Allschwil
Encyclopedia
Allschwil (ˈalʃvil) is a municipality
in the district of Arlesheim
in the canton
of Basel-Country
in Switzerland
.
. Archeological finds from the municipality include a few scattered Middle Paleolithic items, cups from the Glockenbecherkultur (ca. 2400–1800 BC), a mid-Bronze Age
hoard (presumably a metal depot) and a Hallstatt culture
settlement at in den Vogelgärten. In 1937, at New-Allschwil, a Gallo-Roman
cremation cemetery (from ca. AD 25-60) was discovered. It is one of the oldest in northern Switzerland. It is possible that the Roman road station Arialbinum (mentioned in "Antonine Itinerary" and "Tabula Peutingeriana") may correspond to Allschwil.
of Birseck, which was given in 1004 as an imperial
donation to the Bishop of Basel. Through the middle of the 15th Century the Herrschaft was often pawned and sold. The town of Allschwil was located along the Alsace
-Solothurn
via Passwang pass
trading route along the border. Its location on the border and trade route allowed Allschwil to grow into an important customs facility. After 1724 it housed the northern salt warehouse of the vogt
ei of the diocese of Basel. Allschwil was one of the seven so-called free villages (Vagantes extra civitate Basiliensem) and was therefore under the parish
of St. John's Chapel at Basel's cathedral
for baptism and high church festivals.
In the wake of the German Peasants' War
Allschwil, together with Reinach
, Therwil, Oberwil and Ettingen, joined Basel in 1525 with a Burgrecht
agreement. This agreement was dissolved in 1585 in the Baden Agreement. In 1529 the village embraced the Protestant Reformation
and converted to the new faith. Nearly a hundred years later, in 1627, the Bishop of Basel succeeded in spreading the Counter-Reformation
to Allschwil. After 1567 there was a Jewish settlement in Allschwil. In 1692 there were 24 Jewish families living in the Judengässlein (from ) and they made up about 15% of the population. They had their own cemetery in Zwingen and a funeral right in Hegenheim. Children of Jews and Christians attended the 17th Century school together. Accusations of horse theft and Jewish plans to built a synagogue in Allschwil led to an expulsion decree in 1694 from the Bishop. Many of the Jews fled to Hegenheim.
The village Church of St. Peter and Paul was built in the 12th Century and was under the patronage of the Basel cathedral. The lower part of the church tower is from the 12th/13th Century, but the rest of the church was totally rebuilt in 1698-99. The parish of Allschwil also included Schönbuch
, Hésingue
(now in France
) and until 1611, Hégenheim (also in France).
(1792–93), the village was under French rule from 1793 to 1814. Between 1793-1800 it was part of the Département of Mont-Terrible
and then in 1800-1814 it was part of the Département of Haut-Rhin
. Unlike most of the villages in the Birseck region, Allschwil reacted negatively to French rule, and even had a small rebellion in 1794.
In 1815 Allschwil became part of the Canton of Basel and when the canton split in 1833, it became part of the new canton of Basel-Country. The split between Basel-City and Basel-Country led to shift in religious power in Allschwil. In 1877, the Roman Catholic Reverend Peter Wildman was voted out by the parishioners and was replaced by Johannes Schmid a Christian Catholic
priest. The village church then became Christian Catholic. In 1878 the Swiss Reformed Church
founded a parish in Allschwil. By 1970 about 54% of the inhabitants were Swiss Reformed, while 40% were Roman Catholic.
factory, which was built by the village agricultural collective. By the end of the 19th Century hemp, flax and vineyards had all disappeared from the village. In 1955 there were 63 farms, while in 1965 it was down to 29, and in 1980 the number of farms had only slightly increased to 31. Until 1930 the industrial sector grew strongly in Allschwil (mainly brick, along with clothing, metal and machinery industry) and in 1910 about 73% of workers worked in industry. In the 1870s several brick factories opened in Allschwil, including Passavant-Iselin & Co. a company that had the first interlocking tile press in Switzerland. Passavant-Iselin & Co. remained in operation until they closed in 1975. The lack of railway connection (the 1926 proposed rail freight terminal was never realized) prevented a greater industrial development. In addition, with the rise of Rhine shipping, Allschwil lost its importance as customs
station. A tram line to Basel opened in 1905. By 1910 about 40% of the working population commuted out of Allschwil for work, by 1990 this had increased to 79%. Today, Allschwil is focused on light industry including industrial metals, paper industry and chemistry. In 1990, 35% of workers were in the industrial sector and 54% were in the services sector.
