Val Müstair
Encyclopedia
Val Müstair is a municipality
in the district of Inn in the Swiss
canton
of Graubünden
. It was formed on 1 January 2009 through the merger of Tschierv
, Fuldera
, Lü, Valchava
, Santa Maria Val Müstair
and Müstair
.
: Münstertal
) is a mountain valley
in the Swiss Alps
. It connects the Fuorn Pass
, (2149 m (7,050.5 ft)) with the Italian
province of South Tyrol
and the Vinschgau (914 m (2,998.7 ft)).
The Benedictine Convent of Saint John
at Müstair
(monastery), a World Heritage site
, was probably founded by Charlemagne
, sharing history with its neighbor, the Marienberg Abbey
.
The most important villages in the Val Müstair are: Tschierv
(1660 m (5,446.2 ft)), Valchava
(1412 m (4,632.5 ft)), Sta. Maria
(1375 m (4,511.2 ft)), Müstair
(1247 m (4,091.2 ft)) (all Swiss) and Taufers im Münstertal
in South Tyrol. There are no other inhabited connected valleys, but the road over the Umbrail Pass
(and the Stelvio Pass
) is connected with Sta. Maria.
The largest part of the valley is part of the Swiss
canton
of Graubünden. A small part lies within the Italian province of South Tyrol
. The border
is located at approximately 1245 meter between Müstair
(1247 meter) and Taufers im Münstertal
(1240 meter).
The river in the valley is the Rom
(Il Rom or Rombach).
speaking minority. The following table lists the historical language distribution of the formerly independent municipalities and also for the combined municipality:
and a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
.
. The wettest month is August during which time Müstair receives an average of 86 mm (3.4 in) of precipitation. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 9.3 days. The month with the most days of precipitation is May, with an average of 10, but with only 80 mm (3.1 in) of precipitation. The driest month of the year is February with an average of 33 mm (1.3 in) of precipitation over 9.3 days.
The higher elevation village of Sta. Maria Val Müstair has an average of 94.6 days of rain per year and on average receives 801 mm (31.5 in) of precipitation. The wettest month is August during which time Sta. Maria Val Müstair receives an average of 105 mm (4.1 in) of precipitation. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 10.6 days. The driest month of the year is February with an average of 34 mm (1.3 in) of precipitation over 10.6 days.
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
in the district of Inn in the Swiss
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....
canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
. It was formed on 1 January 2009 through the merger of Tschierv
Tschierv
Tschierv is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Tschierv merged with Fuldera, Lü, Müstair, Santa Maria Val Müstair and Valchava to form the municipality of Val Müstair.-History:...
, Fuldera
Fuldera
Fuldera is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Fuldera merged with Lü, Müstair, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Tschierv and Valchava to form the municipality of Val Müstair.-Geography:...
, Lü, Valchava
Valchava
Valchava is a village in the Val Müstair of the canton of Graubünden , Switzerland. It was an independent municipality in the district of Inn until on 1 January 2009 Valchava merged with Fuldera, Lü, Müstair, Santa Maria Val Müstair and Tschierv to form Val Müstair.-Geography:Valchava has an area,...
, Santa Maria Val Müstair
Santa Maria Val Müstair
Santa Maria Val Müstair is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Santa Maria Val Müstair merged with Lü, Müstair, Fuldera, Tschierv and Valchava to form the municipality of Val Müstair.-History:Sta...
and Müstair
Müstair
Müstair is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Müstair merged with Fuldera, Lü, Switzerland, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Tschierv and Valchava to form Val Müstair....
.
Demographics
Val Müstair has a population (as of ) of .Geography
The Val Müstair (GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Münstertal
Münstertal
Münstertal may refer to:*Val Müstair, Switzerland*Münstertal, Black Forest, Germanysee also* Taufers im Münstertal, Italy...
) is a mountain valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
in the Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
. It connects the Fuorn Pass
Fuorn Pass
Fuorn Pass or Ofen Pass is a high alpine mountain pass in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. The name is based on the ovens that were used in ironworks in the area...
, (2149 m (7,050.5 ft)) with the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
province of South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
and the Vinschgau (914 m (2,998.7 ft)).
The Benedictine Convent of Saint John
Benedictine Convent of Saint John
The Convent of Saint John is an ancient Benedictine monastery in Müstair village of Val Müstair, Switzerland, and, by reason of its exceptionally well-preserved heritage of Carolingian art, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.-History:...
at Müstair
Müstair
Müstair is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Müstair merged with Fuldera, Lü, Switzerland, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Tschierv and Valchava to form Val Müstair....
