Samnaun, Alpine municipality in Grisons, Switzerland
Samnaun is a municipality in Grisons in eastern Switzerland, extending near the Austrian border. The settlement sits at an elevation of 1846 meters and covers an area of 56 square kilometers among mountain landscapes.
Since 1892 the municipality has held a special status as a duty-free territory, setting it apart from the rest of Switzerland. This arrangement originally emerged because of the remote location and difficult connections to the rest of the country.
The village draws its name from the Romansh term Sam Nauns, which suggests a settlement facing the sun. Locals converse in their own dialect that incorporates influences from neighboring Austrian speech patterns.
The main access road connects the village to nearby settlements such as Spiss at 4.9 kilometers and Ischgl at 8.7 kilometers away. In winter the drive can be demanding because of snowfall, so travelers should check road conditions beforehand.
To this day a special arrangement applies here that allows visitors and residents to purchase goods without import duties. This makes the place the only such territory within Switzerland and attracts day tourists from surrounding regions as well.
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