Chur

Chur
Coat of Arms of Chur
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Graubünden
District	Plessur
Coordinates	46°51′N 9°32′E
Population	33984   (as of December 2011)
Area	28.01 km2 (10.81 sq mi)
Elevation	593 m (1,946 ft)
Postal code	7000-7007
SFOS number	3901
Mayor (list)	Christian Boner (as of 2008) SVP
Localities	Altstadt, Sand, Kasernenquartier, Industriegebiet, Loestrasse-Lürlibad, Masans, Rheinquartier
Surrounded by (view map)	Churwalden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Haldenstein, Maladers, Malix, Trimmis
Twin towns	Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxembourg), Olathe (USA), Terracina (Italy)
Website	www.chur.ch
Chur [zoom]

File:Chur 1642 Merian Helvetiae.jpg

Chur in 1642, by Matthäus Merian.

Chur or Coire is the capital city of the caton of Graubünden (also called Grisons). About 34.000 people live in the city, which is probably the oldest in Switzerland. The city is located on the Rhine.

The name "chur" derives perhaps from the Celtic kora or koria, meaning "tribe", or from the Latin curia

Archaeological evidence of settlement at the site goes back as far as the Pfyn culture (3900-3500 BC), Various artefacts from the Bronze Age and Iron Age have been found in the city. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Chur was created in the 4th century. It pis probably the first Roman Catholic diocese to be created northn of the Alps.