(monastery), a World Heritage site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
, was probably founded by Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
, sharing history with its neighbor, the Marienberg Abbey
Marienberg Abbey
Marienberg Abbey is a Benedictine abbey in Mals, Vinschgau in South Tyrol, northern Italy. It was founded in 1149 or 1150 by Ulrich von Tarasp and other nobles.It has maintained a long tradition of education and, at 1,340 m, it is Europe’s highest abbey...
.
The most important villages in the Val Müstair are: Tschierv
Tschierv
Tschierv is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Tschierv merged with Fuldera, Lü, Müstair, Santa Maria Val Müstair and Valchava to form the municipality of Val Müstair.-History:...
(1660 m (5,446.2 ft)), Valchava
Valchava
Valchava is a village in the Val Müstair of the canton of Graubünden , Switzerland. It was an independent municipality in the district of Inn until on 1 January 2009 Valchava merged with Fuldera, Lü, Müstair, Santa Maria Val Müstair and Tschierv to form Val Müstair.-Geography:Valchava has an area,...
(1412 m (4,632.5 ft)), Sta. Maria
Santa Maria Val Müstair
Santa Maria Val Müstair is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Santa Maria Val Müstair merged with Lü, Müstair, Fuldera, Tschierv and Valchava to form the municipality of Val Müstair.-History:Sta...
(1375 m (4,511.2 ft)), Müstair
Müstair
Müstair is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Müstair merged with Fuldera, Lü, Switzerland, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Tschierv and Valchava to form Val Müstair....
(1247 m (4,091.2 ft)) (all Swiss) and Taufers im Münstertal
Taufers im Münstertal
Taufers im Münstertal is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 80 km northwest of the city of Trento and about 70 km west of the city of Bolzano , on the border with Switzerland.-Geography:As of November 30, 2010, it had a population...
in South Tyrol. There are no other inhabited connected valleys, but the road over the Umbrail Pass
Umbrail Pass
Umbrail Pass is a high mountain pass on the Swiss-Italian border connecting Santa Maria in Val Müstair with Bormio in the Adda valley. On the Italian side, it connects to the Stelvio Pass road.-See also:* List of highest paved roads in Europe...
(and the Stelvio Pass
Stelvio Pass
The Stelvio Pass , located in Italy, at 2757 m is the highest paved mountain pass in the Eastern Alps, and the second highest in the Alps, slightly below the Col de l'Iseran .-Location:...
) is connected with Sta. Maria.
The largest part of the valley is part of the Swiss
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....
canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Graubünden. A small part lies within the Italian province of South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
. The border
Border
Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, sovereign states, federated states and other subnational entities. Some borders—such as a state's internal administrative borders, or inter-state borders within the Schengen Area—are open and...
is located at approximately 1245 meter between Müstair
Müstair
Müstair is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Müstair merged with Fuldera, Lü, Switzerland, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Tschierv and Valchava to form Val Müstair....
(1247 meter) and Taufers im Münstertal
Taufers im Münstertal
Taufers im Münstertal is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 80 km northwest of the city of Trento and about 70 km west of the city of Bolzano , on the border with Switzerland.-Geography:As of November 30, 2010, it had a population...
(1240 meter).
The river in the valley is the Rom
Rom River
The Rom The Rom The Rom (Romansh: Rom; ; in Switzerland or Rambach in South Tyrol (Italy) is a river in Switzerland and Italy. The 24.7 km-long river is a tributary of the Adige. It rises in the Livigno Range of the Alps, close to the Fuorn Pass. It flows through the Val Müstair in Switzerland,...
(Il Rom or Rombach).
