Eisten

Eisten is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

History

Eisten is first mentioned in 1299 as Oysten.

Geography

Eisten has an area, as of 2011, of 38 square kilometers (15 sq mi). Of this area, 9.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 23.9% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.7% is settled (buildings or roads) and 65.8% is unproductive land.

The municipality is located in the Visp district, on the eastern and western sides of the entrance into the Saas valley. It lies east of the Mischabel range, which culminates at the Dom (4,545 m [14,911 ft]).

Coat of arms

The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Vert, a Lamb Argent passant over a Coupeaux Or, a chief Azure.

Demographics

Eisten has a population (as of December 2014) of 203, all Swiss citizens. Over the last 10 years (2000–2010 ) the population has changed at a rate of -22%. It has changed at a rate of -5.7% due to migration and at a rate of -5.7% due to births and deaths.

Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks German (217 or 96.0%) as their first language, Albanian is the second most common (7 or 3.1%) and Romansh is the third (1 or 0.4%).

Blatten (Lötschen)

Blatten is a village and municipality in the Lötschental valley in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It is part of the district of Westlich Raron, and much of the municipality lies within the Jungfrau-Aletsch protected area, a World Heritage Site. Besides the village of Blatten, the municipality includes the settlements of Eisten, Fafleralp, Ried and Weissenried.

Blatten should not be confused with the ski resort and village of Blatten bei Naters, which lies some 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) to the south-east in a direct line, or nearer 50 kilometres (31 mi) by road.

History

Blatten is first mentioned in 1433 as uffen der Blattun.

The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Azure, a rocky Mountain Argent issuant from the flank dexter and from the point, per bendwise and in chief sinister a Cross bottony of the same.

Geography

Blatten lies in the Lötschental valley south of the Bernese Alps. The municipality is located in the Westlich Raron district, and is the highest inhabited part of the Lötschental valley at an elevation of 1,540 m (5,050 ft). It consists of the village of Blatten and the hamlets of Eisten, Ried and Weissenried. At the head of the road up the valley, Fafleralp is the site of a well known hotel.