Scuol facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Scuol
Coat of arms
Scuol Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Scuol Location in Canton of Graubünden Show map of Canton of Graubünden
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Graubünden
District	Inn
Area
• Total	438.63 km2 (169.36 sq mi)
Elevation	1,290 m (4,230 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	4,624
• Density	10.5419/km2 (27.303/sq mi)
Postal code	7550
Surrounded by	Ftan, Mals (IT-BZ), Sent, Tarasp, Tschierv, Taufers im Münstertal (IT-BZ), Valchava

Scuol (Romansh: [ˈʃkuɔ̯l]) is a town in Switzerland. It is located in the Engiadina Bassa/Val Müstair Region in the Swiss canton of Grisons. The main language spoken in Scuol is Romansh. On January 1, 2015, several nearby towns like Ardez, Guarda, Tarasp, Ftan and Sent joined with Scuol.

What's in a Name? The History of Scuol's Name

The official name of Scuol has changed a few times over the years.

• Before 1943, it was called Schuls.
• In 1943, the name became Bad Scuol/Schuls. "Bad" means "bath" or "spa" in German.
• In 1970, Schuls was removed, leaving only Bad Scuol.
• Finally, in 1999, "Bad" was dropped. This is how the town got its current name, Scuol.

Scuol's Past: A Look at Its History

Scuol around 1870.

Scuol was first mentioned in records in 1095. At that time, powerful families like the lords of Tarasp owned much land here. In 1095 or 1096, they started a monastery in Scuol. This monastery was later moved to Marienberg Abbey in 1150. In 1178, Pope Alexander III confirmed that the monastery owned all its land in Scuol, including the church.

The village faced tough times. It was destroyed in a war in 1499. A new church was built in 1516. Around 1533, Scuol became Protestant. In 1621 and 1622, Austrian soldiers attacked and damaged the village. In 1652, Scuol bought its freedom from Austria.

The Rise of Tourism: Spas and Skiing

Around 1860, people started using Scuol's natural healing springs more. This began the era of spa tourism. Many hotels and bathhouses were built. The opening of the Bever–Scuol railway line in 1913 helped the town grow even more.

Hotel Waldhaus Vulpera before it burned down in 1989.

In the mid-1900s, winter sports became popular. This started Scuol's second tourism boom. A gondola lift to Motta Naluns was built in 1956. Many chairlifts and surface lifts followed. The spa tradition was brought back in 1993 with the Bogn Engiadina ("Engadine bath"). It was the first Roman-Irish bath in Switzerland.

The Grand Hotel Waldhaus Vulpera was a famous hotel. It opened in 1897 and was known as one of the best hotels in the Swiss Alps.

Scuol's Location: Geography and Nature

Scuol village and valley.

Aerial view of Scuol (1947).

After the 2015 merger, Scuol covers a large area. About 26.9% of its land is used for farming. Forests cover 25.8% of the area. Only 1.2% has buildings or roads. The rest, 46.1%, is unproductive land like mountains.

The southern side of Scuol, towards Piz Champatsch, is a popular skiing area. It is called "Motta Naluns." This resort has 80 kilometers of ski slopes and 12 lifts.

Scuol is a well-known spa town and vacation spot. It is the main business center of the Unterengadin valley. It is the largest village on the left side of the Inn river. Scuol includes the village itself, the area of Pradella, and the old mining village of S-charl.

The God da Tamangur Forest

The God da Tamangur, meaning "the forest back there," is a special place. It is the highest continuous stone pine forest in Europe. This forest is located at the far end of the Val S-charl, south of Scuol. It is a nature reserve covering about 84 hectares. Trees here grow very slowly because of the high altitude and weather. Some trees can live for up to 700 years!

Who Lives in Scuol? Population and People

Church in Scuol.

Scuol has a population of 4,624. About 23.6% of the people living in Scuol are from other countries. Over the last 10 years, the population has grown slowly.

