Soglio, Switzerland
Encyclopedia
Soglio is a former municipality
in the district of Maloja
in the Swiss
canton
of Graubünden
close to the border with Italy
. It's now part of the municipality of Bregaglia
.
Soglio has an area, , of 67.6 km² (26.1 sq mi). Of this area, 25.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while 8.6% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.5% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (65.6%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).
The municipality is located in the Bergell sub-district of the Maloja district. It is located on a terrace at the entrance to the Passo della Duana which leads into the Avers
valley and the Passo da la Prasignola into the Val Madris. It consists of the village of Soglio (at 1095 m (3,592.5 ft)) and the section of Spino.
Soglio lies on a ledge on the mountainside on the northern side of the Val Bregaglia
(Bergell in German) above the river Maira
(Mera in Italian), with views across the valley to the Bondasca glacier and the peaks of the Sciora group, Piz Cengalo
and Piz Badile
in the Bregaglia Range
.
The town is 17 kilometres (10.6 mi) from the Italian town of Chiavenna at the foot of the Val Bregaglia, and 39 km (24.2 mi) from Sankt Moritz in the Engadine valley which is reached via the Maloja Pass
. These two towns provide the nearest railway stations. The highest point of the territory of the municipality is the summit of Piz Duan
(3131 m (10,272.3 ft)).
On 1 January 2010 the municipalities of Bondo
, Castasegna
, Soglio, Stampa
, and Vicosoprano
were merged into a new municipality of Bregaglia
.
, the gender distribution of the population was 43.9% male and 56.1% female. The age distribution, , in Soglio is; 8 children or 4.7% of the population are between 0 to 9 years old. 11 teenagers or 6.4% are 10 to 14, and 6 teenagers or 3.5% are 15 to 19. Of the adult population, 11 people or 6.4% of the population are between 20 to 29 years old. 14 people or 8.1% are 30 to 39, 32 people or 18.6% are 40 to 49, and 28 people or 16.3% are 50 to 59. The senior population distribution is 17 people or 9.9% of the population are between 60 to 69 years old, 27 people or 15.7% are 70 to 79, there are 15 people or 8.7% who are 80 to 89, and there are 3 people or 1.7% who are 90 to 99.
In 1552 the village converted during the Protestant Reformation
. Most of the population of the village are still members of the Swiss Reformed Church
.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 53.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP
(24.5%), the FDP
(15.2%) and the CVP
(7.2%).
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Soglio about 73.6% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a Fachhochschule
).
Soglio has an unemployment rate of 0.2%. , there were 18 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 9 businesses involved in this sector. 34 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 8 businesses in this sector. 140 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 15 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
families. There are several Salis houses in the village; Casa Alta; Casa Battista; Casa di Mezzo; and Casa Antonio. The Casa Battista is now an hotel: Hotel Palazzo Salis (formerly Pensione Willy), the others are tenements. For centuries the Salis family fortunes influenced the region, and the bars from the family arms are present in the coat of arms of the municipality, below the capricorn which indicates church membership.
.
. The wettest month is May during which time Soglio receives an average of 179 mm (7 in) of precipitation. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 12.7 days. The driest month of the year is February with an average of 55 mm (2.2 in) of precipitation over 12.7 days.
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
in the district of Maloja
Maloja (district)
Maloja District is an administrative district in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has an area of and has a population of . It is trilingual, with official languages used by municipalities inside the district being, in order of dominance, German, Italian, and Romansh.It consists of two...
in the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
close to the border with Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It's now part of the municipality of Bregaglia
Bregaglia
Bregaglia is a municipality in the district of Maloggia in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is a merger of the municipalities of Bondo, Castasegna, Soglio, Stampa and Vicosoprano, all located in the Val Bregaglia.-External links:...
.
Geography
The municipality is located in the Bergell sub-district of the Maloja district. It is located on a terrace at the entrance to the Passo della Duana which leads into the Avers
Avers
Avers is a municipality in the district of Hinterrhein in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. It includes Juf, the highest-altitude year-round settlement in Europe.-History:...
valley and the Passo da la Prasignola into the Val Madris. It consists of the village of Soglio (at 1095 m (3,592.5 ft)) and the section of Spino.
Soglio lies on a ledge on the mountainside on the northern side of the Val Bregaglia
Val Bregaglia
The Val Bregaglia or Bergell Tal is an alpine valley of Switzerland and Italy at the base of which runs the river Mera River...
(Bergell in German) above the river Maira
Mera River
The Mera is a river in Switzerland and Italy. Its source is near the Maloja Pass, in Graubünden, Switzerland. It flows west through the Val Bregaglia and crosses the Italian border near Soglio...
(Mera in Italian), with views across the valley to the Bondasca glacier and the peaks of the Sciora group, Piz Cengalo
Piz Cengalo
Piz Cengalo is a mountain in the Bregaglia range of the Alps on the border between the Swiss canton of Graubünden and Italy.The first ascent of the mountain was by D. W. Freshfield and C. Comyns Tucker with guide F...
and Piz Badile
Piz Badile
Piz Badile is a mountain in the Bregaglia range in the Swiss canton of Graubünden and Italy, the border between the two countries running along the summit ridge. Its northeast face is considered one of the six great north faces of the Alps....
in the Bregaglia Range
Bregaglia Range
The Bregaglia Range is a small group of mostly granite mountains in Graubünden, Switzerland and the Province of Sondrio, northern Italy. It derives its name from the partly Swiss, partly Italian valley, the Val Bregaglia, and is known as Bergell in German...
