Safiental facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Safiental
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 Safiental
Location in Switzerland
Safiental
Location in Canton of Graubünden
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Graubünden | |
| District | Surselva | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 151.42 km2 (58.46 sq mi) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 937 | |
| • Density | 6.188/km2 (16.027/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
7122/7104/7107/7106
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| Surrounded by | Castrisch, Flims, Riein, Sagogn, Bonaduz, Präz, Rhäzüns, Trin, Casti-Wergenstein, Duvin, Flerden, Mathon, Nufenen, Pitasch, Portein, Sankt Martin, Sarn, Splügen, Sufers, Tschappina, Vals | |
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Safiental (which is Val Stussavgia in the Romansh language) is a special kind of town called a municipality. It is located in the Surselva Region in the area of Graubünden in Switzerland. On January 1, 2013, four smaller towns – Valendas, Versam, Safien, and Tenna – joined together to form the new municipality of Safiental.
Contents
Exploring Safiental's Past
The towns that make up Safiental have a long history. Valendas was first mentioned in old writings way back in 765. Versam appeared in records around 1050. Safien was first noted in 1219, and Tenna in 1398.
Long ago, people who spoke Romansh lived here. Later, in the late 1200s, a group of people called the Walser settled in the area. The number of people living in Safiental dropped from 1,798 in 1850 to 994 in 1980. Since then, the population has stayed around 1,000 people.
Discovering Safiental's Geography
Safiental covers an area of about 151.42 square kilometers (58.46 square miles). A large part of this land, about 38.8%, is used for farming. Forests cover another 31.1% of the area. Only a small part, 1.2%, has buildings or roads. The remaining 29.0% is land that cannot be used for farming or building, like rocky areas or mountains.
The municipality includes the beautiful Safien valley. This is an alpine valley in the Canton of Graubünden, which branches off from the larger Vorderrhein valley.
Safien: A Valley's Heart
The former municipality of Safien is in the middle and upper parts of the Safien valley. The Rabiusa river flows through this valley. The main village is Safien-Platz, which is about 1,350 meters (4,430 feet) above sea level. You'll also find many small hamlets and single farmhouses scattered throughout the valley.
Tenna: A Sunny Terrace Village
Tenna is a collection of small settlements located on a high, flat area (a terrace) on the west side of the Safien valley. It's a German-speaking area. The village of Tenna includes sections like Ausserberg, Mitte, and Innerberg. There are also small hamlets called Acla and Egschi along the valley road.
Valendas: A Historic Village Above the River
Valendas is located high above the right side of the Vorderrhein canyon. It's known for its haufendorf village style. This means it's an unplanned village with buildings packed closely together around a central square. Valendas also includes the hamlets of Carrera, Brün, Dutjen, and Turisch.
Versam: Gateway to the Safien Valley
Versam is situated above the Vorderrhein canyon, right at the entrance to the Safien Valley. It's a linear village, meaning its buildings are spread out along a road. The municipality includes the main village of Versam and the hamlets of Versam-Station, Arezen, Calörtsch, and Sculms.
Understanding Safiental's Population
Safiental has a population of 928 people. About 5.6% of the people living here are from other countries. Over the past five years (2010-2015), the population has slightly decreased. In 2015, there were more births than deaths in the municipality.
As of 2015, children and teenagers (ages 0–19) make up 21.8% of the population. Adults (ages 20–64) are 54.7%, and seniors (over 64) are 23.5%. Most people in Safiental live in single-family homes.
Safiental's Historic Population Changes
This chart shows how the population of the four original towns (Valendas, Versam, Safien, and Tenna) changed over time before they merged into Safiental. You can see how the number of people living in each area has varied through the years.
Important Historic Buildings
Safiental is home to some very important historic buildings. The Türelihus and the Haus Joos (Joos House) with its barn in Valendas are considered national heritage sites. The Swiss Reformed Church in Tenna is also a nationally important site.
Türelihus: A Renaissance Gem
The Türelihus (Türeli House) is in the center of Valendas. It's one of the most valuable old houses in the village. Inside, you can still see many original pieces from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The first part of the house was built in 1485. It was made bigger in 1554, adding a spiral staircase inside a tower and a stable. In 1775, it was updated in the Baroque style. For many years, this four-story building was empty and started to fall apart. In 1994, people tried to fix it, but only managed to put on a temporary roof.
Haus Joos: An Ancient Farmhouse
The oldest part of the Haus Joos might be from around 1300. The barn attached to it has the year 1572 carved into it. However, this building is not in good shape right now and hasn't been used for several years.
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Türelihus in Valendas
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Swiss Reformed Church in Tenna
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Getting Around Safiental
The municipality has two train stations on the Rhaetian Railway line. This line connects Chur and Disentis. The stations are Versam-Safien and Valendas-Sagogn.
The Versam-Safien station is about 250 meters (820 feet) lower than the village of Versam. It's also about 3.6 kilometers (2.2 miles) north of the village. To get to the village directly, you can take a PostAuto bus. This bus also goes to Thalkirch and Tenna.
Similarly, the Valendas-Sagogn station is about 120 meters (390 feet) below and 1.2 kilometers (0.75 miles) away from the village of Valendas. A PostAuto bus service also connects this station to the village.
