Surselva Region is one of the eleven
administrative districts in the
canton
Canton may refer to:
Administrative division terminology
* Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland
* Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French
Arts and ente ...
of
Graubünden in
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. It was created on 1 January 2017 as part of a reorganization of the canton.
[Swiss Federal Statistical Office – Amtliches Gemeindeverzeichnis der Schweiz – Mutationsmeldungen 2016]
accessed 16 February 2017
Surselva Region has an area of , with a population of as of ..
It corresponds exactly to its predecessor,
Surselva District, but the former subdistricts (''Kreise'') of Disentis, Ilanz, Lumnezia/Lugnez, Ruis and Safien have been abandoned.
''Surselva'' ("above the forest") is the name of the valley of the
Anterior Rhine in the local (
Sursilvan
Sursilvan (; also ''romontsch sursilvan'' ; Sursilvan, Vallader, Surmiran, Sutsilvan, and Rumantsch Grischun: ''sursilvan''; Puter: ''sursilvaun'') is a group of dialects of the Romansh language spoken in the Swiss district of Surselva. It is ...
) dialect of
Romansh. The eponymous forest is that of the
Flims rockslide; the region "below the forest" is ''Sutselva'', where the
Sutsilvan
Romansh (; sometimes also spelled Romansch and Rumantsch; Sursilvan: ; Vallader, Surmiran, and Rumantsch Grischun: ; Putèr: ; Sutsilvan: , , ; Jauer: ) is a Gallo-Romance language spoken predominantly in the Swiss canton of the Gr ...
dialect used to be spoken.
Geography
The Surselva encompasses the valley of the Vorderrhein/Rein Anteriur (the Surselva) and all its side valleys, from the source near the
Oberalp Pass all the way down towards Reichenau (where the Vorderrhein joins the
Hinterrhein/Rein Posteriur to form the
Alpine Rhine). The region ends before that confluence at the huge forest on the giant debris of
Flims Rockslide that is responsible for the name of the region: The debris area lack of water and soil and were ever left as a big forest as it was useless for farming. This forest (romonsch: silva) is the border for "Sur-silva" (meaning "above the forest").
The Surselva is one of the few areas in Switzerland that is mainly
Romansh-speaking (another notable valley being the
Engadine, the valley of the Inn). The most important community in the Surselva is
Disentis/Mustér, with its
Benedictine monastery, which dates back to 720. There are a few
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 ...
-speaking communities in the Surselva, e.g.
Obersaxen and
Vals Vals is the word for waltz in many European languages.
Vals or VALS may also refer to:
* Peruvian waltz
* Venezuelan waltz
* Vals (dance), a dance related to Argentine tango
* VALS, "Values And Lifestyles," a psychographic segmentation tool
Place ...
, which were founded in the thirteenth century by the
Walser.
A long-distance hike is signposted to follow the full length of the main valley of the Anterior Rhine.
Municipalities
Surselva Region had 17 municipalities at the time of its formation. On 1 January 2018 the former municipalities of
Andiast and
Waltensburg/Vuorz
Waltensburg/Vuorz is a former municipality in the Surselva Region in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. On 1 January 2018 the former municipalities of Andiast and Waltensburg/Vuorz merged into the municipality of Breil/Brigels.
History
...
merged into the municipality of
Breil/Brigels
Breil/Brigels is a municipality in the Surselva Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2018 the former municipalities of Andiast and Waltensburg/Vuorz merged into the municipality of Breil/Brigels.
The name of the municipality co ...
, for a total of 15 municipalities.
Linguistic demography
Romansh is the predominant language in the region, most of which speak the
Sursilvan
Sursilvan (; also ''romontsch sursilvan'' ; Sursilvan, Vallader, Surmiran, Sutsilvan, and Rumantsch Grischun: ''sursilvan''; Puter: ''sursilvaun'') is a group of dialects of the Romansh language spoken in the Swiss district of Surselva. It is ...
dialect. There is a large German-speaking minority in Surselva, notably the Walser settlements of
Obersaxen and
Vals Vals is the word for waltz in many European languages.
