Zillis-Reischen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Zillis-Reischen
Coat of arms
Zillis-Reischen Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Zillis-Reischen Location in Canton of Graubünden Show map of Canton of Graubünden
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Graubünden
District	Viamala
Area
• Total	24.47 km2 (9.45 sq mi)
Elevation	945 m (3,100 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	389
• Density	15.897/km2 (41.17/sq mi)
Postal code	7432
Surrounded by	Donat, Lohn, Mutten, Pignia, Rongellen, Salouf, Sils im Domlesg, Stierva

Zillis-Reischen (called Ziràn-Reschen in Romansh) is a small town in the Viamala Region of Graubünden, a canton in Switzerland.

A Look Back: History of Zillis-Reischen

House in Zillis

Zillis-Reischen was formed in 1875. This happened when two smaller towns, Reischen and Zillis, joined together. Zillis was first written about in the early 800s. Reischen was mentioned later, in 1219.

People lived in this area even before these towns were named. We know this because of old Roman settlements and graves from the 500s or 600s. A collection of coins from the 900s was found nearby. This shows that people were already trading goods over the Viamala pass back then.

The first church in Zillis was built around the 400s. A larger church with three apses was built in the 700s. Around 840, the main church, St. Martin's, was first mentioned. In 940, King Otto I gave this church to the Bishop of Chur.

In 1473, a new road opened over the Viamala pass. This made it easier to travel and trade over the Splügen and San Bernardino passes. Because of this, the towns became more active and grew. Between 1530 and 1535, Zillis and Reischen changed their religion during the Protestant Reformation.

Later, from 1818 to 1823, the Viamala road was made wider. This brought even more trade and visitors to the villages.

Where is Zillis-Reischen? Geography Facts

Zillis-Reischen is located in a valley near the Hinterrhein River.

The town covers an area of about 24.5 square kilometers (about 9.5 square miles). A big part of this land, about 32.5%, is used for farming. Forests cover 42.8% of the area. Only a small part, 1.8%, has buildings or roads. The rest, about 22.9%, is made up of rivers, glaciers, or mountains.

Before 2017, Zillis-Reischen was part of the Schams sub-district. Now, it is part of the Viamala Region.

Who Lives Here? Demographics

Reischen village church

Zillis-Reischen has a population of 389 people. About 6.8% of the people living here are from other countries. Over the last 10 years, the number of people living in Zillis-Reischen has grown by 6.7%.

In 2000, about 52.6% of the people were male and 47.4% were female. Most people in Zillis-Reischen, about 70.3% of adults aged 25-64, have finished high school or gone on to higher education like university.

The town has a low unemployment rate of 1.24%. In 2005, many people worked in farming (38 people). Others worked in manufacturing (106 people) and services like shops or hotels (52 people).

Here's how the population has changed over time:

What Languages Are Spoken?

Most people in Zillis-Reischen speak German. In 2000, about 79.7% of the population spoke German. The second most common language is Romansh, spoken by 12.7% of people. Italian is spoken by 2.1%.

Important Places: Heritage Sites

Zillis-Reischen has some very important historical sites. These are considered national heritage sites in Switzerland:

• The S. Martegn/St Martin's Church
• The Cave under Hasenstein (an old Roman worship site)
• The Wildener- and Premoli-Bridges

The St. Martin's Church is very old, with parts dating back to the 400s. A famous Romanesque painted wooden ceiling was added to the church around 1130-1140.

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  Decorated ceiling in S. Martegn/St Martin's Church

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  St. Martin's in Zillis

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  Vaulted ceiling of St. Martin's church

See also

In Spanish: Zillis-Reischen para niños