'Pigniu' (
German: 'Panix') is a
municipality in the district of
Surselva in the
canton of
Graubünden in
Switzerland. Its official language is
Romansh.
Pigniu is in ''Kreis'' Rueun, which borders on the canton of
Glarus at the entrance to
Panix Pass. It lies on the old
Alpine road into
Italy over
Lukmanier Pass.
Population
The population has declined in the latter half of the 19th century and 20th century, as shown in the following table:
| Year | Population |
| 1850 | 70 |
| 1900 | 61 |
| 1920 | 87 |
| 1950 | 78 |
| 2000 | 45 |
History
Pigniu was probably settled from
Andiast. The name ''Pingyow'' first appears in 1403. The German name ''Panix'' is first mentioned in 1522.
The Church of St. Valentin was dedicated in 1465 and was a popular goal of pilgrimages. Until 1667, Pigniu had its own parish.
On
October 7,
1799, Pigniu was plundered and burned by the retreating
Russian Army under General
Alexander Suvarov.
Economy
Pigniu is a traditional farming community with no industry or commercial establishments. The school was closed in 1974. Since 1972, it has been supported by neighboring
Schlieren.
References
★
External links
★
Official website