Allschwil experienced a massive population growth between 1850-1970 thanks to immigration from Basel. In 1930 it was the most populous municipality outside Basel, and suffered typical infrastructure problems. Since 1970, the growth has stagnated. The center of the town has retained its village-like appearance. This is reinforced by the restoration of the mid-19th Century half timbered houses, which were given an award in 1976 from the Council of Europe, and another in 1980 for their village center planning. A town history museum opened in 1968 and in 1977 the Allschwiler market was established.
Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 4.9% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 20.6% and transportation infrastructure made up 8.1%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 2.2% of the area while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 7.2%. Out of the forested land, 25.8% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.2% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 19.8% is used for growing crops and 6.3% is pastures, while 3.3% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is flowing water.
The municipality is located in the Arlesheim district, on the edge of the Sundgauer Hill Country along the Upper Rhine valley.
Allschwil is a suburb of Basel
on the southwest and has the border with France
on two sides. The neighboring municipalities in Switzerland are, besides Basel, Schönenbuch
, Oberwil
, and Binningen
, and the French communes
of Neuwiller
, Buschwiller
, Hégenheim
, and Saint-Louis
.
The landscape is typical of the Rhine valley, where the Rhine turns from flowing west through hilly country where it forms the border between Switzerland and Germany
to the wide plain where it flows north and forms the border between France and Germany.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Azure, a Sword Argent and a Key Or in saltire.
Most of the population speaks German
(15,689 or 86.5%), with Italian language
being second most common (580 or 3.2%) and French
being third (433 or 2.4%). There are 16 people who speak Romansh.
, the gender distribution of the population was 47.8% male and 52.2% female. The population was made up of 15,144 Swiss citizens (78.8% of the population), and 4,079 non-Swiss residents (21.2%) Of the population in the municipality 4,073 or about 22.5% were born in Allschwil and lived there in 2000. There were 1,486 or 8.2% who were born in the same canton, while 7,928 or 43.7% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 3,946 or 21.8% were born outside of Switzerland.
In there were 114 live births to Swiss citizens and 46 births to non-Swiss citizens, and in same time span there were 169 deaths of Swiss citizens and 8 non-Swiss citizen deaths. Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens decreased by 55 while the foreign population increased by 38. There was 1 Swiss man and 7 Swiss women who emigrated from Switzerland. At the same time, there were 108 non-Swiss men and 99 non-Swiss women who immigrated from another country to Switzerland. The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources, including moves across municipal borders) was an increase of 99 and the non-Swiss population change was an increase of 256 people. This represents a population growth rate of 1.9%.
The age distribution, , in Allschwil is; 1,203 children or 6.3% of the population are between 0 and 6 years old and 2,134 teenagers or 11.1% are between 7 and 19. Of the adult population, 2,192 people or 11.4% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 2,629 people or 13.7% are between 30 and 39, 3,029 people or 15.8% are between 40 and 49, and 3,851 people or 20.0% are between 50 and 64. The senior population distribution is 3,051 people or 15.9% of the population are between 65 and 79 years old and there are 1,134 people or 5.9% who are over 80.
