Silvaplana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Silvaplana
Coat of arms
Silvaplana Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Silvaplana Location in Canton of Graubünden Show map of Canton of Graubünden
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Graubünden
District	Maloja
Area
• Total	44.77 km2 (17.29 sq mi)
Elevation	1,815 m (5,955 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	1,121
• Density	25.039/km2 (64.85/sq mi)
Postal code	7513
Surrounded by	Bever, Bivio, Samedan, Sankt-Moritz, Sils im Engadin/Segl

Silvaplana is a beautiful village and a municipality (which is like a local government area) in Switzerland. It's located in the Graubünden area, which is a canton (like a state) in Switzerland. The village is also famous for Lake Silvaplana, a large lake nearby.

History of Silvaplana

The village church in Silvaplana

People have lived in the Silvaplana area for a very long time! We know this because old broken pillars from the Roman Empire have been found on the Julier Pass nearby.

The village church was first talked about in official records way back in 1356. A newer church, built in the Gothic style, was finished in 1491. In 1556, the people of Silvaplana decided to join the Protestant Reformation, changing their religious practices.

Geography and Nature

Silvaplana village and Lake Silvaplana

Silvaplana covers an area of about 44.7 square kilometers (about 17.3 square miles). A small part of this land, about 19.6%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 14.1% of the area. Only a small portion, 2.2%, has buildings or roads. The largest part, 64.1%, is made up of mountains, rivers, or glaciers, which are not used for farming or building.

Silvaplana is located right next to Lake Silvaplana in a beautiful valley called the Upper Engadine. A mountain pass called the Julier Pass, located at 2,284 meters (7,493 feet) above the village, connects this valley to other parts of Graubünden.

The village of Silvaplana also includes smaller areas called Surlej and Albana. Part of the nearby village of Champfèr is also considered part of Silvaplana. A stream called Ova dal Vallun flows through the village, connecting Lake Silvaplana to Lake Champfèr.

Population and People

Silvaplana

Silvaplana has a population of about 1,000 people. Over the last ten years, the number of people living here has grown by about 11.1%.

In 2000, the population was almost evenly split between males and females. About 8.7% of the people were children aged 0 to 9 years old. Teenagers aged 10 to 19 made up about 8% of the population. Most adults were between 20 and 59 years old, making up about 66% of the population. Older adults, aged 60 and above, made up about 17% of the population.

Most people in Silvaplana (about 75.2%) have finished high school or gone on to higher education, like university.

Many people in Silvaplana work in the tourism and service industries. For example, there are many businesses related to hotels, restaurants, and sports.

Here's how the population has changed over time:

Languages Spoken

In Silvaplana, people speak several languages. In 2000, most people (65.9%) spoke German. Italian was the second most common language (15.9%), and Romansh was third (10.6%).

For a long time, until the mid-1800s, almost everyone in Silvaplana spoke a special local language called Puter, which is a dialect of Romansh. But as the village started trading more with other places, fewer people spoke Romansh. In 1880, about 73.3% spoke Romansh as their main language. By 1910, this number dropped to 48.61%.

The last time Romansh was the main language spoken by most people was in 1941. By 1970, only about 28% of the people spoke Romansh. However, because Romansh is taught in the village school, many more people (about 34.1% in 2000) can at least understand it.

Sports and Activities

Kitesurfing and kites along Lake Silvaplana

Lake Silvaplana is very famous for its winds, which are usually strong and predictable. This makes it a super popular spot for water sports! People love to come here for windsurfing, kitesurfing, and sailing small boats.

There's a big water sports center on the southwest side of the lake. One cool thing about this place is that people watching can always be close to the action. It's different from other places where spectators might be far away.

In August 2007, a big international sailing competition for Fireball Dinghy boats was held at Lake Silvaplana. There were 95 boats that raced in 6 different events. Everyone in the local news was very excited because the 2006 world champions were a Swiss team. However, in 2007, the winners were Richard Estaugh and Rob Gardner from Great Britain. The Swiss team from 2006 finished in 11th place that year.

Images for kids

• 

  A wide view of Silvaplana and Surlej.

See also

In Spanish: Silvaplana para niños