Nufenen

Nufenenpass GR

Nufenenpass ( stress on the first syllable, Romansh Nueinas ) is a municipality in the district of the circle Rheinwald Rhine. It belongs to the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland.

Coat of arms

Blazon: In red diagonally left broadax silver with gold handle.

The ax stands for the clearing work of the first settlers. The name of the community is interpreted as Novena ( new clearing).

Geography

Nufenenpass, the second highest village in east-west running trough valley of the Rhine Forest, located to the left of the background Rhine River opposite the mouth of the Areuabachs. The municipality spell extends across the valley and reaches in the north at Valserhorn ( 2,886 m above sea level. M. ) and Bärenhorn ( 2929 m) the watershed against the Anterior Rhine area. Law of the river is dominated by the peaks of One Horn ( 2944 m, the highest point of the municipality ) and Guggernüll ( 2886 m ) on both sides of the mouth of the canyon Areuatals, politically part of the upper portion of the Val Curciusa to Misox. As the only community in the valley had Nufenenpass times the otherwise typical Walser settlement areas loosened form, since the 19th century but only the scattered village on the historic San Bernardino route is inhabited all year round. Characteristic of the inner Rheinwald the forest poverty of the less inclined sunny side flank of the valley and the countless Heuställe in up to 2250 m up reaching belt of meadows and pastures.

In 1997, 54.9 % of the municipality were used for agriculture, the forest took 14.8 %, which settlements 0.9 %. As unproductive were 29.5 %.

Neighboring municipalities are Vals, Safien, Spliigen, Mesocco and Rhine.

History

Until the 13th century the inner Rheinwald served - today's communities Nufenenpass and rear Rhine - farmers from the Shams as alpine meadow. In 1280 settled at the instigation of the Barons of Sax - Misox and the barons of Vaz German language ( Walser ) colonists from the Pomatt to. 1343 the village was first mentioned in documents as Ovena. Economic Fundamentals of the Three Leagues as a neighborhood of the Court Rheinwald for horror covenant proper place were agriculture ( livestock ) and pass traffic through the San Bernardino. As formerly the largest village of the valley, it is still regarded as a political capital, even though the central functions have now been transferred to Spliigen. The opening of the Gotthard railway arrived in 1882 the Grisons transport industry hard; the population Nufenens fell from 1850 to 1990 by almost two thirds.

Population

Languages

As Walser settlement Nufenenpass belongs to the communities of the Canton of Grisons. German is the only language authorities. The development of recent decades shows the following table:

Origin and nationality

From the end of 2005 159 inhabitants are 152 ( = 95.60 %), Swiss nationals.

Economy

As before Nufenenpass is agrarian. As of January 2000 54 people were employed in agriculture, 20 live in the commercial sector 6 and the services in the village and work for many peasant families who have converted to organic farming in the early 1990s according to the guidelines of the organization bio - suisse. Nufenenpass has continued on a dairy farm, a small village shop, a small sawmill and a medium sized joinery. The tourist infrastructure of the Valley focuses on the neighboring Spliigen.

Public infrastructure

Today is in Nufenenpass the nursery for the whole Rhine forest. Previously, there was also a village school that was closed for lack of students. All students Rheinwald attend school in Spliigen, the cultural and economic center of the valley.

Nufenenpass is located on the A13 motorway and is in the mail car line ( Chur ) Thusis -Bellinzona connected to the network of public transport.

Attractions

In the village center are the simple Reformed Church of 1643 and some stately town houses.

Sons and daughters

• Hans Meuli (1897-1971), Surgeon General of the Army