Auenstein, Switzerland
Encyclopedia
Auenstein is a municipality
in the district of Brugg
in the canton
of Aargau
in Switzerland
.
It is located about 3 km (1.9 mi) north west of Lenzburg
.
. The partially very steep slope is mostly forested, but exhibits numerous forest meadows.
Auenstein has an area, , of 5.7 square kilometres (2.2 sq mi). Of this area, 31% is used for agricultural purposes, while 46.4% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 17.6% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (4.9%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes).
Neighboring municipalities are Oberflachs
and Veltheim
to the north, Möriken-Wildegg
to the east, Rupperswil
to the south, Biberstein
to the west, and Thalheim
to the northwest. It consists of the village of Auenstein and the hamlets
of Fahr. Modern housing developments are north-east and north-west of the original village.
and the Habsburgs.
The Swiss Confederacy conquered Aargau in 1415. Auenstein belonged to the Bern region (the so-called Bernese Aargau), but the town did not belong to the city itself, rather to some wealthy Bernese families. The reformation occurred in 1528, after which time the owner of the village changed often.
The parish church, first mentioned in 1302, is built in the Gothic
and Late Gothic styles, but has decorative elements of the Romanesque
style of the 11th century.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Per pale Gules two Roses Argent barbed and seeded proper and Argent.
The age distribution, , in Auenstein is; 128 children or 8.8% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 157 teenagers or 10.7% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 132 people or 9.0% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 166 people or 11.4% are between 30 and 39, 303 people or 20.7% are between 40 and 49, and 235 people or 16.1% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 167 people or 11.4% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 125 people or 8.5% are between 70 and 79, there are 44 people or 3.0% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 5 people or 0.3% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.52 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 74.4% 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 31 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 197 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 319 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. The average number of people per household was 2.44 individuals. there were 440 single family homes (or 64.8% of the total) out of a total of 679 homes and apartments. There were a total of 5 empty apartments for a 0.7% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 4.1 new units per 1000 residents.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 31.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP
(18.3%), the FDP
(16.3%) and the Other (9.5%).
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Auenstein about 84.5% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a Fachhochschule
). Of the school age population , there are 95 students attending primary school in the municipality.
there was a total of 724 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 605 or about 83.6% of the residents worked outside Auenstein while 108 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 227 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 8.9% used public transportation to get to work, and 61.7% used a private car.
. Of the rest of the population, there was 1 individual who belonged to the Christian Catholic
faith.
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 Brugg
Brugg (district)
Brugg District is a district in the Canton of Aargau, Switzerland, it is located south of the Aare and the Aargauer Jura covers the district. The capital of the district is the town of Brugg.-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 is located about 3 km (1.9 mi) north west of Lenzburg
Lenzburg
Lenzburg is a town in the central region of the Swiss canton Aargau and is the capital of the district of the same name. The town, founded in the Middle Ages, lies in the Seetal valley, about 3 kilometres south of the Aare river. Lenzburg and the neighbouring municipalities of Niederlenz and...
.
Geography
The village lies between the north bank of the Aare river and the south slope of the Mount Gislifluh (elev. 772 m (2,532.8 ft)), a southern part of the Jura mountainsJura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
. The partially very steep slope is mostly forested, but exhibits numerous forest meadows.
Auenstein has an area, , of 5.7 square kilometres (2.2 sq mi). Of this area, 31% is used for agricultural purposes, while 46.4% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 17.6% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (4.9%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes).
