Davos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Davos
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Municipality
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Top: View of the Sertig Valley, Middle left: World Economic Forum congress centre, Middle right: Lake Davos, Bottom: View over Davos
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 Davos
Location in Switzerland
Davos
Location in Canton of Graubünden
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| Country | Switzerland | ||
| Canton | Graubünden | ||
| District | Prättigau/Davos | ||
| Area
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| • Total | Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1,575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). km2 (Formatting error: invalid input when rounding sq mi) | ||
| Elevation
(Church St. Theodul)
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1,560 m (5,120 ft) | ||
| Highest elevation
(Schwarzhorn (Flüela))
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3,146 m (10,322 ft) | ||
| Lowest elevation
(Landwasser (river) near Leidboda)
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1,052 m (3,451 ft) | ||
| Population
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| • Total | Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1,575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | ||
| Demonym(s) | German: Davoser/Davoserin | ||
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (Central European Time) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (Central European Summer Time) | ||
| Postal code(s) |
7260 Davos Dorf, 7265 Davos Wolfgang, 7270 Davos Platz, 7272 Davos Clavadel, 7276 Davos Frauenkirch, 7277 Davos Glaris, 7278 Davos Monstein, 7294 Davos Wiesen
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| SFOS number | Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | ||
| Localities | Davos Dorf, Davos Platz, Frauenkirch, Davos Glaris, Davos Wiesen, Davos Monstein, Davos Clavadel, Laret, Wolfgang, Obem See, Meierhof, Stilli, Bünda, Spina, Tschuggen, Dörfji, In den Büelen, Hof, Teufi, Gadmen, Am Rin, Dürrboden, Sertig Dörfli, Oberalp, Inneralp | ||
| Surrounded by | Arosa, Bergün/Bravuogn, Klosters-Serneus, Langwies, S-chanf, Susch | ||
| Website | SFSO statistics |
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Davos is a famous mountain town and municipality in Switzerland. It is located in the Graubünden area, high up in the Alps. About 10,832 people live there permanently.
Davos sits by the Landwasser river, surrounded by beautiful mountains. The main part of Davos is made up of two villages: Davos Dorf (Davos Village) and Davos Platz (Davos Place). Both are about 1,560 meters (5,118 feet) above sea level.
In the 1800s, Davos became well-known as a place for people to get healthy. Doctors believed the mountain air was good for lung problems. Today, Davos is famous for hosting the World Economic Forum. This is a big yearly meeting where important leaders from around the world gather.
Davos is also a top spot for winter sports. It has one of Switzerland's largest ski resorts. Every December, it hosts the Spengler Cup, a big ice hockey tournament. Famous writers like Thomas Mann and Arthur Conan Doyle have written about Davos.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Tavau comes from an old language called Romansh. It means "ravine" or "narrow valley." This name describes the valley where Davos is located.
A Look Back in Time
People started settling in the Davos area a long time ago, in the Middle Ages. The first mention of the village was in 1213. Around 1280, German-speaking settlers called Walsers moved in. They were given special rights to govern themselves. Davos became the biggest Walser settlement in eastern Switzerland. Even today, people in Davos speak a special German dialect.
In 1436, a group called the League of the Ten Jurisdictions was formed in Davos. This group helped protect the rights of the local people. Davos kept its right to choose its own leader. Over the years, Davos came under the control of different powerful families. But it always fought to keep its special rights and freedoms.
Davos as a Health Resort
In the mid-1800s, doctors discovered that the fresh, high-altitude air in Davos was very good for people with lung illnesses. Many sick people came to Davos to recover. Famous people like writer Robert Louis Stevenson stayed here for their health. The famous novel The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann was inspired by a sanatorium (a type of health clinic) in Davos.
During World War II, Switzerland remained neutral. However, Davos had some strong political groups. This led to some tensions. After the war, the city decided to study this part of its history.
Winter Sports History
Davos was once a very important place for speed skating on natural ice. Many world records were set here. It also hosted the only European Bandy Championship in 1913. Later, Davos became a popular place for skiing, especially for visitors from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Today, it remains a leading tourist spot, known for its winter sports.
Where is Davos?
The main part of Davos is located at the top of the narrow Landwasser valley. It is about 1,560 meters (5,118 feet) high. Lake Davos is just northeast of the village.
The municipality of Davos is very large. It covers most of the Landwasser valley and its smaller side valleys. A big part of the land is used for farming or is covered by forests. There are also many mountains and unproductive areas.
The Wolfgang Pass is a mountain pass that connects Davos to the village of Klosters. It has a road and a railway line that are open all year. South of Davos, there are three long valleys. One of them leads to the Flüela Pass and the Engadin valley.
