Laas (; it, Lasa ) is a ''
comune
The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...
'' (municipality) in the province of
South Tyrol
it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol
, settlement_type = Autonomous province
, image_skyline =
, image_alt ...
in northern
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, located about west of the city of
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third la ...
.
Geography
As of 30 November 2010, it had a population of 3,983 and an area of .
[All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute ]Istat
The Italian National Institute of Statistics ( it, Istituto nazionale di statistica; Istat) is the main producer of official statistics in Italy. Its activities include the census of population, economic censuses and a number of social, economic ...
.
The municipality of Laas contains the ''
frazioni
A ''frazione'' (plural: ) is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' (municipality) in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist Italy (1922–1943), Fascist era (1922–1943) as ...
'' (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Allitz (Alliz), Eyrs (Oris), Tanas, and Tschengls (Cengles).
Laas (Lasa) borders the following municipalities:
Mals
Mals (; it, Malles Venosta ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of Bolzano, on the border with Switzerland and Austria.
History
Coat-of-arms
The emblem is party per fess: the upper of gul ...
,
Martell,
Prad,
Schlanders
Schlanders (; it, Silandro ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about west of the city of Bolzano.
Overview
Schlanders borders the following municipalities: Latsch, Laas, Mals, Martell, Schnals.
Schl ...
,
Schluderns
Schluderns (; it, Sluderno ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of Bolzano.
Geography
As of 30 November 2010, it had a population of 1,831 and an area of .All demographics and other statisti ...
, and
Stilfs.
Geology
Laas stands on one of the largest conical debris fans in the Alps, known as Gadriamure, which emerges from the narrow valley above the village of Allitz. This fan may be of catastrophic origin, with the collapse of a mountain above the present Gadriatal. The fan blocks the main valley Vinschgau and displaces the River Etsch to its south edge, where it is cut by a gorge which revealed buried logs 7300 years old. The fan now supports irrigated fruit orchards.
Economy
Lasa marble
Laas is known for the pure white
marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite. Marble is typically not Foliation (geology), foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the ...
(known in German, Italian and English as "Laaser Marmor", "Lasa marmo" and "Lasa marble", respectively) quarried in the mountains south of the village which has been used in buildings worldwide, including the
Victoria Memorial, London
The Victoria Memorial is a monument to Queen Victoria, located at the end of The Mall in London, and designed and executed by the sculptor (Sir) Thomas Brock. Designed in 1901, it was unveiled on 16 May 1911, though it was not completed until ...
. The grave markers in many US military cemeteries in Europe, like the
Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial
Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial is a Second World War American military war grave cemetery, located in Hamm, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. The cemetery, containing 5,074 American war dead, covers and was dedicated in 1960. It is adminis ...
, are also made of Lasa marble.
History
Coat-of-arms
The emblem is a
gules
In heraldry, gules () is the tincture with the colour red. It is one of the class of five dark tinctures called "colours", the others being azure (blue), sable (black), vert (green) and purpure (purple).
In engraving, it is sometimes depict ...
hammer and two bits, on
argent
In heraldry, argent () is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it. In engravings and line drawings, regions to b ...
with
sable
The sable (''Martes zibellina'') is a species of marten, a small omnivorous mammal primarily inhabiting the forest environments of Russia, from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, and northern Mongolia. Its habitat also borders eastern Kaza ...
stripes. The white and black symbolizes the layers of
marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite. Marble is typically not Foliation (geology), foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the ...
, the hammer and the bits the tools for its processing.
Society
Linguistic distribution
According to the 2011 census, 98.09% of the population speak
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
, 1.67% Italian and 0.4%
Ladin
Ladin may refer to:
* Ladin language, a language in northern Italy, often classified as a Rhaeto-Romance language
*Ladin people, the inhabitants of the Dolomite Alps region of northern Italy
See also
*Laden (disambiguation)
* Ladino (disambigua ...
as first language.
Demographic evolution
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References
External links
Homepage of the municipality
{{Authority control
Municipalities of South Tyrol