Abtwil, Aargau
Encyclopedia
Abtwil is a municipality
in the district of Muri
in the canton
of Aargau
in Switzerland
. It lies next to the border with the canton of Lucerne
.
and Alamanni
archeological finds as well as two Alamanni cemeteries in Altchile indicate that the Abtwil area was occupied before the village of Abtwil is first mentioned in 1256 as Apwiler. During the Middle Ages
the sovereign rights to the village were held by the Knights Hospitaller
of Hohenrain. In 1256 Count Gottfried von Habsburg-Laufenburg
unsuccessfully contested Knights' rights. The four farm houses remained in the possession of the Knights until 1805. Abtwil was, until 1798, part of the High Court of Meienberg. Before 1415 the court was under the Habsburgs authority, then from 1415-24 it was under Lucerne
's control and after 1424 it was under the authority of the Swiss Confederacy
.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 5.1% and transportation infrastructure made up 2.9%. Out of the forested land, 20.5% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.7% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 42.5% is used for growing crops and 25.8% is pastures, while 1.4% is used for orchards or vine crops.
The municipality is located in the Muri district on the south foot of the Lindenberg. It consists of the haufendorf village (an irregular, unplanned and quite closely packed village, built around a central square) of Abtwil and the hamlet
of Altchile.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Azure a Crosier Or issuant from Base with a Ribbon Argent. This is an example of canting
, since the coat of arms show an abbot
's crosier
."
The age distribution, , in Abtwil is; 92 children or 12.3% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 131 teenagers or 17.4% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 83 people or 11.1% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 110 people or 14.6% are between 30 and 39, 167 people or 22.2% are between 40 and 49, and 94 people or 12.5% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 37 people or 4.9% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 22 people or 2.9% are between 70 and 79, there are 13 people or 1.7% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 2 people or 0.3% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.59 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.57 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m² (43.1 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics. About 61% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage
or a rent-to-own agreement). , there were 15 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 98 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 115 homes with 5 or more persons in the household.
, there were 240 private households (homes and apartments) in the municipality, and an average of 2.8 persons per household. there were 114 single family homes (or 41.8% of the total) out of a total of 273 homes and apartments. There were a total of 13 empty apartments for a 4.8% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 0 new units per 1000 residents.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 43.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP
(26.8%), the FDP
(10%) and the SP
(6.4%).
The historical population is given in the following table:
there were 363 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 282 or about 77.7% of the residents worked outside Abtwil while 51 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 132 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 6.2% used public transportation to get to work, and 60.5% used a private car.
. Of the rest of the population, there was 1 individual who belonged to the Christian Catholic
faith.
). Of the school age population , there are 69 students attending primary school in the municipality.
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
in the district of Muri
Muri (district)
Muri District is a district in the Swiss Canton of Aargau with the administrative capital of Muri. It covers the central and southern part of Freiamt and has a population of .-Geography:...
in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Aargau
Aargau
Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It lies next to the border with the canton of Lucerne
Canton of Lucerne
Lucerne is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population of the canton is . , the population included 57,268 foreigners, or about 15.8% of the total population. The cantonal capital is Lucerne.-History:...
.
History
RomanSwitzerland in the Roman era
The history of Switzerland in the Roman era encompasses the roughly six centuries during which the territory of modern Switzerland was a part of the Roman Republic and Empire...
and Alamanni
Alamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
archeological finds as well as two Alamanni cemeteries in Altchile indicate that the Abtwil area was occupied before the village of Abtwil is first mentioned in 1256 as Apwiler. During the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
the sovereign rights to the village were held by the Knights Hospitaller
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
of Hohenrain. In 1256 Count Gottfried von Habsburg-Laufenburg
Habsburg Family Tree
This is a family tree of the Habsburg family. It currently ranges between the First Count of Habsburg in 1096 to 1395....
unsuccessfully contested Knights' rights. The four farm houses remained in the possession of the Knights until 1805. Abtwil was, until 1798, part of the High Court of Meienberg. Before 1415 the court was under the Habsburgs authority, then from 1415-24 it was under Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
's control and after 1424 it was under the authority of the Swiss Confederacy
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....
