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Juf () is a village in the
Village visit is elevating experience
swissworld.org Avers Villages in Graubünden {{graubünden-geo-stub
Juf () is a village in the municipality
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 ...
of Avers
Avers ( rm, Avras; wae, Òòver(s), , ) is a high Alpine valley region and a municipality in the Viamala Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. It includes Juf, the highest-altitude year-round settlement in Europe.
History
Avers is first ...
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 Grisons
The Grisons () or Graubünden,Names include:
*german: (Kanton) Graubünden ;
* Romansh:
** rm, label= Sursilvan, (Cantun) Grischun
** rm, label= Vallader, (Chantun) Grischun
** rm, label= Puter, (Chantun) Grischun
** rm, label= Surmiran, (Ca ...
, 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 ...
. At above sea level, it is historically the highest village with permanent residents in Europe, as well as one of its coldest localities. As of 2016, Juf had a population of 31 inhabitants divided between six families in a concentrated settlement. They were 20 in 1991 and 30 in 2001. The first inhabitants were immigrant Walser
The Walser people are the speakers of the Walser German dialects, a variety of Highest Alemannic.
They inhabit the region of the Alps of Switzerland and Liechtenstein, as well as the fringes of Italy and Austria.
The Walser people are named a ...
who arrived in 1292.
Geography and climate
Juf is located just above the right banks of the river Jufer Rhein, before its confluence with the Bergalgabach, both forming theAvers Rhine
, image = Averser Rhein im Ferreratal 1827.jpg
, image_size =
, image_caption = The Avers Rhine in Val Ferrera valley, lithograph from 1827
, subdivision_type2 = Canton
, subdivision_name2 = Graubünden, Swi ...
. The small Jufer Rhein valley is enclosed by several summits over 3,000 metre-high, the highest being Mazzaspitz, Piz Piot and Piz Turba
Piz Turba is a mountain of the Oberhalbstein Alps, located between Juf
Juf () is a village in the municipality of Avers in the canton of Grisons, Switzerland. At above sea level, it is historically the highest village with permanent reside ...
. The valley is almost entirely above 2,000 metres.
Juf differs from settlements in lower valleys in being well above the tree line
The tree line is the edge of the habitat at which trees are capable of growing. It is found at high elevations and high latitudes. Beyond the tree line, trees cannot tolerate the environmental conditions (usually cold temperatures, extreme snow ...
, the nearest forest being about 5 kilometres away from the village. As a result, the area experiences a cold and wet climate, classified as an alpine
Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to:
Places Europe
* Alps, a European mountain range
** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range
Australia
* Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village
* Alpine National P ...
tundra
In physical geography, tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. The term ''tundra'' comes through Russian (') from the Kildin Sámi word (') meaning "uplands", "treeless mou ...
climate ( ET), with average temperatures far lower than those of La Brévine
La Brévine (, ) is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Canton of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel Canton in Switzerland. It is the largest village of the homonymous valley (''Vallée de la Brévine''). The area is renowned for its microcl ...
, traditionally considered the coldest inhabited place in Switzerland. Snowfalls are possible even during summer.
Wood was transported for building houses and stables, but historically, dry dung fuel from the inhabitants’ animals was burned for fuel. Old structures for drying manure
Manure is organic matter that is used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Most manure consists of animal feces; other sources include compost and green manure. Manures contribute to the Soil fertility, fertility of soil by adding organic ma ...
can still be seen on the southern ends of some Juf stables.
Juf is composed of two distinct sections: the highest (2,126 m), at the village entry, and the lowest (2,117 m), at the end of the paved road and near the river.
Transport
Despite its remote location, Juf can be reached by public transport eight times a day all year round, as all post buses running to the high valley of Avers go on to the very end of the road at Juf. It is nevertheless a very remote valley, its infrastructure designed primarily to encourage tourism (two platter lifts for skiing in winter at nearby Juppa), and has been spared the technical installations, such as power lines or tourist resorts, which might otherwise ruin its "pristine beauty".Note
Another source gives the title of Europe's highest village to Li Baita, a part of Trepalle, Italy, however without mentioning the number of residents. Just above Juf is an old farmhouse, the Platten-hof, birthplace of writer Johann Rudolf Stoffel. This is considered the highest farmhouse in Europe.See also
* Extreme points of SwitzerlandReferences
*External links
Village visit is elevating experience
swissworld.org Avers Villages in Graubünden {{graubünden-geo-stub