Davos Weather
Davos has a mountain climate. It gets a lot of snow in winter and rain in summer. On average, it rains or snows about 125 days a year. August is usually the wettest month, and February is the driest.
| Climate data for Davos (1991–2020, 1594m a.s.l.) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 0.0 (32.0) |
1.2 (34.2) |
4.6 (40.3) |
8.3 (46.9) |
12.8 (55.0) |
16.5 (61.7) |
18.5 (65.3) |
18.2 (64.8) |
14.2 (57.6) |
10.8 (51.4) |
4.8 (40.6) |
0.6 (33.1) |
9.2 (48.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.7 (23.5) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
3.0 (37.4) |
7.4 (45.3) |
11.0 (51.8) |
12.8 (55.0) |
12.6 (54.7) |
8.7 (47.7) |
5.1 (41.2) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−3.6 (25.5) |
4.0 (39.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −8.8 (16.2) |
−9.0 (15.8) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
2.3 (36.1) |
5.8 (42.4) |
7.6 (45.7) |
7.7 (45.9) |
4.1 (39.4) |
0.8 (33.4) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
−7.2 (19.0) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 70 (2.8) |
52 (2.0) |
57 (2.2) |
54 (2.1) |
89 (3.5) |
129 (5.1) |
133 (5.2) |
150 (5.9) |
96 (3.8) |
77 (3.0) |
71 (2.8) |
68 (2.7) |
1,046 (41.2) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 89 (35) |
74 (29) |
65 (26) |
43 (17) |
8 (3.1) |
2 (0.8) |
1 (0.4) |
1 (0.4) |
5 (2.0) |
24 (9.4) |
59 (23) |
84 (33) |
455 (179) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 8.8 | 7.9 | 8.9 | 9.0 | 12.0 | 13.7 | 13.8 | 13.6 | 10.0 | 8.7 | 9.1 | 9.8 | 125.3 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 1.0 cm) | 11.7 | 11.1 | 10.3 | 7.3 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 3.4 | 9.1 | 11.6 | 68.0 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 76 | 73 | 71 | 69 | 71 | 73 | 74 | 76 | 77 | 75 | 77 | 78 | 74 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 111 | 120 | 154 | 152 | 154 | 167 | 187 | 179 | 160 | 145 | 103 | 93 | 1,725 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 54 | 53 | 51 | 48 | 45 | 48 | 53 | 54 | 53 | 54 | 49 | 48 | 51 |
| Source: MeteoSwiss | |||||||||||||
Who Lives in Davos?
Davos has a population of about 11,000 people. Around 27% of the people living in Davos are from other countries. Most people in Davos speak German. Some also speak Serbo-Croatian or Italian.
About 17% of the population are children and teenagers (under 19). Most people are adults (20-64 years old).
Education in Davos
Many adults in Davos have finished high school or gone on to higher education. This means they have studied at a university or a special college.
Davos's Economy
Davos is a big tourist town. Many people work in hotels, restaurants, and shops that serve visitors. In 2015, hotels in Davos had almost 800,000 overnight stays. About half of these visitors came from other countries.
Sports and Fun in Davos
Davos is famous for its sports. Its ice hockey team, HC Davos, plays in Switzerland's top league. Their home is the Vaillant Arena. Every December, the arena hosts the Spengler Cup, a well-known international ice hockey tournament.
Davos is also great for cross-country skiing, with about 97 kilometers (60 miles) of trails. It has the largest natural ice skating rink in Europe. Sometimes, a sport called Bandy is played there too.
Ski Areas
In winter, Davos has six main ski areas with a total of 320 kilometers (199 miles) of slopes:
- Parsenn / Gotschna: This area connects Davos Dorf to the nearby town of Klosters.
- Jakobshorn: You can reach this area directly from Davos Platz.
- Pischahorn: Buses take you to this area in the Flüela valley.
- Rinerhorn: You can start skiing here from Davos Glaris.
- Madrisahorn: This ski area is in neighboring Klosters.
- Schatzalp: This is a special, quieter ski area owned by the Schatzalp Hotel.
In summer, you can still use the lifts to go up the main peaks. This is great for hiking. You can take long hikes into the side valleys towards the Engadin area.
Culture and Museums
Davos has several important cultural sites. Seven of them are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national importance. These include the Town Archives and the Kirchner Museum. The Kirchner Museum is dedicated to the artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, who lived in Davos.
Davos is also known for hosting the yearly World Economic Forum. This event brings together world leaders to discuss important global issues.
Getting Around Davos
Davos has a good public transport system. The Rhaetian Railway (RhB) has two main stations in Davos: Davos Dorf and Davos Platz. There are also smaller stations in other parts of the municipality.
Several cable cars and funiculars take you up the mountains for skiing or hiking. For example, the Parsennbahn goes to Weissfluhjoch, and the Schatzalp-Bahn goes to Schatzalp. Local buses also help people get around town.
Research in Davos
Davos is home to several important research centers. These include:
- The AO Foundation: They study injuries and problems with bones and muscles.
- The Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF): They research allergies and asthma.
- The World Radiation Center (PMOD/WRC): They study radiation from the sun.
- The Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF): They study snow and avalanches to keep people safe.
Famous People from Davos
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Many interesting people have lived in or come from Davos.
Artists and Writers
- Sophie Taeuber-Arp (1889–1943): A famous painter, sculptor, and dancer.
- Ernst Haefliger (1919–2007): A well-known tenor singer.
- Marc Forster (born 1969): A German and Swiss film director.
Scientists and Doctors
- Alexander Spengler (1827–1901): A doctor who specialized in treating tuberculosis in Davos.
- Friedrich Miescher (1844–1895): A biologist who discovered DNA.
- Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880–1938): A German artist who lived in Davos and is the namesake of the local art museum.
Sports Stars
- Andreas Däscher (born 1927): A ski jumper who invented a new jumping technique.
- Paul Accola (born 1967): A champion alpine skier.
- Carmen Schäfer (born 1981): A curler.
- Andres Ambühl (born 1983): A professional ice hockey player.
- Iouri Podladtchikov (born 1988): A Swiss snowboarder who won an Olympic gold medal.
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See also
In Spanish: Davos para niños
