Grächen is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. The village is situated at an altitude of on a terrace above St. Niklaus in the Mattertal, north of the Mischabel range (and Dom). History Settlements in the area of Grächen probably date back to neolithic times. It certainly was a hunting ground for early Bronze Age alpine people (celts List of Celts). Around 750 (CE), the Alamanni started to settle in the upper (German-speaking) part of what is now the canton of Valais. Grächen is first mentioned in 1210 as de Grachan. In 1250 it was mentioned as de Granges. Grächen developed into a community of farmers in servitude and paying tribute to various feudal lords, until they finally reached their independence as a community (from the Bishop of Sion) in the 19th century. Thomas Platter, a famous citizen of 16th century Grächen, published his autobiography describing a life from humble beginnings as a goatherd to a fulfilled existence as lord of a manor, master of herbal lore, publisher and school director. His son Felix Platter became a famous medical doctor and anatomist. Geography Grächen has an area, , of . Of this area, 13.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 53.7% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 5.1% is settled (buildings or roads) and 27.5% is unproductive land. The municipality is located in the Visp district, on a terrace below the Ried Glacier. The glacier extends about from Ried to Bärgji and is about . The territory of the municipality encompasses the summits of the Seetalhorn and Distelhorn. Climate Grächen features a warm summer humid continental climate (Dfb) according to the Köppen climate classification with abundant snowfall during winter and mild summers. Precipitation is spread out evenly throughout the year, as is common in this climate type. Coat of arms The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Azure, issuant from base three Cliffs Or from which are rising as many Pine trees Vert trunked and rooted proper. Demographics Grächen has a population () of . , 6.4% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (2000–2010 ) the population has changed at a rate of -1.7%. It has changed at a rate of 1.6% due to migration and at a rate of 0.9% due to births and deaths. Most of the population () speaks