, there were 6,616 people who were single and never married in the municipality. There were 9,099 married individuals, 1,169 widows or widowers and 1,247 individuals who are divorced.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.56 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.56 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 25.8% 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 8,751 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2. persons per household. There were 3,440 households that consist of only one person and 256 households with five or more people. Out of a total of 8,895 households that answered this question, 38.7% were households made up of just one person and 59 were adults who lived with their parents. Of the rest of the households, there are 2,808 married couples without children, 1,869 married couples with children There were 466 single parents with a child or children. There were 109 households that were made up unrelated people and 144 households that were made some sort of institution or another collective housing.
there were 1,756 single family homes (or 56.1% of the total) out of a total of 3,131 inhabited buildings. There were 909 multi-family buildings (29.0%), along with 346 multi-purpose buildings that were mostly used for housing (11.1%) and 120 other use buildings (commercial or industrial) that also had some housing (3.8%). Of the single family homes 152 were built before 1919, while 108 were built between 1990 and 2000. The greatest number of single family homes (498) were built between 1919 and 1945.
there were 9,207 apartments in the municipality. The most common apartment size was 3 rooms of which there were 3,495. There were 421 single room apartments and 1,811 apartments with five or more rooms. Of these apartments, a total of 8,537 apartments (92.7% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 487 apartments (5.3%) were seasonally occupied and 183 apartments (2.0%) were empty. , the construction rate of new housing units was 8.1 new units per 1000 residents. the average price to rent a two room apartment was about 847.00 CHF (US$680, £380, €540), a three room apartment was about 1101.00 CHF (US$880, £500, €700) and a four room apartment cost an average of 1334.00 CHF (US$1070, £600, €850). The vacancy rate for the municipality, , was 0.57%.
The historical population is given in the following chart:
the most popular party was the SP
which received 28.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SVP
(27.57%), the FDP
(15.07%) and the Green Party
(12.66%). In the federal election, a total of 6,186 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
was 47.4%.
the total number of full-time equivalent jobs was 7,613. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 33, of which 26 were in agriculture and 7 were in forestry or lumber production. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 2,605, of which 1,828 or (70.2%) were in manufacturing and 710 (27.3%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 4,975. In the tertiary sector; 1,391 or 28.0% were in the sale or repair of motor vehicles, 95 or 1.9% were in the movement and storage of goods, 217 or 4.4% were in a hotel or restaurant, 196 or 3.9% were in the information industry, 71 or 1.4% were the insurance or financial industry, 1,376 or 27.7% were technical professionals or scientists, 192 or 3.9% were in education and 632 or 12.7% were in health care.
, there were 8,037 workers who commuted into the municipality and 7,055 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 1.1 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving. About 25.4% of the workforce coming into Allschwil are coming from outside Switzerland, while 0.3% of the locals commute out of Switzerland for work. Of the working population, 36.2% used public transportation to get to work, and 29.8% used a private car.
Allschwil is now largely a residential bedroom community for the city of Basel, with some light industry, notably in electronics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and biotech. It is a highly prized residential district because of its proximity to the city combined with a more rural atmosphere and open spaces.
It is also attractive because of its lower taxes.
. Of the rest of the population, there were 190 members of an Orthodox church
(or about 1.05% of the population), there were 250 individuals (or about 1.38% of the population) who belonged to the Christian Catholic Church
, and there were 416 individuals (or about 2.29% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church. There were 56 individuals (or about 0.31% of the population) who were Jewish
, and 464 (or about 2.56% of the population) who were Islam
ic. There were 56 individuals who were Buddhist
, 114 individuals who were Hindu
and 26 individuals who belonged to another church. 3,560 (or about 19.63% of the population) belonged to no church, are agnostic
or atheist
, and 668 individuals (or about 3.68% of the population) did not answer the question.
). Of the 2,846 who completed tertiary schooling, 56.5% were Swiss men, 25.9% were Swiss women, 10.4% were non-Swiss men and 7.2% were non-Swiss women. , there were 116 students in Allschwil who came from another municipality, while 650 residents attended schools outside the municipality.
Tram 6: Allschwil-Basel-Riehen
Tram 8: Kleinhüningen - Neuweilerstrasse (Although the Number 8 Tram terminates at Neuweilerstrasse in Basel, the border with Allschwil is less than 50 metres away from this stop.)