.
Maloja Pass
Maloja Pass is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps in the canton of Graubünden, linking the Engadin with the Val Bregaglia and Chiavenna in Italy...
. These two towns provide the nearest railway stations. The highest point of the territory of the municipality is the summit of Piz Duan
Piz Duan
The Piz Duan is a mountain in the Oberhalbstein Range, located in Graubünden, Switzerland.-External links:*...
(3131 m (10,272.3 ft)).
On 1 January 2010 the municipalities of Bondo
Bondo, Switzerland
Bondo is a former municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. It's now part of the municipality of Bregaglia.-Geography:...
, Castasegna
Castasegna
Castasegna is a former municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, right at the Italian border. It's now part of the municipality of Bregaglia. The town is situated in the Bergell valley, above the river Mera.-Geography:...
, Soglio, Stampa
Stampa
Stampa is a former municipality in the Maloja district of the Swiss canton, Graubünden. It is now part of the municipality of Bregaglia.-Geography:Stampa has an area, , of . Of this area, 14.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 18.8% is forested...
, and Vicosoprano
Vicosoprano
Vicosoprano is a former municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, and is the largest village in the Val Bregaglia. It's now part of the municipality of Bregaglia.-Geography:...
were merged into a new municipality of Bregaglia
Bregaglia
Bregaglia is a municipality in the district of Maloggia in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is a merger of the municipalities of Bondo, Castasegna, Soglio, Stampa and Vicosoprano, all located in the Val Bregaglia.-External links:...
.
Demographics
Soglio has a population of 167, of which 7.8% are foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -13.5%., the gender distribution of the population was 43.9% male and 56.1% female. The age distribution, , in Soglio is; 8 children or 4.7% of the population are between 0 to 9 years old. 11 teenagers or 6.4% are 10 to 14, and 6 teenagers or 3.5% are 15 to 19. Of the adult population, 11 people or 6.4% of the population are between 20 to 29 years old. 14 people or 8.1% are 30 to 39, 32 people or 18.6% are 40 to 49, and 28 people or 16.3% are 50 to 59. The senior population distribution is 17 people or 9.9% of the population are between 60 to 69 years old, 27 people or 15.7% are 70 to 79, there are 15 people or 8.7% who are 80 to 89, and there are 3 people or 1.7% who are 90 to 99.
In 1552 the village converted during the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. Most of the population of the village are still members of the Swiss Reformed Church
Swiss Reformed Church
The Reformed branch of Protestantism in Switzerland was started in Zürich by Huldrych Zwingli and spread within a few years to Basel , Bern , St...
.
In the 2007 federal election
Swiss federal election, 2007
Elections to the Swiss Federal Assembly, the federal parliament of Switzerland, were held on Sunday, 21 October 2007. In a few cantons, a second round of the elections to the Council of States was held on 11 November, 18 November, and 25 November 2007...
the most popular party was the SVP
Swiss People's Party
The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...
which received 53.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(24.5%), the FDP
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009....
(15.2%) and the CVP
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
(7.2%).
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Soglio about 73.6% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a Fachhochschule
Fachhochschule
A Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
).
Soglio has an unemployment rate of 0.2%. , there were 18 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 9 businesses involved in this sector. 34 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 8 businesses in this sector. 140 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 15 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1850 | 388 |
| 1900 | 349 |
| 1950 | 287 |
| 1960 | 326 |
| 1970 | 219 |
| 1980 | 220 |
| 1990 | 216 |
| 2000 | 172 |
Languages
Most of the population speaks Italian (80.2%), with German being second most common (17.4%) and English being third ( 1.7%). The majority of the population speaks the local dialect of Lombard .| Languages in Soglio GR | ||||||
| Languages | Census 1980 | Census 1990 | Census 2000 | |||
| Number | Percent | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | |
| German German language German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union.... |
19 | 8.64 % | 33 | 15.28 % | 30 | 17.44 % |
| Italian Italian language Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia... |
188 | 85.45 % | 177 | 81.94 % | 138 | 80.23 % |
| Population | 220 | 100 % | 216 | 100 % | 172 | 100 % |
Notable residents
It is a commune of origin for the Salis family, one of the Grisons oligarchOligarchy
Oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with an elite class distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, commercial, and/or military legitimacy...
families. There are several Salis houses in the village; Casa Alta; Casa Battista; Casa di Mezzo; and Casa Antonio. The Casa Battista is now an hotel: Hotel Palazzo Salis (formerly Pensione Willy), the others are tenements. For centuries the Salis family fortunes influenced the region, and the bars from the family arms are present in the coat of arms of the municipality, below the capricorn which indicates church membership.
Heritage sites of national significance
The Casa Antonio No. 139 and Casa Battista no. 131 also known as the Hotel Palazzo Salis are both listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significanceSwiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
.
Weather
Soglio has an average of 101.8 days of rain per year and on average receives 1459 mm (57.4 in) of precipitationPrecipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
. The wettest month is May during which time Soglio receives an average of 179 mm (7 in) of precipitation. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 12.7 days. The driest month of the year is February with an average of 55 mm (2.2 in) of precipitation over 12.7 days.