Goms, Valais facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Goms
|
||
|---|---|---|
Niederwald village in Goms
|
||
|
||
 Goms
Location in Switzerland
Goms
Location in Canton of Valais
|
||
| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Valais | |
| District | Goms | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 129.59 km2 (50.03 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,251 m (4,104 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
|
||
| • Total | 1,160 | |
| • Density | 8.95/km2 (23.18/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3985, 3989,
3998 |
|
| Surrounded by | Bellwald, Binn, Ernen, Fieschertal, Formazza (IT), Guttannen (BE), Obergoms | |
Goms is a special kind of town, called a municipality, located in the Goms area of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It's a fairly new municipality. On January 1, 2017, several smaller towns decided to join together to form the new, larger municipality of Goms. These towns were Niederwald, Blitzingen, Grafschaft, Münster-Geschinen, and Reckingen-Gluringen.
Contents
History of Goms: A New Beginning
Goms was formed when several older towns decided to merge. This helped them work together better. Each of these towns has its own long history.
Blitzingen: An Old Name
The town of Blitzingen was first mentioned in official records way back in the year 1203. Back then, its name was spelled Blicingen.
Grafschaft: Three Towns Become One
Grafschaft was created in the year 2000. It was formed by combining three smaller towns: Biel (VS), Ritzingen, and Selkingen.
- Biel was first written about in 1277 as Buele.
- Ritzingen slowly grew into a municipality starting in the 1200s. By the 1500s, farmers there had written down their traditional ways of farming and using land.
- Selkingen was first mentioned in 1374 as villa de Selgingen.
Münster-Geschinen: A 2004 Merger
Münster-Geschinen was formed in 2004. It was created by joining the towns of Münster and Geschinen.
- Münster's name first appeared in records in 1221 as Musterium.
- Geschinen was first mentioned in 1327 as Gessinon.
Niederwald: First Mentioned in the 1500s
Niederwald is another town that became part of Goms. It was first mentioned in 1526 as Zniderwaldt.
Reckingen-Gluringen: Two Towns Unite
Reckingen-Gluringen also joined Goms in 2004. It was formed by combining Reckingen and Gluringen.
- Reckingen was first mentioned in 1225 as Requinguen.
- Gluringen was first mentioned in 1203 as Gluringen.
Geography: Where Goms Is Located
Goms covers a large area of land. As of 2009, its total size is about 128.94 square kilometers (or about 49.78 square miles).
Population: How Many People Live in Goms?
The new municipality of Goms has a population of 1203 people. This number was recorded in December 2015.
Important Historic Buildings and Sites
Goms is home to some very important historical places. These are called "heritage sites" because they are special parts of Switzerland's history and culture.
The Church of St. Maria with its Cemetery Chapel in Münster is one of these important sites. So is the Church of Mariä Geburt in Reckingen-Gluringen. Both are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national importance. This means they are very valuable to the whole country.
Also, the entire villages of Münster and Geschinen are recognized as important heritage sites. The villages of Biel, Ritzingen, Selkingen, Niederwald, Gluringen, and Reckingen are also part of this list. Even small groups of houses, called hamlets, like Ammere / Gadme / Wiler and Bodmen, are included.
Famous People from Goms
Niederwald, one of the towns that formed Goms, was the home of a very famous hotel owner named César Ritz. He was known for creating luxury hotels. He is buried in the local cemetery in Niederwald.