Bus 31: Allschwil-Schifflände-Habermatten
Bus 33: Schönenbuch-Allschwil-Schifflände
Bus 38: Allschwil-Schifflände-Grenzach Wyhlen (Germany)
Bus 48: Bachgraben-Ziegelei-Wanderstrasse-Bahnhof SBB (Railwaystation)
Bus 61: Fabrikstrasse-Binningen-Oberwil
Bus 64: Bachgraben-Ziegelei-Oberwil-Therwil-Reinach-Arlesheim Dorf
There are also some proposals to build a railway station on the SNCF Line from Basel to Mulhouse
at Morgartenring (Basel). Even though the station would be located in Basel, it would serve Allschwil as well because it would be located only a couple of hundred meters away from the City Border.
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 Arlesheim
Arlesheim (district)
Arlesheim District is one of the five districts of the largely German-speaking canton of Basel-Country, Switzerland. Its capital is the town of Arlesheim. It 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 Basel-Country
Basel-Country
Basel-Landschaft , is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The capital is Liestal...
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....
.
Prehistoric Allschwil
The region around Allschwil has been occupied since at least the Middle PaleolithicMiddle Paleolithic
The Middle Paleolithic is the second subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe, Africa and Asia. The term Middle Stone Age is used as an equivalent or a synonym for the Middle Paleolithic in African archeology. The Middle Paleolithic and the Middle Stone Age...
. Archeological finds from the municipality include a few scattered Middle Paleolithic items, cups from the Glockenbecherkultur (ca. 2400–1800 BC), a mid-Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
hoard (presumably a metal depot) and a Hallstatt culture
Hallstatt culture
The Hallstatt culture was the predominant Central European culture from the 8th to 6th centuries BC , developing out of the Urnfield culture of the 12th century BC and followed in much of Central Europe by the La Tène culture.By the 6th century BC, the Hallstatt culture extended for some...
settlement at in den Vogelgärten. In 1937, at New-Allschwil, a Gallo-Roman
Gallo-Roman culture
The term Gallo-Roman describes the Romanized culture of Gaul under the rule of the Roman Empire. This was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman mores and way of life in a uniquely Gaulish context...
cremation cemetery (from ca. AD 25-60) was discovered. It is one of the oldest in northern Switzerland. It is possible that the Roman road station Arialbinum (mentioned in "Antonine Itinerary" and "Tabula Peutingeriana") may correspond to Allschwil.
Medieval town
Allschwil was part of the HerrschaftHerrschaft (territory)
In the German feudal system, a Herrschaft or Herrlichkeit was the fiefdom of a lord, who in this area exercised his full feudal rights...
of Birseck, which was given in 1004 as an imperial
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
donation to the Bishop of Basel. Through the middle of the 15th Century the Herrschaft was often pawned and sold. The town of Allschwil was located along the Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
-Solothurn
Solothurn
The city of Solothurn is the capital of the Canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. The city also comprises the only municipality of the district of the same name.-Pre-roman settlement:...
via Passwang pass
Passwang Pass
Passwang Pass is a high mountain pass in the Jura Mountains in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland.It connects Mümliswil and Reigoldswil. At the summit, the pass road goes through a 200-metre tunnel.-See also:...
trading route along the border. Its location on the border and trade route allowed Allschwil to grow into an important customs facility. After 1724 it housed the northern salt warehouse of the vogt
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
ei of the diocese of Basel. Allschwil was one of the seven so-called free villages (Vagantes extra civitate Basiliensem) and was therefore under the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of St. John's Chapel at Basel's cathedral
Basel Münster
The Basel Münster is one of the main landmarks and tourist attractions of the Swiss city of Basel. It adds definition to the cityscape with its red sandstone architecture and coloured roof tiles, its two slim towers and the cross-shaped intersection of the main roof...
for baptism and high church festivals.
In the wake of the German Peasants' War
German Peasants' War
The German Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, 1524–1526. At its height in the spring and summer of 1525, the conflict involved an estimated 300,000 peasants: contemporary estimates put the dead at 100,000...
