Val Lumnezia

The Val Lumnezia (Romansh, "Valley of Light") is a Swiss high Alpine valley made up of the main Lumnezia valley, and a side valley, the Valser valley to the south-east. Located at coord|46|37|N|9|9|E|region:CH-GR|display=inline,title, it forms also Municipality, which is composed of the communities Vella, Vignogn, Degen, Suraua, Vrin, Cumbel, Morissen, Vals and Lumbrein. Its upper regions are among the most remote areas in the Swiss Alps. The official languages are Romansh and German.

History

Neolithic and Megalithic Period

In the neolithic times the valley was probably inhabited by Chalcolithic (Copper-stone Age) Europeans. Witness to this is the "Crap da Treis Siarps", the "Three Snakes Stone", a remnant of a Neolithic or Bronze Age Megalithic monument. It can be found at the slope of the Glogn gorge east of the Parish church of Pleif. Although the other megaliths of this monument have substantially weathered, the "Three Snakes Stone" is well preserved. It has three snakes and a half moon engraved, hinting at its use as either a burial site or as an archaeoastronomical site.

Roman Times

During Roman times Val Lumnezia was probably inhabited by a celtic tribe known as the Helvetii. It was a part of the Roman Province of Rhaetia. However, as there were hardly any natural resources in the valley and the alpine crossing into the Ticino would have been difficult, there are no significant archaeological finds of this period.

Middle Ages

Chronicles of the early Middle Ages mention the Val Lumnezia because of its fertile soils and advantageous climate. In several sheltered parishes, such as Peiden peaches and grapes were grown. In the 6th century AD the parish church at Pleif near Vella was built. At about this time the valley became a domain of Bishopic Chur, with its inhabitants living in serfdom to the bishops at Chur. At around 1,200 AD the Valser valley, a side valley of the Val Lumnezia, was settled by an Alemannic tribe known as the Walsers. With the foundation of the Grey League in the 14th century, the valley emancipated itself politically.

Reformation and Enlightenment

1538 AD the citizens of the Val Lumnezia bought themselves off the feudal ownership. The parishes of the valley became autonomous and the feudal domains became partially private property. Within the Grey League legislatives and juridical councils emerged in the form of confederations comprising several parish councils — one of which became the municipality Val Lumnezia. This had, in particular, economical advantages, as the valley was then autonomous, being able to supply itself with food and goods. Across the Greina high plain, the cattle trade was done with cities as far afield as Milan in Italy.As a bastion against the emerging Protestantism which has spread across Northern and Western Switzerland, the Holy See established 1621 AD a Rhaetian Capuchin congregation to spread the counter reformation across the Val Lumnezia. This had the effect, that still today, the valley is conservative Roman Catholic, with sacred buildings, such as baroque churches dominating the landscape.

Industrial Age

The construction of the road to Glion for stagecoaches in 1890 connected the Val Lumnezia to the infrastructure of the Vorderrhein valley and the Swiss railway network.

Geography

The valley of the river Glogn, upwards from Glion.

Geology

Tectonics and rock formations

The rock formations in the Val Lumnezia are mostly composed of slate — geologically known as the Grisons slate belt — which forms the mountains and valleys South of the Vorderrhein. The slate is interlaced with dolomite and quartzite. The Greina high Alpine plain distinguishes itself from the remainder of the Val Lumnezia by the occurrence of crystallite rock formations, characteristic of the Adula Alps. As several tectonic faults have fractured the original rock formations, the geological origin of the Grisons slate is unknown, but it is probably sediment of the thickness of some 300 feet, which has formed during the Jurassic Period in estuaries. There are two types of slate in the Val Lumnezia: North of the river Glogn the slate of the Adula Alps predominates, whereas South of the river Glogn the Lugnez slate can be found. (These strata run with an inclination of 75° towards the North West). The former has weathered substantially, the latter is more resistant. The most cohesive slate mass stretches across and area of approximately 16 square miles. South of this massive slate plate, again the rock formations show substantial tectonic disruptions.

Glaciers

The current geological morphology of the Val Lumnezia is due to the last widespread glaciation some 26,000 until 13,000 years ago, when the entire valley was covered by a giant glacier. The glacier swept the deposits in the direction of the Vorderrhein and when it melted, an undulating sheet of clay and gravel remained, which forms today's terraced plateaus of Val Lumnezia.