Language
The majority of the population in the new municipality speaks Romansh, with a large GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
speaking minority. The following table lists the historical language distribution of the formerly independent municipalities and also for the combined municipality:
| Languages in Val Müstair | |||||||
| Languages | Villages | Census 1980 | Census 1990 | Census 2000 | |||
| Percent | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | |||
| German German language German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union.... |
|||||||
| Fuldera Fuldera Fuldera is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Fuldera merged with Lü, Müstair, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Tschierv and Valchava to form the municipality of Val Müstair.-Geography:... |
5 | 5.00 % | 17 | 16.19 % | 27 | 23.48 % | |
| Lü | 4 | 7.14 % | 5 | 9.09 % | 11 | 17.74 % | |
| Müstair Müstair Müstair is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Müstair merged with Fuldera, Lü, Switzerland, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Tschierv and Valchava to form Val Müstair.... |
123 | 17.40 % | 160 | 21.28 % | 184 | 24.70 % | |
| Sta. Maria Santa Maria Val Müstair Santa Maria Val Müstair is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Santa Maria Val Müstair merged with Lü, Müstair, Fuldera, Tschierv and Valchava to form the municipality of Val Müstair.-History:Sta... |
78 | 20.31 % | 106 | 28.73 % | 83 | 25.38 % | |
| Tschierv Tschierv Tschierv is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Tschierv merged with Fuldera, Lü, Müstair, Santa Maria Val Müstair and Valchava to form the municipality of Val Müstair.-History:... |
6 | 4.48 % | 18 | 12.24 % | 29 | 18.83 % | |
| Valchava Valchava Valchava is a village in the Val Müstair of the canton of Graubünden , Switzerland. It was an independent municipality in the district of Inn until on 1 January 2009 Valchava merged with Fuldera, Lü, Müstair, Santa Maria Val Müstair and Tschierv to form Val Müstair.-Geography:Valchava has an area,... |
44 | 20.18 % | 31 | 15.20 % | 37 | 18.32 % | |
| Total | 260 | 16.26% | 337 | 20.65% | 371 | 23.12% | |
| Romansh | |||||||
| Fuldera Fuldera Fuldera is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Fuldera merged with Lü, Müstair, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Tschierv and Valchava to form the municipality of Val Müstair.-Geography:... |
95 | 95.00 % | 87 | 82.86 % | 86 | 74.78 % | |
| Lü | 51 | 91.07 % | 50 | 90.91 % | 51 | 82.26 % | |
| Müstair Müstair Müstair is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Müstair merged with Fuldera, Lü, Switzerland, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Tschierv and Valchava to form Val Müstair.... |
574 | 81.19 % | 578 | 76.86 % | 543 | 72.89 % | |
| Sta. Maria Santa Maria Val Müstair Santa Maria Val Müstair is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Santa Maria Val Müstair merged with Lü, Müstair, Fuldera, Tschierv and Valchava to form the municipality of Val Müstair.-History:Sta... |
295 | 76.82 % | 259 | 70.19 % | 228 | 69.72 % | |
| Tschierv Tschierv Tschierv is a village in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. In 2009 Tschierv merged with Fuldera, Lü, Müstair, Santa Maria Val Müstair and Valchava to form the municipality of Val Müstair.-History:... |
128 | 95.52 % | 125 | 85.03 % | 119 | 80.27 % | |
| Valchava Valchava Valchava is a village in the Val Müstair of the canton of Graubünden , Switzerland. It was an independent municipality in the district of Inn until on 1 January 2009 Valchava merged with Fuldera, Lü, Müstair, Santa Maria Val Müstair and Tschierv to form Val Müstair.-Geography:Valchava has an area,... |
168 | 77.06 % | 167 | 81.86 % | 163 | 80.69 % | |
| Total | 1,311 | 81.99% | 1,266 | 77.57% | 1,190 | 74.14% | |
| Population | 1,599 | 100% | 1,632 | 100% | 1,605 | 100% | |
Heritage sites of national significance
The Benedictine Convent of Saint John is both listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significanceSwiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
and a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
Weather
Müstair village has an average of 86.7 days of rain per year and on average receives 690 mm (27.2 in) of precipitationPrecipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
. The wettest month is August during which time Müstair receives an average of 86 mm (3.4 in) of precipitation. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 9.3 days. The month with the most days of precipitation is May, with an average of 10, but with only 80 mm (3.1 in) of precipitation. The driest month of the year is February with an average of 33 mm (1.3 in) of precipitation over 9.3 days.
The higher elevation village of Sta. Maria Val Müstair has an average of 94.6 days of rain per year and on average receives 801 mm (31.5 in) of precipitation. The wettest month is August during which time Sta. Maria Val Müstair receives an average of 105 mm (4.1 in) of precipitation. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 10.6 days. The driest month of the year is February with an average of 34 mm (1.3 in) of precipitation over 10.6 days.
External links
- Turissem Val Müstair -- Tourist office
- Convent of St. John
- Online map