Klosters-Serneus

Klosters-Serneus
Klosters Dorf
Coat of arms
Klosters-Serneus
Location of Klosters-Serneus
Coordinates: 46°53′N 9°53′E / 46.883°N 9.883°E / 46.883; 9.883Coordinates: 46°53′N 9°53′E / 46.883°N 9.883°E / 46.883; 9.883
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Graubünden
District	Prättigau/Davos
Area[1]
• Total	219.83 km2 (84.88 sq mi)
Elevation ([2])	1,200 m (3,900 ft)
Population (Dec 2015[3])
• Total	6,177
• Density	28/km2 (73/sq mi)
Postal code	7250 Klosters-Platz 7252 Klosters-Dorf 7249 Serneus
SFOS number	3871
Surrounded by	Conters im Prättigau, Davos, Gaschurn (AT-8), Langwies, Lavin, Saas im Prättigau, Sankt Gallenkirch (AT-8), Susch
Website	www.klosters-serneus.ch SFSO statistics

Klosters-Serneus is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.

Its well-known ski resort lies 150 km (93 mi) from Zurich, the nearest international airport. Transfer time is about 1.5 hours. Klosters is 10 km (6.2 mi) from Davos. It is a popular ski location and the slopes are easily accessible via a large cable car.

History

Klosters-Serneus is first mentioned in 1222 as ecclesiam sancti Iacobi. In 1436 it was mentioned as zuo dem Closter.^[4]

Geography

Stützbach stream between Klosters and Davos-Laret

Klosters-Serneus has an area, as of 2006, of 193.2 km² (74.6 sq mi). Of this area, 25.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while 18.9% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.3% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (54.5%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).^[5]

The municipality is located in and is the only municipality in Klosters sub-district of the Prättigau/Davos district. It was created in 1865 through the merger of the formerly independent municipalities of Serneus and Klosters. Until 1973 Klosters-Serneus was known as Klosters.^[6] It is the last and uppermost village in the Prättigau valley. It consists of the villages of Klosters and Serneus and is made up of the sections of Platz, Dorf, Selfranga, Äuja and Monbiel

Demographics

Klosters-Serneus has a population (as of 31 December 2015) of 6,177.^[3] As of 2008, 17.2% of the population was made up of foreign nationals.^[7] Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -2.8%. Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks German (88.7%), with Portuguese being second most common (2.9%) and Serbo-Croatian being third (2.6%).^[5]

As of 2000, the gender distribution of the population was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.^[8] The age distribution, as of 2000, in Klosters-Serneus is; 423 children or 10.9% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 398 teenagers or 10.2% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 518 people or 13.3% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 588 people or 15.1% are between 30 and 39, 552 people or 14.2% are between 40 and 49, and 540 people or 13.9% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 422 people or 10.8% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 268 people or 6.9% are between 70 and 79, there are 145 people or 3.7% who are between 80 and 89 there are 35 people or 0.9% who are between 90 and 99, and 1 person who is 100 or more.^[7]

In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SVP which received 46.5% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the FDP (28.7%), the SP (17.2%) and the CVP (4.7%).^[5]

In Klosters-Serneus about 76.4% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule).^[5]

Klosters-Serneus has an unemployment rate of 0.93%. As of 2005, there were 189 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 80 businesses involved in this sector. 590 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 66 businesses in this sector. 1,271 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 203 businesses in this sector.^[5]

From the 2000 census, 895 or 23.0% are Roman Catholic, while 2,587 or 66.5% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. Of the rest of the population, there are 106 individuals (or about 2.72% of the population) who belong to the Orthodox Church, and there are 13 individuals (or about 0.33% of the population) who belong to another Christian church. There are 32 (or about 0.82% of the population) who are Islamic. There are 14 individuals (or about 0.36% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), 221 (or about 5.68% of the population) belong to no church, are agnostic or atheist, and 27 individuals (or about 0.69% of the population) did not answer the question.^[7]

Village church of Serneus

The historical population is given in the following table:^[4]

Skiing

Klosters is well known as a favorite ski resort for Charles, Prince of Wales and subsequently one cable car to the top of Gotschnagrat is named the "Prince of Wales".

Heritage sites of national significance

The Reformierte Kirche am Platz is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.^[9]

Transport

Klosters is served by regular train services at Klosters station, alongside a variety of regional and local bus services.

Panoramic view from Gotschnagrat on Klosters Dorf (right), Serneus (center) and Madrisahorn

Society

The Klosters ski resort has long been the winter destination for the British Royal Family for over 3 decades.^[10] Klosters takes pride in what Tom Robbins refers to as “Discreet luxury yes, pomposity just for show, no”, it warns; here “understatement is written in capital letters”.^[11] Prince William and Prince Harry grew up in the village learning to ski and were often spotted at their usual haunt Casa Antica.^[12] Among other historic notable usuals include the likes of Paul Newman, Gregory Peck, Yul Brynner, Lauren Bacall, Juliette Gréco, Irwin Shaw, Robert Capa, Greta Garbo and Gene Kelly, who famously danced on the tables in the hotel bar of the legendary Hotel Chesa Grischuna where Rex Harrison discussed his musical notes for "My Fair Lady" with the hotel pianist. Peter Viertel described Klosters as "Hollywood on the Rocks" in his acclaimed autobiography "Dangerous Friends" and in 1960 married Deborah Kerr in Klosters.^[13][14] In more recent history other regulars include, Lord Mandelson, billionaires Nathaniel Philip Rothschild,^[15] Thomas Schmidheiny,^[16] Friede Springer, and Peter Munk,^[17] other notables include Benjamin Wegg-Prosser,^[18] Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, Rupert Everett and Swiss movie producer Marc Forster.^[19][20] Local hotel proprietor and skier Ruth Guler ran the Hotel Wynegg, and socialised with several royals, though she treated them no differently to other guests.^[21] Nicholas Wheeler and Chrissie Rucker own the Haus Alpina chalet in Klosters.^[22]

Climate

Klosters has a Tundra climate (ET) under the Köppen climate classification. The average annual temperature is 2 °C (36 °F). The average coldest month was January with an average temperature of −9 °C (15 °F), while the warmest month was July with an average temperature of 13 °C (55 °F). The wettest month was August during which time Klosters received an average of 110 millimeters (4.3 in) of rain or snow. During this month it received precipitation for 14.6 days. The month of June had the most precipitation days, 14.9 but only had 86 millimeters (3.4 in) of precipitation. The driest month was February during which time Klosters received an average of 36 millimeters (1.4 in) of rain or snow. During this month it received precipitation for 10.6 days.^[23]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Klosters-Serneus.

Municipalities in the district of Prättigau/Davos, Switzerland
Conters im Prättigau Davos Furna Fideris Grüsch Jenaz Klosters-Serneus Küblis Luzein Schiers Seewis im Prättigau Canton of Graubünden Districts of Canton Graubünden Municipalities of the canton of Graubünden