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 area, Autonomous Provinces of Italy, province , image_skyline = ...

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 ...

, 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 era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidate territ ...

'' (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. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...

(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. Laas, Kandlwaal positie1 foto3 2012-08-12 16

Laas, kerk in straatzicht foto1 2012-08-12 16

History

Coat-of-arms

The emblem is a gules 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 ...

with sable stripes. The white and black symbolizes the layers of

, 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

Colors= id:lightgrey value:gray(0.9) id:darkgrey value:gray(0.8) id:sfondo value:rgb(1,1,1) id:barra value:rgb(0.6,0.7,0.8) ImageSize = width:455 height:303 PlotArea = left:50 bottom:50 top:30 right:30 DateFormat = x.y Period = from:0 till:4000 TimeAxis = orientation:vertical AlignBars = justify ScaleMajor = gridcolor:darkgrey increment:1000 start:0 ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightgrey increment:200 start:0 BackgroundColors = canvas:sfondo BarData= bar:1860 text:1860 bar:1870 text:1870 bar:1880 text:1880 bar:1900 text:1900 bar:1910 text:1910 bar:1921 text:1921 bar:1931 text:1931 bar:1936 text:1936 bar:1951 text:1951 bar:1961 text:1961 bar:1971 text:1971 bar:1981 text:1981 bar:1991 text:1991 bar:2001 text:2001 PlotData= color:barra width:20 align:left bar:1860 from: 0 till:0 bar:1870 from: 0 till:0 bar:1880 from: 0 till:2411 bar:1900 from: 0 till:0 bar:1910 from: 0 till:2482 bar:1921 from: 0 till:2620 bar:1931 from: 0 till:3191 bar:1936 from: 0 till:3232 bar:1951 from: 0 till:3111 bar:1961 from: 0 till:3371 bar:1971 from: 0 till:3526 bar:1981 from: 0 till:3460 bar:1991 from: 0 till:3514 bar:2001 from: 0 till:3700 PlotData= bar:1860 at:0 fontsize:XS text: ? shift:(-8,5) bar:1870 at:0 fontsize:XS text: ? shift:(-8,5) bar:1880 at:2411 fontsize:XS text: 2411 shift:(-8,5) bar:1900 at:0 fontsize:XS text: ? shift:(-8,5) bar:1910 at:2482 fontsize:XS text: 2482 shift:(-8,5) bar:1921 at:2620 fontsize:XS text: 2620 shift:(-8,5) bar:1931 at:3191 fontsize:XS text: 3191 shift:(-8,5) bar:1936 at:3232 fontsize:XS text: 3232 shift:(-8,5) bar:1951 at:3111 fontsize:XS text: 3111 shift:(-8,5) bar:1961 at:3371 fontsize:XS text: 3371 shift:(-8,5) bar:1971 at:3526 fontsize:XS text: 3526 shift:(-8,5) bar:1981 at:3460 fontsize:XS text: 3460 shift:(-8,5) bar:1991 at:3514 fontsize:XS text: 3514 shift:(-8,5) bar:2001 at:3700 fontsize:XS text: 3700 shift:(-8,5) TextData= fontsize:S pos:(20,20) text:Data from ISTAT

References

External links

Homepage of the municipality
{{Authority control Municipalities of South Tyrol