In 2000, about 48.5% of the population was male and 51.5% was female.

• 10.4% of the population were children aged 0-9.
• 5.0% were teenagers aged 10-14.
• 6.6% were teenagers aged 15-19.
• 11.7% were young adults aged 20-29.
• 15.7% were adults aged 30-39.
• 14.4% were adults aged 40-49.
• 13.1% were adults aged 50-59.
• 9.5% were seniors aged 60-69.
• 7.3% were seniors aged 70-79.
• 5.4% were seniors aged 80-89.
• 1.0% were seniors aged 90-99.

Languages Spoken in Scuol

In Scuol, many people speak Romansh. About half of the population (49.4%) speaks Romansh. German is the second most common language (39.2%). Italian is spoken by 3.9% of the people. Scuol is home to a branch of the Lia Rumantscha, an organization that promotes the Romansh language.

Scuol's Economy: How People Make a Living

In 2012, about 2,240 people worked in Scuol.

• A small number (39 people) worked in 13 businesses related to farming. This is the primary economic sector.
• The secondary sector, which includes manufacturing and construction, employed 394 workers in 33 businesses.
• Most jobs were in the tertiary sector, or service industry. This sector provided 1,807 jobs in 265 businesses. This includes tourism, hotels, and shops.

Learning in Scuol: Education and Schools

Many adults in Scuol have a good education. About 69.7% of people aged 25–64 have finished high school or gone on to higher education. This means they have attended university or a special college called a Fachhochschule.

Getting Around: Transportation in Scuol

Scuol has good train connections. The town has four railway stations: Scuol-Tarasp, Ftan Baraigla, Ardez, and Guarda. All these stations are on the Bever–Scuol-Tarasp line. Trains run regularly to Disentis/Mustér and Pontresina.

Healthcare: The Local Hospital

Scuol has a small local hospital called Ospidal Engiadina Bassa. This means "Hospital of the Lower Engadin" in Romansh. The hospital celebrated its 100th birthday in 2008. It offers basic medical services. These include departments for surgery, internal medicine, and a 24-hour Emergency Department. Since Scuol is a mountain resort with a ski area, orthopedic procedures (bone and joint surgeries) are very common.

Important Buildings: Heritage Sites

Tarasp Castle.

Several places in Scuol are very important historically. They are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance. These include:

• The Baselgia refurmada (Reformed Church).
• The Chasa Wieland Nr. 29 (Wieland House No. 29).
• The Kurhaus Bad Tarasp (Spa Bad Tarasp).
• The Chasté (an ancient site with a fortress and church) in Ardez.
• The Doppelwohnhaus (Double-house) in Ardez.
• Tarasp Castle.
• The Trinkhalle (drinking hall) in Tarasp.

The Chasa Wieland Nr. 29

The Chasa Wieland Nr. 29 in Scuol village has a medieval stone tower. It was probably built by a noble family. The tower might have been damaged when Scuol was destroyed in 1499, but it was quickly fixed. In 1622, during a time of conflict, Scuol and the tower were burned. Later, a farmhouse was built over the ruins, using the tower's thick walls. Some doorways are from the old tower. The date 1753 is carved into a stone above a door. The walls show a special building style called Pietra Rasa. This is where mortar is used to hold rough stones together and also to cover them, making them look like regular bricks.

Scuol's Weather: Climate Information

Scuol has a warm-summer humid continental climate. This means it has moderate summers and cold winters. Snowfall often happens in winter. Even though the coldest month has an average low of -8°C, winters are not as cold as in towns higher up the valley.

The town gets rain or snow on about 94.5 days each year. On average, it receives 708 mm of precipitation. August is the wettest month, with about 109 mm of precipitation over 11.8 days. February is the driest month, with only 27 mm of precipitation over 4.9 days.

Famous People from Scuol

• Felix Calonder, a Swiss politician.
• Tonia Maria Zindel, a Swiss actress.

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See also

In Spanish: Scuol para niños