Embd

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

History

Embd is first mentioned in 1250 as Emeda. In 1330 it was mentioned as Embda and Emda.

Geography

Embd has an area, as of 2011, of 13.4 square kilometers (5.2 sq mi). Of this area, 24.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 15.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.5% is settled (buildings or roads) and 58.7% is unproductive land.

The municipality is located in the Visp district, on the steep, left side of the Nikolai valley. It consists of a number of scattered settlements including the hamlet of Flue (1,358 m [4,455 ft]), which serves as the central settlement, and Kalpetran (850 m [2,790 ft]) which includes a station of the Brig-Visp-Zermatt-Bahn.

Coat of arms

The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Argent, issuant from Coupeaux Vert a Tower embattled Gules masoned, doored and windowed Sable, in chief two Keys of the last in saltire over a Latin Cross bottony Sable issuant from a Heart Gules.