Berikon
Encyclopedia
Berikon is a municipality
in the district of Bremgarten
in the canton
of Aargau
in Switzerland
.
The village lies on a hill above and to the east of the Reuss Valley
, covering part of the Mutschellen Pass. This municipality is bounded by Rudolfstetten-Friedlisberg
, Widen
(pronunciation: VEE-din), Zufikon
, and Oberwil-Lieli
, all in canton Aargau, and shares a boundary with the canton of Zurich
(district of Dietikon)
to the east.
The originally separate settlements Unterberikon (Lower Berikon) and Oberberikon (Upper Berikon) fell under the territorial lordship of the city of Zurich
in 1415, when the Eidgenossen (Confederacy
) conquered Aargau. Later, in 1471, Unterberikon became part of Amt Rohrdorf
in the county of Baden, while Oberberikon fell under the oversight of the Kelleramt (Freiamt Affoltern
).
When in 1798 the French
overran Switzerland and instituted the Helvetic Republic
, both municipalities came to the short-lived canton of Baden
. During the establishment of the canton of Aargau in 1803, the two municipalities were reunited and joined the district of Bremgarten
.
On 1 May 1902, the Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn
was opened, giving Berikon a railway connection to the rest of Switzerland. Still, until well into the 20th century, Berikon was a rural village, populated by just 900 inhabitants in 1950, before a sudden boom of construction activity occurred. Within thirty years the total population increased by over 150%. Today's population is roughly quadruple that of the 1960s. Berikon has grown together with the neighbouring municipalities and is today part of the agglomeration
of Zurich.
The municipality is located in the Bremgarten district, and is located on the Mutschellenhöhe. It consists of the originally separate villages of Ober- and Unter-Berikon.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Argent a Trefoil slipped Vert
Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 0.9%. Most of the population speaks German (92.6%), with Italian being second most common ( 1.6%) and French being third ( 1.0%).
The age distribution, , in Berikon is; 457 children or 10.2% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 517 teenagers or 11.5% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 581 people or 12.9% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 651 people or 14.5% are between 30 and 39, 813 people or 18.1% are between 40 and 49, and 650 people or 14.5% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 485 people or 10.8% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 237 people or 5.3% are between 70 and 79, there are 87 people or 1.9% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 13 people or 0.3% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.56 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 34.9% 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 127 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 952 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 684 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. The average number of people per household was 2.40 individuals. there were 548 single family homes (or 27.5% of the total) out of a total of 1,993 homes and apartments. There were a total of 17 empty apartments for a 0.9% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 0.5 new units per 1000 residents.
The historical population is given in the following table:
. Of the rest of the population, there were 3 individuals (or about 0.07% of the population) who belonged to the Christian Catholic
faith.
for a four-year term. The Gemeinderat leads and represents the village, as well as performing the tasks determined by the Gemeindeversammlung, as well as those delegated by the canton and federal agencies.
Minor legal and civil disagreements fall under the jurisdiction of the Friedensrichterkreis (similar to a Justice of the Peace
) of Bremgarten.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 34.2% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP
(18.7%), the CVP
(18.1%) and the FDP
(14.1%).
). Of the school age population , there are 334 students attending primary school, there are 312 students attending secondary school, there are 284 students attending tertiary or university level schooling in the municipality.
Berikon has primary schools of its own from kindergarten up through intermediate school (Bezirksschule, grades 6 through 9). The nearest Kantonsschule (canton school), a secondary school, is in Wohlen
.
there were 2,504 total workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 2,037 or about 81.3% of the residents worked outside Berikon while 644 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 1,111 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 19.5% used public transportation to get to work, and 56.9% used a private car. The majority of the working residents commute to jobs in the city of Zurich
or in the towns of the nearby Limmat Valley
(Dietikon
, Spreitenbach
, Schlieren
).
stands right on the Mutschellen pass. This station is a stop of the S-Bahn Zürich on the line S17
serviced by the Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn. Buses of two Postauto lines, each with a terminus at Berikon-Widen station, connect the Mutschellen communities with Baden
to the north and Zurich
at the Wiedikon
station to the east. The No. 350 Postauto line to Zurich Wiedikon also affords a good connection in Birmensdorf with the S9
and S15
train lines to Zurich, Affoltern am Albis
, and Zug
.
