Vals

The picturesque village of Vals, situated in the Surselva Region of Switzerland’s Graubünden canton, is home to approximately 1,000 residents. Covering 175.56 square kilometers, this lovely municipality is well-known for its thermal baths and breathtaking alpine surroundings. Because of its unique mix of historical sites, natural beauty, and modern attractions, the village is a proud home for its people as well as a great travel destination.

Archaeological discoveries point to human habitation in the Vals region going back to the Bronze Age, so establishing the town’s long and rich history. Archaeologists have discovered objects from this era near the thermal baths and Tomül pass; on the Valserberg slopes, they have unearthed Iron Age relics. These findings reveal that since before written records, various groups have made different use of the space.

Originally known as “in Valle,” the first record of Vals comes from about the middle of the 12th century. Over this period, the Valser valley was much used by the Romansh-speaking residents of the area. By 1290 the community consisted of four or seven farmhouses, most of which engaged in sheep farming.

A major turning point in Vals’ history came with the Walser people arriving in the 13th century. From the canton of Wallis in Southwest Switzerland, this group of German-speaking immigrants set out into the Valser valley. Their migration brought notable changes in both language and architecture. The triangular roofs and strong reliance on wood as building materials help one to identify Walser style houses. The village still today clearly shows the architectural influence of the Walser migration, so demonstrating its long-lasting effect.

Living together, the Walser and Romansh people had challenges. In 1457 the main decree prohibiting Walser from purchasing land from the Romansh-speaking residents came down. She was not allowed to get married either. This restriction kept the German-speaking Wallers from growing their population and instead drove the Walser immigrants toward the edge of the valley, the only unclaimed territory accessible to them at the time. This historical event was fundamental in shaping the linguistic and cultural dynamics of Vals, which in turn helped to define the city.

Vals boasts a varied and amazing landscape. At an amazing 3,402 meters, Rheinwaldhorn is the highest point in the municipality; overall, the elevation of the municipality is 1,252 meters above sea level. This great range of elevation allows the area to be home to a great range of ecosystems and amazing views. Rising at 1,526 meters, the hamlet of Leis offers another perspective for the village and the surrounding alpine scene.

One of the most arresting natural features in Vals is the dam-formed reservoir of the Zervreilasee on the Vals Rhine. Apart from its practical use, this body of water reflects the mountains in the distance and provides a gathering place for outdoor activities, so improving the scenic attractiveness of the valley.

As the land use patterns show, Vals is an alpine town where human activity and environment live peacefully. According to a 2009 study, almost one-third of the land in the municipality is used for farming; a good portion of it goes toward alpine pastures. Of the landmass, just six percent is used for human habitation; twelve percent is forested. A noteworthy 52.9% of the land consists of rocky terrain, glaciers, and areas of unproductive vegetation. Those who have made this mountainous home have had to overcome many challenges; this distribution emphasizes how wild and merciless the ground is.

Since 1893, Vals’ thermal baths have been a main draw for visitors and among the most identifiable aspects of the town. About thirty degrees Celsius hotter than the surrounding ground, springs provide the water for Therme Vals, or Vals thermal baths. Apart from its use in the baths, this natural resource serves as the source of the globally scattered bottles of Valser mineral water.

Famous architect Peter Zumthor designed the current thermal baths in 1996. Perfectly merging with their surroundings, they are an example of modern architecture at its best. Constructed from around sixty thousand stone slabs of Vals quartzite, taken from a nearby quarry, the baths are evidence of the architectural and geological variety of the region. Both architecture buffs and spa visitors swarm to the complex, now a well-known site.

Vals has plenty of outdoor activities all year long to accentuate the thermal attractions. From the village outskirts all the way up to the Dachberg at roughly 2,900 meters, the Vals3000 ski area provides a range of slopes and conveniences for winter sports enthusiasts. Thanks to an 8-person gondola lift and several ski lifts, Vals, one of the higher ski destinations in Graubünden canton, is readily reachable.

Summertime brings life to the area around Zervreila. To appreciate the natural beauty, hikers, bikers, and sightseers from all around come to the reservoir and surrounding mountains. The roughly 8-kilometer road from Vals to Zervreila serves both a summer and a winter use as a popular path for scooter rides and a toboggan run, offering an interesting way to view the surroundings.

Vals’ economy and way of life are intrinsically based on its natural resources. The highly sought-after Valserstein granite, a variety of stone noted for its unusual lustre, comes from nearby quarries. The local economy depends on tourism connected to outdoor activities and thermal baths, as well as on stone manufacturing.

One of several ambitious development proposals aimed at Vals in recent years has been a controversial plan to build a hotel tower 381 meters tall. Though it was finally shelved, this proposal sparked active debate on the course of future development for the village and raised awareness of the delicate balancing act between economic growth and the preservation of the natural and cultural assets of the region.