Bratsch

Bratsch
Former municipality of Switzerland
Bratsch village
Bratsch
Location of Bratsch
Coordinates: 46°19′N 7°42′E / 46.317°N 7.700°E / 46.317; 7.700Coordinates: 46°19′N 7°42′E / 46.317°N 7.700°E / 46.317; 7.700
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Valais
District	Leuk
Municipality	Gampel-Bratsch
Area
• Total	6.2 km2 (2.4 sq mi)
Elevation	1,090 m (3,580 ft)
Population
• Total	490
• Density	79/km2 (200/sq mi)
Postal code	3957
SFOS number	6103
Twin towns	Horw (Switzerland)
Website	www.bratsch.ch SFSO statistics

Bratsch is a village in the municipality of Gampel-Bratsch in the district of Leuk of the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

Bratsch was an independent municipality until January 1, 2009, when it merged with Gampel to form Gampel-Bratsch.

Bratsch is first mentioned in 1228 and 1242 as Praes. In 1309 it was mentioned as Prahcs, in 1322 as Praes, in 1357 as Prayes, in 1408 as Prages and in 1532 as Bratsch.

The blazon of the village coat of arms is In azure on a church in argent with a cross of the same, covered with sable, placed in sinister on a mountain entailed in vert and in dexter on a mullet in or, in the point a wavy device (river) in argent surmounting on the mountains.

Bratsch has a population (as of December 2002^[update]) of 490.

Most of the population (as of 2000^[update]) speaks German (460 or 99.1%) as their first language, Russian is the second most common (2 or 0.4%) and French is the third (1 or 0.2%). There is 1 person who speaks Romansh.

Of the population in the village 291 or about 62.7% were born in Bratsch and lived there in 2000. There were 154 or 33.2% who were born in the same canton, while 10 or 2.2% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 5 or 1.1% were born outside of Switzerland. As of 2000^[update], there were 179 people who were single and never married in the village. There were 254 married individuals, 26 widows or widowers and 5 individuals who are divorced.