Allschwil, together with Reinach
Reinach
- Places :*Reinach, Aargau , a municipality in Switzerland*Reinach, Basel-Country , a municipality in Switzerland- Surname :* Adolf Reinach , German philosopher...
, Therwil, Oberwil and Ettingen, joined Basel in 1525 with a Burgrecht
Burgrecht
A Burgrecht was a medieval agreement, most commonly in southern Germany and northern German-speaking Switzerland. It came to refer to an agreement between a town and surrounding settlements or to include the specific rights held by a city or town.The word Burgrecht is first used by the St...
agreement. This agreement was dissolved in 1585 in the Baden Agreement. In 1529 the village embraced the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
and converted to the new faith. Nearly a hundred years later, in 1627, the Bishop of Basel succeeded in spreading the Counter-Reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
to Allschwil. After 1567 there was a Jewish settlement in Allschwil. In 1692 there were 24 Jewish families living in the Judengässlein (from ) and they made up about 15% of the population. They had their own cemetery in Zwingen and a funeral right in Hegenheim. Children of Jews and Christians attended the 17th Century school together. Accusations of horse theft and Jewish plans to built a synagogue in Allschwil led to an expulsion decree in 1694 from the Bishop. Many of the Jews fled to Hegenheim.
The village Church of St. Peter and Paul was built in the 12th Century and was under the patronage of the Basel cathedral. The lower part of the church tower is from the 12th/13th Century, but the rest of the church was totally rebuilt in 1698-99. The parish of Allschwil also included Schönbuch
Schönbuch
The Schönbuch is an almost completely wooded area south west of Stuttgart and part of the Southern German Escarpment Landscape . In 1972 the centre zone of the Schönbuch became the first natural park in Baden-Württemberg...
, Hésingue
Hésingue
Hésingue is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. It is close to both the Swiss and German borders, and is around six kilometres from the centre of Basel.-External links:*...
(now in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) and until 1611, Hégenheim (also in France).
Early Modern Allschwil
After the short-lived Rauracian RepublicRauracian Republic
The Rauracian Republic was a state that included parts of modern France and Switzerland around the Jura mountains. It was created from the northern portion of the Prince-Bishopric of Basel, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire....
(1792–93), the village was under French rule from 1793 to 1814. Between 1793-1800 it was part of the Département of Mont-Terrible
Mont-Terrible
Mont-Terrible was one of the 130 départements of Napoleonic France, with its capital at Porrentruy.The Mont Terrible for which the département was named is now known as mont Terri, a peak of 804 m near Courgenay, now in the canton of Jura, Switzerland.The département was created in 1793 with the...
and then in 1800-1814 it was part of the Département of Haut-Rhin
Haut-Rhin
Haut-Rhin is a département of the Alsace region of France, named after the Rhine river. Its name means Upper Rhine. Haut-Rhin is the smaller and less populated of the two departements of Alsace, although is still densely populated compared to the rest of France.-Subdivisions:The department...
. Unlike most of the villages in the Birseck region, Allschwil reacted negatively to French rule, and even had a small rebellion in 1794.
In 1815 Allschwil became part of the Canton of Basel and when the canton split in 1833, it became part of the new canton of Basel-Country. The split between Basel-City and Basel-Country led to shift in religious power in Allschwil. In 1877, the Roman Catholic Reverend Peter Wildman was voted out by the parishioners and was replaced by Johannes Schmid a 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...
priest. The village church then became Christian Catholic. In 1878 the Swiss Reformed Church
Swiss 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...
founded a parish in Allschwil. By 1970 about 54% of the inhabitants were Swiss Reformed, while 40% were Roman Catholic.