The Piz Terri and the high Greina plain form a Nature reserve shared between Grisons and Ticino. The Kar Glacier below the Piz Terri has seen a substantial reduction due to global warming.Fact|date=April 2007 Back in 1865 the glacier filled the area of the entire Lake Kar. This has resulted in massive erosion as the permafrost ground thawed releasing rocks and gravel which has formed a massive landslide below the Piz Terri. Other landslides have covered the remaining Glacier.

River systems

During snow melt and flash floods the river Glogn tends to flush away the slopes of its gorge resulting in the 1920s in the near evacuation of the Parish council Peiden on the Northern site of the Glogn. However, the construction of several reservoirs and drainage systems along its path has alleviated this danger. Several streams emerging from the surrounding mountain ridges have cut small, but partially deep ravines and gullies into the terraced plateaus of the Val Lumnezia.

Ecology

Fauna

The fauna can be divided between high Alpine fauna and low Alpine fauna. At highs above 5,000 ft in the Val Lumnezia the marmot and the chamois are of common occurrence and the Alpine Ibex can be seen occasionally. Below that altitude, foxes, hares, wild boars and red deer can be found. With the onset of winter, the chamois move towards the valley. As there is a brown bear sanctuary some Alpine valleys further to the East, in the Trento region of Italy, it might occasionally happen that a bear from this sanctuary ventures through lower ranges of the Val Lumnezia. Some caves and buildings of the lower Val Lumnezia are inhabited by the Horseshoe bat ("Rhinolophidae"), which is a protected species.

In the higher and middle ranges of the valley several pairs of Golden Eagles have been resettled.

Transport

Airports

Both the international airports at Zürich-Kloten and Milan airport are about equidistant from the Val Lumnezia.

Railways

The Railway station is located at Glion at the North-Eastern edge of the Val Lumnezia. The Rhaetian Railway line to Disentis serves the valley, with connecting services to the Swiss Federal Railways network at Chur. In addition, Glion is a stop for the famous Glacier Express.

Roads

The Val Lumnezia can be accessed only by the Via Principala road from Glion. Arriving from Zürich and Chur, respectively, the Swiss Federal Highways A3 and A13(E43) to the San Bernardino road tunnel have to be left at the intersection Reichenau. The Swiss National Road 19 is to be followed to Glion. From here the Val Lumnezia can be reached taking the Via Principala past Cumbel into Vella or Vals. Arriving from Milan the Val Lumnezia can be reached leaving the A13(E43) at the intersection Reichenau. Arriving from Geneva, Val Lumnezia can be reached via the Swiss Federal Highways A1 and A9 (E62) taking the Furka Pass road, the Swiss Federal Road 19, passing the Furka pass and the Oberalp Pass to Disentis. At Glion, the Swiss Federal Road 19 has to be left for the Via Prinzipala.

Politics and government

Councils

Val Lumnezia is a municipality of the district Surselva in Grisons. It is composed of the following councils.

Tourism

kiing

There are two main skiing areas in the Val Lumnezia. The Piz Mundaun and the Piz Aul in the Valser valley.There are various ski-lifts on the northern face of the valley, connecting the Val Lumnezia to the Obersaxen ski area.

ites of Interest

Mountains

* Piz Terri
* Piz Aul
* Piz Mundaun

Nature

* Glogn Gorge
* Alpine Forests
* Lake Kar

Recreation

* Spa in Vals

Buildings

* Parish Church Vrin
* Parish Church Pleif near Vella
* Municipal Building in Vella - an old manor house.
* Crap da Treis Siarps - the neolithic/megalithic monument and archaeoastronomical site below the Parish Church at Pfleif near Vella.

Events

* [http://www.openair-lumnezia.ch Open Air Val Lumnezia] - Popular Rock Concert in Degen

Further reading

*Ulrich & Greti Büchi. "Die Megalithe der Surselva Graubünden", Band II, Lumnezia/Valsertal. Desertina Verlag, Disentis, Switzerland, 1984.

External links

* [http://www.vallumnezia.ch Val Lumnezia tourist office] rm icon de icon
*HDS|1390|Val Lumnezia|author=Duri Blumenthal|rm=1390