Prättigau

The Prättigau southbound at Kublis

The Prättigau (formerly also Prätigau, Romansh Partenz ) is the valley of the country fourth in the Swiss canton of Graubünden and part of the district Prättigau- Davos.

Geography and population

The Prättigau extends in an east-west direction over a length of less than 40 km from the Silvretta area and the narrow valley along the river country Quart. The highest point is the Verstanclahorn ( 3297 m), the deepest lies in the narrow valley ( 576 m). The catchment area of ​​the country quart is about 610 km ².

The northern side of the valley is dominated by the mountain range of the Rätikons with its striking limestone cliffs and with the transitions to the Austrian Montafon. To the west the Prättigau to the Chur Rhine Valley, in the south to the areas Schanfigg and Davos, on the east by the Engadine.

In Prättigau live 15'053 people, 88 % have a Swiss Pass ( 2011). Official language in all communities is German, spoken is a term coined by the Walser, höchstalemannischer dialect. The denomination is reformed by a majority.

Places and Transport

The main communities in Prättigau are Klosters, Kublis and Schiers. The valley is accompanied in its entire length by the Rhaetian Railway, the rail links leading from the monastery over the Wolfgang pass on to Davos and by 1999 opened Vereinatunnel Engadin. The National Highway 28 through the valley has been greatly expanded in recent years. In October 2011, the avoidance of Saas has been opened; as the last local bypass those of Kublis is under construction, is scheduled to open in 2016.

Economy and infrastructure

The economy is in Prättigau with communities Buchen, Grüsch and Schiers dominated by industry and commerce. Klosters is a tourist resort, for marketing, together with a tourism destination Davos formed. The major ski resorts in Davos-Klosters and the smaller areas Grüsch- Danusa and Fideriser Heuberge are important for tourism; the communities Luzein and St.Antönien try their offerings, especially in the semi-natural, sustainable tourism develop. On the side of the Rätikon towards the Prättigauer trail runs.

In the year 2008 1256 farms were counted in Prättigau, employing ( in 1096 in agriculture and forestry, 2385 in industry and commerce, 3246 in service companies ) 6727 people.

The Prättigau has with the facilities of the Flury Stiftung ( regional hospital, retirement and nursing homes) and several surgeries over a well-developed health infrastructure. In education, the Protestant middle school Schiers is the main facility.

History

Breakfast time

Based on archaeological finds individual is suspected that the Prättigau was inhabited in the Bronze Age. Backed this is for the Iron Age, from which comes the most important find from the early days: in Schiers a settlement has been demonstrated at today's rectory that existed in the Roman period and up to the early Middle Ages.

Middle Ages

The development in the Middle Ages was coined in the 12th century by various feudal lords ( Counts of Kirchberg, Noble of Aspermont, barons of Vaz, bailiffs of mud, Count of Toggenburg, Count of Montfort, Duke of Austria ). They shared the land with the diocese and the cathedral chapter Churchill and the monastery of St. Jacob, which was founded in the early 13th century at the site of today's Reformed Church Monastery. In the late Middle Ages, the German-speaking Walser settled the higher elevations of the Prättigau Davos ago. Their increasing number was decisive in the Germanization of the original to the Romansh language area belonging to the valley; towards the end of the 16th century, the Prättigau was German. Since its founding in 1436, the Prättigauer courts were part of the ten court covenant, which in 1450 with the Gotteshausbund and formed in 1471 with the horror or upper collar to the three frets. Together with the valleys Davos and Schanfigg fell Prättigau at this time to the Habsburg hereditary lands.

Modern Times

In the 16th century the valley was reformed, there were numerous clashes with the Catholic Austrians, who saw the Prättigauer in the struggle for Graubunden Alpine passes with the opposing party in the French league. After the lost battle of Aquasana in Saas im Prättigau 1622 Prättigauer many villages and settlements were destroyed by the Austrians. The following winter of starvation in Graubünden was particularly Prättigau.

A few years later ( 1649-52 ) bought the Prättigauer along with the other courts of the ten Federal Court of Austria going on. Since then, the federal government was a full member of the Free State of the Three Leagues, from 1803 through the Act of Mediation of Napoleon, the Canton of Grisons was born.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, many were Prättigauer as mercenaries in foreign service ( mainly in France and Holland, but also in Spain and Italy). The mercenary services declined in the early 19th century and was banned from 1859. During this time, however, numerous Prättigauer wandered off into the neighboring countries, to Russia and later to America.

The old valley road through the Prättigau - previously a barely passable mule - was extended from 1843 to 1863. In addition, the country Quart was tamed with Wuhrbauten in the second half of the 19th century; was so valuable agricultural land, such as in the valley between Schiers and Grüsch. The railway line through the Prättigau was established in 1889 after only one and a half years of construction; 1890 led the route from Klosters to Davos further.

Communities in Prättigau

• Conters
• Fideris
• Furna
• Grüsch

• Jenaz
• Klosters
• Kublis
• Luzein
• Saas

• Schiers
• Buchen
• St.Antönien

Media

Local newspapers are published twice a week and Prättigauer Herrschäftler and Klosters Newspaper / Prättigauer Post (weekly).