Neighboring municipalities are Oberflachs
Oberflachs
Oberflachs is a municipality in the district of Brugg in Canton Aargau in Switzerland. It is located about 6 km south west of the town of Brugg.-History:...
and Veltheim
Veltheim
Veltheim is a municipality in the district of Wolfenbüttel, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
to the north, Möriken-Wildegg
Möriken-Wildegg
Möriken-Wildegg is a municipality in the district of Lenzburg in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:The area was settled in the Late Bronze Age. The hilltop settlement on the Kestenberg had at least two phases...
to the east, Rupperswil
Rupperswil
Rupperswil is a municipality in the district of Lenzburg in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:A partially preserved Roman era tile kiln from the 2nd Century was discovered in 1911. There is also evidence of the emergence of a late-Alamanni village in the 8th Century. The modern village...
to the south, Biberstein
Biberstein
Biberstein is a municipality in the district of Aarau of the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-Geography:Biberstein is located on the north bank of the Aar River near Aarau. The town is a 17 minute bus ride from downtown Aarau. The neighboring communities are Auenstein to the east, Küttigen to the...
to the west, and Thalheim
Thalheim, Aargau
Thalheim is a municipality in the district of Brugg in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-Geography:Thalheim has an area, , of . Of this area, or 49.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 43.5% is forested...
to the northwest. It consists of the village of Auenstein and the hamlets
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 Fahr. Modern housing developments are north-east and north-west of the original village.
History
The village was mentioned for the first time in 1212 as Gowenstein. The name probably comes from the small Castle Auenstein on the river Aare, which was built in about 1200 (probably by the lords of Gowenstein). The castle, which was in the possession of the Lords of Rinach until the early 14th century, was burnt down by the Bernese in 1389 as part of the war between the Old Swiss ConfederacyOld Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....
and the Habsburgs.
The Swiss Confederacy conquered Aargau in 1415. Auenstein belonged to the Bern region (the so-called Bernese Aargau), but the town did not belong to the city itself, rather to some wealthy Bernese families. The reformation occurred in 1528, after which time the owner of the village changed often.
Sights
Castle Auenstein is located on a small cliff on the banks of the Aare. The Castle was destroyed in 1389. The ruins were owned by the canton until 1803, but were later bought privately. The castle was rebuilt to be habitable in 1858, and made into its current shape by 1929.The parish church, first mentioned in 1302, is built in the Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
and Late Gothic styles, but has decorative elements of the Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style of the 11th century.
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 Per pale Gules two Roses Argent barbed and seeded proper and Argent.
Demographics
Auenstein has a population (as of ) of . , 10.0% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of 6.4%. Most of the population speaks German (93.4%), with Serbo-Croatian being second most common ( 2.2%) and Albanian being third ( 1.8%).The age distribution, , in Auenstein is; 128 children or 8.8% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 157 teenagers or 10.7% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 132 people or 9.0% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 166 people or 11.4% are between 30 and 39, 303 people or 20.7% are between 40 and 49, and 235 people or 16.1% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 167 people or 11.4% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 125 people or 8.5% are between 70 and 79, there are 44 people or 3.0% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 5 people or 0.3% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.52 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 74.4% 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 31 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 197 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 319 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. The average number of people per household was 2.44 individuals. there were 440 single family homes (or 64.8% of the total) out of a total of 679 homes and apartments. There were a total of 5 empty apartments for a 0.7% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 4.1 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 31.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(18.3%), 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....
(16.3%) and the Other (9.5%).
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Auenstein about 84.5% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a Fachhochschule
Fachhochschule
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 95 students attending primary school in the municipality.
Economy
, Auenstein had an unemployment rate of 1.9%. , there were 67 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 15 businesses involved in this sector. 101 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 19 businesses in this sector. 75 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 26 businesses in this sector.there was a total of 724 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 605 or about 83.6% of the residents worked outside Auenstein while 108 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 227 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 8.9% used public transportation to get to work, and 61.7% used a private car.
Religion
From the , 230 or 16.9% were Roman Catholic, while 883 or 65.0% 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.
Historic population
The historical population is given in the following table:| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1764 | 309 |
| 1803 | 447 |
| 1850 | 752 |
| 1900 | 719 |
| 1930 | 743 |
| 1950 | 864 |
| 1960 | 896 |
| 1970 | 1165 |
| 1980 | 1166 |
| 1990 | 1176 |
| 2000 | 1359 |
| 2005 | 1421 |