Modern Allschwil
By 1860 the agricultural village of Allschwil was converting into an industrial town. Many of the inhabitants were working in factories in Basel. The farmers were mostly growing grain and vegetables, which they supplied to the nearby market of Basel. Allschwil was especially known for its white cabbage. Between 1897-1921, the cabbage was processed in a sauerkrautSauerkraut
Sauerkraut , directly translated from German: "sour cabbage", is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid...
factory, which was built by the village agricultural collective. By the end of the 19th Century hemp, flax and vineyards had all disappeared from the village. In 1955 there were 63 farms, while in 1965 it was down to 29, and in 1980 the number of farms had only slightly increased to 31. Until 1930 the industrial sector grew strongly in Allschwil (mainly brick, along with clothing, metal and machinery industry) and in 1910 about 73% of workers worked in industry. In the 1870s several brick factories opened in Allschwil, including Passavant-Iselin & Co. a company that had the first interlocking tile press in Switzerland. Passavant-Iselin & Co. remained in operation until they closed in 1975. The lack of railway connection (the 1926 proposed rail freight terminal was never realized) prevented a greater industrial development. In addition, with the rise of Rhine shipping, Allschwil lost its importance as customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
station. A tram line to Basel opened in 1905. By 1910 about 40% of the working population commuted out of Allschwil for work, by 1990 this had increased to 79%. Today, Allschwil is focused on light industry including industrial metals, paper industry and chemistry. In 1990, 35% of workers were in the industrial sector and 54% were in the services sector.
Allschwil experienced a massive population growth between 1850-1970 thanks to immigration from Basel. In 1930 it was the most populous municipality outside Basel, and suffered typical infrastructure problems. Since 1970, the growth has stagnated. The center of the town has retained its village-like appearance. This is reinforced by the restoration of the mid-19th Century half timbered houses, which were given an award in 1976 from the Council of Europe, and another in 1980 for their village center planning. A town history museum opened in 1968 and in 1977 the Allschwiler market was established.
Geography
Allschwil has an area, , of 8.92 square kilometres (3.4 sq mi). Of this area, 2.62 km² (1 sq mi) or 29.4% is used for agricultural purposes, while 2.41 km² (0.930506202208009 sq mi) or 27.0% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 3.84 km² (1.5 sq mi) or 43.0% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.02 km² (4.9 acre) or 0.2% is either rivers or lakes and 0.03 km² (7.4 acre) or 0.3% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 4.9% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 20.6% and transportation infrastructure made up 8.1%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 2.2% of the area while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 7.2%. Out of the forested land, 25.8% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.2% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 19.8% is used for growing crops and 6.3% is pastures, while 3.3% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is flowing water.
The municipality is located in the Arlesheim district, on the edge of the Sundgauer Hill Country along the Upper Rhine valley.
Allschwil is a suburb of Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
on the southwest and has the border with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on two sides. The neighboring municipalities in Switzerland are, besides Basel, Schönenbuch
Schönenbuch
Schönenbuch is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland.-History:Schönenbuch is first mentioned in 1315 as Schoenenbuoch. It became an independent municipality in 1816.-Geography:...
, Oberwil
Oberwil, Basel-Country
Oberwil is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.-Geography:Oberwil has an area, , of . Of this area, or 44.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 19.5% is forested...
, and Binningen
Binningen, Switzerland
Binningen is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. It is nestled in a valley, on a plateau, and on two hills overlooking the city of Basel.-History:Binningen is first mentioned in 1004 as Binningen...
, and the French communes
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Neuwiller
Neuwiller
Neuwiller is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. It is surrounded to the north, east and south by the Swiss canton of Basel-Landschaft, and is roughly 7 km from Basel itself.-External links:* *...
, Buschwiller
Buschwiller
Buschwiller is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
, Hégenheim
Hégenheim
Hégenheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. It is adjacent to the Swiss town of Allschwil, and is part of the Basel urban area.-External links:**...
, and Saint-Louis
Saint-Louis, Haut-Rhin
Saint-Louis is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.The inhabitants are called Ludoviciens.-Geography:...
.
The landscape is typical of the Rhine valley, where the Rhine turns from flowing west through hilly country where it forms the border between Switzerland and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to the wide plain where it flows north and forms the border between France and Germany.
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 Sword Argent and a Key Or in saltire.
Demographics
Allschwil has a population of . , 20.0% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of -0.2%.Most of the population speaks German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
(15,689 or 86.5%), with Italian language
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
being second most common (580 or 3.2%) and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
being third (433 or 2.4%). There are 16 people who speak Romansh.
