Val Müstair

Val Müstair
Country Switzerland Canton Graubünden District Inn 46°36′N 10°25′E / 46.600°N 10.417°E / 46.600; 10.417Coordinates: 46°36′N 10°25′E / 46.600°N 10.417°E / 46.600; 10.417
Population	1,545 (Dec 2012)[1]
- Density	8 /km2 (20 /sq mi)
Area	198.65 km2 (76.70 sq mi)[2]
Postal code	7537
SFOS number	3847
Surrounded by	Tschierv, Fuldera, Lü, Valchava, Santa Maria Val Müstair and Müstair.
Website	http://www.muenstertal.ch SFSO statistics
Val Müstair
Location of Val Müstair

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.

Demographics

Val Müstair has a population (as of 31 December 2012) of 1,545.^[1]

Geography

The Val Müstair (German: Münstertal, Italian: Val Monastero) is a mountain valley in the Swiss Alps. It connects the Fuorn Pass, (2,149 m (7,051 ft)) with the Italian province of South Tyrol and the Vinschgau (914 m (2,999 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 (1,660 m (5,450 ft)), Valchava (1,412 m (4,633 ft)), Sta. Maria (1,375 m (4,511 ft)), Müstair (1,247 m (4,091 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).

Language

The majority of the population in the new municipality speaks Romansh, with a large German speaking minority. The following table lists the historical language distribution of the formerly independent municipalities and also for the combined municipality:

Heritage sites of national significance

The Benedictine Convent of Saint John is both listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.^[3]

Weather

Müstair village has an average of 86.7 days of rain per year and on average receives 690 mm (27 in) 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.^[4]

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.^[4]

Tourism

There is a small car parking in the village. A lot of beautiful hiking trails start here, up the hills or down to the valley in summer and winter. In fall 2009 - the International Year of Astronomy - the new public observatory Alpine Astrovillage Lü-Stailas was inaugurated. The Center is equipped with top class robotic telescopes for direct observations as well as for astrophotography. The equipment is also used in introductory courses for beginning amateur astronomers. The Astrovillage is located on a terrace at an elevation of 2,000 m (6,400 ft).^[5]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Val Müstair.

• Turissem Val Müstair—Tourist office
• Convent of St. John
• Online map
• Alpine Astro Village
• Grimm, PE: Val Müstair in Romansh, German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, 2007-12-20.

• Fuldera in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.

• Lü in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.

• Müstair (municipality) in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.

• Sta. Maria Val Müstair in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.

• Tschierv in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.

• Valchava in Romansh, German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.

v t e Municipalities in the district of Inn, Switzerland Ardez Ftan Guarda Lavin Samnaun Scuol Sent Susch Tarasp Val Müstair Valsot Zernez Canton of Graubünden Districts of Canton Graubünden Municipalities of the canton of Graubünden