.
Geography
Abtwil has an area, , of 4.14 square kilometres (1.6 sq mi). Of this area, 2.89 km² (1.1 sq mi) or 69.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 0.92 km² (0.355213985905132 sq mi) or 22.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.34 km² (0.131274733921462 sq mi) or 8.2% is settled (buildings or roads).Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 5.1% and transportation infrastructure made up 2.9%. Out of the forested land, 20.5% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.7% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 42.5% is used for growing crops and 25.8% is pastures, while 1.4% is used for orchards or vine crops.
The municipality is located in the Muri district on the south foot of the Lindenberg. It consists of the haufendorf village (an irregular, unplanned and quite closely packed village, built around a central square) of Abtwil and the hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Altchile.
Coat of arms
The blazonBlazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
of the municipal coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is Azure a Crosier Or issuant from Base with a Ribbon Argent. This is an example of canting
Canting arms
Canting arms are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name in a visual pun or rebus. The term cant came into the English language from Anglo-Norman cant, meaning song or singing, from Latin cantāre, and English cognates include canticle, chant, accent, incantation and recant.Canting arms –...
, since the coat of arms show an abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
's crosier
Crosier
A crosier is the stylized staff of office carried by high-ranking Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and some Lutheran and Pentecostal prelates...
."
Demographics
Abtwil has a population of , 7.1% of the population are foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of 12.5%. Most of the population speaks German (97.0%), with Italian being second most common ( 0.6%) and Albanian being third ( 0.4%).The age distribution, , in Abtwil is; 92 children or 12.3% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 131 teenagers or 17.4% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 83 people or 11.1% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 110 people or 14.6% are between 30 and 39, 167 people or 22.2% are between 40 and 49, and 94 people or 12.5% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 37 people or 4.9% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 22 people or 2.9% are between 70 and 79, there are 13 people or 1.7% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 2 people or 0.3% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.59 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.57 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m² (43.1 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics. About 61% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
or a rent-to-own agreement). , there were 15 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 98 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 115 homes with 5 or more persons in the household.
, there were 240 private households (homes and apartments) in the municipality, and an average of 2.8 persons per household. there were 114 single family homes (or 41.8% of the total) out of a total of 273 homes and apartments. There were a total of 13 empty apartments for a 4.8% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 0 new units per 1000 residents.
In the 2007 federal election
Swiss federal election, 2007
Elections to the Swiss Federal Assembly, the federal parliament of Switzerland, were held on Sunday, 21 October 2007. In a few cantons, a second round of the elections to the Council of States was held on 11 November, 18 November, and 25 November 2007...
the most popular party was the SVP
Swiss People's Party
The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...
which received 43.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
(26.8%), the FDP
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009....
(10%) and the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(6.4%).
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1836 | 392 |
| 1900 | 325 |
| 1950 | 342 |
| 1970 | 297 |
| 2000 | 674 |
Economy
, Abtwil had an unemployment rate of 0.78%. , there were 45 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 18 businesses involved in this sector. 73 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 8 businesses in this sector. 56 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 14 businesses in this sector.there were 363 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 282 or about 77.7% of the residents worked outside Abtwil while 51 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 132 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 6.2% used public transportation to get to work, and 60.5% used a private car.
Religion
From the , 491 or 72.8% were Roman Catholic, while 79 or 11.7% belonged to the Swiss Reformed ChurchSwiss Reformed Church
The Reformed branch of Protestantism in Switzerland was started in Zürich by Huldrych Zwingli and spread within a few years to Basel , Bern , St...
. Of the rest of the population, there was 1 individual who belonged to the Christian Catholic
Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland
The Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland is the Swiss member church of the Union of Utrecht, also known as Old Catholic Church, originally founded by the jansenists, with a later influx of discontented Catholics following their disappointment with the First Vatican Council. It has 14,000...
faith.
Education
In Abtwil about 85.3% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a FachhochschuleFachhochschule
A Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
). Of the school age population , there are 69 students attending primary school in the municipality.