, the gender distribution of the population was 47.8% male and 52.2% female. The population was made up of 15,144 Swiss citizens (78.8% of the population), and 4,079 non-Swiss residents (21.2%) Of the population in the municipality 4,073 or about 22.5% were born in Allschwil and lived there in 2000. There were 1,486 or 8.2% who were born in the same canton, while 7,928 or 43.7% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 3,946 or 21.8% were born outside of Switzerland.
In there were 114 live births to Swiss citizens and 46 births to non-Swiss citizens, and in same time span there were 169 deaths of Swiss citizens and 8 non-Swiss citizen deaths. Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens decreased by 55 while the foreign population increased by 38. There was 1 Swiss man and 7 Swiss women who emigrated from Switzerland. At the same time, there were 108 non-Swiss men and 99 non-Swiss women who immigrated from another country to Switzerland. The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources, including moves across municipal borders) was an increase of 99 and the non-Swiss population change was an increase of 256 people. This represents a population growth rate of 1.9%.
The age distribution, , in Allschwil is; 1,203 children or 6.3% of the population are between 0 and 6 years old and 2,134 teenagers or 11.1% are between 7 and 19. Of the adult population, 2,192 people or 11.4% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 2,629 people or 13.7% are between 30 and 39, 3,029 people or 15.8% are between 40 and 49, and 3,851 people or 20.0% are between 50 and 64. The senior population distribution is 3,051 people or 15.9% of the population are between 65 and 79 years old and there are 1,134 people or 5.9% who are over 80.
, there were 6,616 people who were single and never married in the municipality. There were 9,099 married individuals, 1,169 widows or widowers and 1,247 individuals who are divorced.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.56 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.56 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 25.8% 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 8,751 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2. persons per household. There were 3,440 households that consist of only one person and 256 households with five or more people. Out of a total of 8,895 households that answered this question, 38.7% were households made up of just one person and 59 were adults who lived with their parents. Of the rest of the households, there are 2,808 married couples without children, 1,869 married couples with children There were 466 single parents with a child or children. There were 109 households that were made up unrelated people and 144 households that were made some sort of institution or another collective housing.
there were 1,756 single family homes (or 56.1% of the total) out of a total of 3,131 inhabited buildings. There were 909 multi-family buildings (29.0%), along with 346 multi-purpose buildings that were mostly used for housing (11.1%) and 120 other use buildings (commercial or industrial) that also had some housing (3.8%). Of the single family homes 152 were built before 1919, while 108 were built between 1990 and 2000. The greatest number of single family homes (498) were built between 1919 and 1945.
there were 9,207 apartments in the municipality. The most common apartment size was 3 rooms of which there were 3,495. There were 421 single room apartments and 1,811 apartments with five or more rooms. Of these apartments, a total of 8,537 apartments (92.7% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 487 apartments (5.3%) were seasonally occupied and 183 apartments (2.0%) were empty. , the construction rate of new housing units was 8.1 new units per 1000 residents. the average price to rent a two room apartment was about 847.00 CHF (US$680, £380, €540), a three room apartment was about 1101.00 CHF (US$880, £500, €700) and a four room apartment cost an average of 1334.00 CHF (US$1070, £600, €850). The vacancy rate for the municipality, , was 0.57%.
The historical population is given in the following chart:
Sights
The entire village of Allschwil is designated as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage SitesInventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
The Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites is part of a 1981 Ordinance of the Swiss Federal Council implementing the Federal Law on the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage.-Sites of national importance:-Types:...
Politics
In the 2007 federal electionSwiss 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 SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
which received 28.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were 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...
(27.57%), the FDP
FDP.The Liberals
FDP.The Liberals is a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It is the joint-largest party in the Federal Council, third-largest party in the National Council, and second-largest in the Council of States....
(15.07%) and the Green Party
Green Party of Switzerland
The Green Party of Switzerland is the fifth-largest party in the National Council of Switzerland, and the largest party that is not represented on the Federal Council.-History:...