Vals or VALS may also refer to:
* Peruvian waltz
* Venezuelan waltz
* Vals (dance), a dance related to Argentine tango
* VALS, "Values And Lifestyles," a psychographic segmentation tool
Place ...
.
History
Surselva District ( rm, ) was an
administrative district in the
canton
Canton may refer to:
Administrative division terminology
* Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland
* Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French
Arts and ente ...
of
the Grisons,
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, from 2000 until 2016.
It had an area of and a population of 21,325 in 2015.
It was formed in 2000 by a merger of the former Vorderrhein and Glenner districts. During its existence there were several changes in its composition:
*On 1 January 2012 the municipality of
Schlans
Schlans is a former municipality in the district of Surselva in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The municipality of Schlans merged on 1 January 2012 into the municipality of Trun.[Cumbel
Cumbel () is a former municipality in the district of Surselva in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The municipalities of Cumbel, Degen, Lumbrein, Morissen, Suraua, Vignogn, Vella, and Vrin merged on 1 January 2013 into the new municipality of Lu ...]
,
Degen,
Lumbrein,
Morissen
Morissen ( rm, Murissen) is a former municipality in the district of Surselva in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The municipalities of Cumbel, Degen, Lumbrein, Morissen, Suraua, Vignogn, Vella, and Vrin merged on 1 January 2013 into the new mu ...
,
Suraua,
Vignogn,
Vella, and
Vrin
Vrin () is a village and a former municipality in the Lumnezia. It belonged to the circle of Lugnez/Lumnezia in the district of Surselva in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. The municipalities of Cumbel, Degen, Lumbrein, Morissen, Sur ...
merged on 1 January 2013 into the new municipality of
Lumnezia
Lumnezia is a valley region and a municipality in the Surselva Region in the Swiss of canton of Graubünden. The former municipalities of Cumbel, Degen, Lumbrein, Morissen, Suraua, Vignogn, Vella, and Vrin merged on 1 January 2013 into the ne ...
.
[
*On 1 January 2014 the former municipalities of ]Castrisch
Castrisch () is a former municipality in the district of Surselva in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. Until 1943, it was officially known as Kästris. On 1 January 2014 the former municipalities of Castrisch, Ilanz, Ladir, Luven, Pitasch, Riei ...
, Ilanz
Ilanz ( rm, Glion) is a former municipality in the district of Surselva in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The former municipality of Ilanz was congruent with the town of Ilanz. On 1 January 1978, the former municipality of Strada merged into ...
, Ladir, Luven, Pitasch, Riein, Ruschein, Schnaus
Schnaus is a former municipality in the district of Surselva in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2014 the former municipalities of Schnaus, Castrisch, Ilanz, Ladir, Luven, Pitasch, Riein, Ruschein, Sevgein, Duvin, Pigniu, Rueun ...
, Sevgein, Duvin
Duvin (german: Duvin ), rm, Duin ) is a former municipality in the district of Surselva in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2014 the former municipalities of Duvin, Castrisch, Ilanz, Ladir, Luven, Pitasch, Riein, Ruschein, Sch ...
, Pigniu, Rueun and Siat SIAT may refer to:
* S.I.A.T. (Sociedad Ibérica de Automóviles de Turismo), the predecessor company of the Spanish car maker SEAT (S.E.A.T., Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo)
* Siebelwerke/ATG, a German aircraft manufacturer
* Siba ...
merged into the new municipality of Ilanz/Glion.[
*On 1 January 2015 the former municipality of St. Martin merged into the municipality of Vals.][
It consisted of five '' Kreise'' (sub-districts) and forty-three ]municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...
. It was replaced with the ''Surselva Region'' on 1 January 2017 as part of a reorganization of the Canton.[
]
References
{{Coord, 46.76, N, 9.09, E, region:CH, display=title
Regions of Graubünden
Vorderrhein basin