Graubünden

Graubünden, also known as Grisons in German and Grischun in Romansh, is the easternmost and largest canton of Switzerland by area. Its capital is Chur, one of the country’s oldest towns. The canton has three official languages: German, Romansh, and Italian, reflecting its diverse linguistic regions.

Geographically, Graubünden lies in the Swiss Alps and encompasses large highland valleys, extensive glacierized areas, and several mountain ranges, including the Albula, Bernina, and Julier ranges. The Engadin valley is a notable cultural and climatic corridor within the canton. The terrain features numerous passes and lakes and forms parts of the Rhine and Inn drainage basins. The Bernina Pass and other alpine routes make the area a hub for tourism and transit.

Historically, the area developed from the Three Leagues, a medieval alliance of communities that gradually unified into the canton of Graubünden. In 1803, during the Napoleonic era, Graubünden became a formal canton of Switzerland as part of the Helvetic reorganization. The early political structure has evolved into today’s cantonal government with an executive council and a legislative body.

Demographically, the canton hosts around 190,000 to 200,000 residents. German is the predominant language in the north and center; Romansh remains an official language with several regional dialects (including Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Vallader, and Putèr); Italian is concentrated in the southern Val Poschiavo region.

Economy and culture are heavily oriented toward tourism, with world-class ski resorts such as St. Moritz, Davos, Klosters, and Arosa, as well as the Swiss National Park near Zernez. The cantonal railway network, including the Rhaetian Railway’s Albula and Bernina lines, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a key transport artery.