(12.66%). In the federal election, a total of 6,186 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
was 47.4%.
Economy
, Allschwil had an unemployment rate of 2.36%. , there were 112 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 19 businesses involved in this sector. 2,647 people were employed in the secondary sector and there were 189 businesses in this sector. 5,190 people were employed in the tertiary sector, with 609 businesses in this sector. There were 9,313 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 45.6% of the workforce.the total number of full-time equivalent jobs was 7,613. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 33, of which 26 were in agriculture and 7 were in forestry or lumber production. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 2,605, of which 1,828 or (70.2%) were in manufacturing and 710 (27.3%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 4,975. In the tertiary sector; 1,391 or 28.0% were in the sale or repair of motor vehicles, 95 or 1.9% were in the movement and storage of goods, 217 or 4.4% were in a hotel or restaurant, 196 or 3.9% were in the information industry, 71 or 1.4% were the insurance or financial industry, 1,376 or 27.7% were technical professionals or scientists, 192 or 3.9% were in education and 632 or 12.7% were in health care.
, there were 8,037 workers who commuted into the municipality and 7,055 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 1.1 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving. About 25.4% of the workforce coming into Allschwil are coming from outside Switzerland, while 0.3% of the locals commute out of Switzerland for work. Of the working population, 36.2% used public transportation to get to work, and 29.8% used a private car.
Allschwil is now largely a residential bedroom community for the city of Basel, with some light industry, notably in electronics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and biotech. It is a highly prized residential district because of its proximity to the city combined with a more rural atmosphere and open spaces.
It is also attractive because of its lower taxes.
Religion
From the , 6,386 or 35.2% were Roman Catholic, while 5,945 or 32.8% 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 were 190 members of an Orthodox church
Orthodox Christianity
The term Orthodox Christianity may refer to:* the Eastern Orthodox Church and its various geographical subdivisions...
(or about 1.05% of the population), there were 250 individuals (or about 1.38% of the population) who belonged to the Christian Catholic Church
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...
, and there were 416 individuals (or about 2.29% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church. There were 56 individuals (or about 0.31% of the population) who were Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, and 464 (or about 2.56% of the population) who were Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic. There were 56 individuals who were Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, 114 individuals who were Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
and 26 individuals who belonged to another church. 3,560 (or about 19.63% of the population) belonged to no church, are agnostic
Agnosticism
Agnosticism is the view that the truth value of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, but also other religious and metaphysical claims—is unknown or unknowable....
or atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
, and 668 individuals (or about 3.68% of the population) did not answer the question.
Education
In Allschwil about 7,897 or (43.6%) of the population have completed non-mandatory upper secondary education, and 2,846 or (15.7%) have completed 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 2,846 who completed tertiary schooling, 56.5% were Swiss men, 25.9% were Swiss women, 10.4% were non-Swiss men and 7.2% were non-Swiss women. , there were 116 students in Allschwil who came from another municipality, while 650 residents attended schools outside the municipality.
Public transport
Allschwil is currently served by the following BVB and BLT Lines:Tram 6: Allschwil-Basel-Riehen
Tram 8: Kleinhüningen - Neuweilerstrasse (Although the Number 8 Tram terminates at Neuweilerstrasse in Basel, the border with Allschwil is less than 50 metres away from this stop.)
Bus 31: Allschwil-Schifflände-Habermatten
Bus 33: Schönenbuch-Allschwil-Schifflände
Bus 38: Allschwil-Schifflände-Grenzach Wyhlen (Germany)
Bus 48: Bachgraben-Ziegelei-Wanderstrasse-Bahnhof SBB (Railwaystation)
Bus 61: Fabrikstrasse-Binningen-Oberwil
Bus 64: Bachgraben-Ziegelei-Oberwil-Therwil-Reinach-Arlesheim Dorf
There are also some proposals to build a railway station on the SNCF Line from Basel to Mulhouse
at Morgartenring (Basel). Even though the station would be located in Basel, it would serve Allschwil as well because it would be located only a couple of hundred meters away from the City Border.