[3] It covers the Val Lumnezia (German: Lugnez), a Swiss high alpine valley.

Witness to this is the Crap da Treis Siarps, the "Three Snakes Stone", a remnant of a Neolithic or Bronze Age Megalithic monument.

However, as there were hardly any natural resources in the valley and the alpine crossing into the Ticino would have been difficult, there are no significant archaeological finds of this period.

Chronicles of the early Middle Ages mention the Lumnezia because of its fertile soils and advantageous climate.

Across the Greina high plain, the cattle trade was done with cities as far afield as Milan in Italy.

This had the effect, that still today, the valley is conservative Roman Catholic, with sacred buildings, such as baroque churches dominating the landscape.

The construction of the road to Ilanz for stagecoaches in 1890 connected the Lumnezia to the infrastructure of the Vorderrhein valley and the Swiss railway network.

[14] While there is some evidence of a late Bronze Age settlement and coins from the 3rd and 4th centuries have been found, Vella is first mentioned about 840 as ad sanctum Vincentium [...] in valle Leguntia.

The Greina high Alpine plain distinguishes itself from the remainder of the Val Lumnezia by the occurrence of crystallite rock formations, characteristic of the Adula Alps.

South of this massive slate plate, again the rock formations show substantial tectonic disruptions.

The current geological morphology of the Val Lumnezia is due to the last widespread glaciation some 26,000 until 13,000 years ago, when the entire valley was covered by a giant glacier.

The glacier swept the deposits in the direction of the Vorderrhein and when it melted, an undulating sheet of clay and gravel remained, which forms today's terraced plateaus of Lumnezia.

The Piz Terri and the high Greina plain form a Nature reserve shared between Grisons and Ticino.

The Kar Glacier below the Piz Terri has seen a substantial reduction due to global warming.

Several streams emerging from the surrounding mountain ridges have cut small, but partially deep ravines and gullies into the terraced plateaus of the Val Lumnezia.

At heights above 1,500 m (4,900 ft) in the Val Lumnezia the marmot and the chamois are of common occurrence and the Alpine ibex can be seen occasionally.

Some caves and buildings of the lower Val Lumnezia are inhabited by the horseshoe bat (Rhinolophidae), which is a protected species.

Arriving from Zürich and Chur, respectively, the Swiss Federal Highways A3 and A13(E43) to the San Bernardino road tunnel have to be left at the intersection Reichenau.

There are various ski-lifts on the northern face of the valley, connecting the Lumnezia to the Obersaxen ski area.

The Chapel of St. Sebastian in Degen, the Crestaulta and Cresta Petschna (a Bronze Age settlement), the necropolis at Surin and the double house at number 30 in Lumbrien, the Church of S. Luregn/St.

Vincent in Vella and the Church of S. Maria in Vrin are listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

The bottom layer dates from the early Bronze Age (c. 2000-1700/1600 BC) and included a number of post holes for simple huts with some attached animal stalls.

The second layer dates from the middle Bronze Age (1700/1600-1500/1400 BC) and consists of massive dry stone walls, however there are no clear house or other building foundations.

This layer also includes numerous animal stalls, a small round "cellar", part of a kiln and fire pits.

The upper layer is also from the middle Bronze Age (1500/1400-1300 BC) and includes an animal stall, a menhir or standing stone and a wooden floor.

Additional excavations have discovered ceramic pots of a style that is now known as the Inner-alpine Bronze Age culture (German: Inneralpinen Bronzezeit-Kultur) or formerly as the Crestaulta-Kultur.

[16] Vrin was awarded the Wakker Prize for their integration of modern agricultural buildings into a traditional, historic village.

Meadows were cleared, a butcher was brought in, a cooperative was founded and a slaughterhouse, barns and multi-purpose hall were all added.

The wettest month is August during which time Vella receives an average of 115 mm (4.5 in) of rain or snow.

The wettest month is August during which time Vrin receives an average of 139 mm (5.5 in) of rain or snow.