero who held several military commands during the Italian Wars.-Biography:...
family of Milan. In 1616, the umbrella contract with the Trivulzio was terminated, and after paying the last interest payment the inhabitants of the Rheinwald obtained full autonomy within the Grey League
Grey League
The Grey League , sometimes called Oberbund, formed in 1395 in the Vorderrhein and Hinterrhein valleys, Raetia. The name Grey League is derived from the homespun grey clothes worn by the people. The league became part of the canton of Graubünden. The Grey League allied itself to the two other...
, to which they had belonged to since around 1400.