Before the A1 expressway
was built, the Mutschellen pass was the main connection for auto traffic between Zurich and Bern. Now, the road to Bern (Bernstrasse a.k.a. Hauptstrasse 1) is still an important carrier of road traffic, particularly commuters. With the completion of the A4 expressway (scheduled November 2009) much more traffic (at least 5% by 2015) is expected through Berikon for travellers heading for the interchange at Birmensdorf (approx. 3 km away). Berikon has begun roadwork with a view to reduce the flow of transit vehicles. The project implementing these remedial measures is planned to last some 2.5 years and should be completed in autumn of 2011.
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 Bremgarten
Bremgarten (district)
Bremgarten District is a Swiss district in the Canton of Aargau, corresponding to the valleys of the Reuss and Bünz rivers in the area known as the Freiamt.-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....
.
The village lies on a hill above and to the east of the Reuss Valley
Reuss River
The Reuss is a river in Switzerland. With a length of and a drainage basin of , it is the fourth largest river in Switzerland...
, covering part of the Mutschellen Pass. This municipality is bounded by Rudolfstetten-Friedlisberg
Rudolfstetten-Friedlisberg
Rudolfstetten-Friedlisberg is a municipality in the district of Bremgarten in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. Prior to 1953, the municipality was officially known simply as Rudolfstetten.-History:...
, Widen
Widen
Widen is a municipality in the district of Bremgarten in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:At the end of the 12th century a manor called "Wyda" is mentioned the first time, there's no exact year. "Widen", in the way like it's written today, appears the first time during the 14th...
(pronunciation: VEE-din), Zufikon
Zufikon
Zufikon is a municipality in the district of Bremgarten in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:A single archeological find dates human habitation in the area to the Bronze Age. The first written reference to the village occurred in 1150....
, and Oberwil-Lieli
Oberwil-Lieli
Oberwil-Lieli is a municipality in the district of Bremgarten in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:During the Roman era the municipal area was lightly settled. On the site of the current church there was a roman farm...
, all in canton Aargau, and shares a boundary with the canton of Zurich
Canton of Zürich
The Canton of Zurich has a population of . The canton is located in the northeast of Switzerland and the city of Zurich is its capital. The official language is German, but people speak the local Swiss German dialect called Züritüütsch...
(district of Dietikon)
Dietikon (district)
Dietikon District is a district of the Swiss canton of Zürich. The capital of the district of Dietikon is the city of Dietikon, located in the Limmat Valley ....
to the east.
History
Berikon was mentioned for the first time in 1153 as a court place "Berchheim". In 1184 it was mentioned as Berchein. Over time, the name of the place changed from Berchheim to Bergheim, then to Berchan, Berkein, and finally Berikon.The originally separate settlements Unterberikon (Lower Berikon) and Oberberikon (Upper Berikon) fell under the territorial lordship of the city of Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
in 1415, when the Eidgenossen (Confederacy
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....
) conquered Aargau. Later, in 1471, Unterberikon became part of Amt Rohrdorf
Rohrdorf, Switzerland
Rohrdorf is a former municipality in the district of Baden in the canton of Aargau, Switzerland.It ceased to exist in 1873, when it was split into the three new municipalities Niederrohrdorf, Oberrohrdorf and Remetschwil....
in the county of Baden, while Oberberikon fell under the oversight of the Kelleramt (Freiamt Affoltern
Affoltern (district)
Affoltern District is one of the twelve districts of the German-speaking canton of Zürich, Switzerland. Its capital is the city of Affoltern am Albis.- Municipalities :...
).
When in 1798 the French
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...
overran Switzerland and instituted the Helvetic Republic
Helvetic Republic
In Swiss history, the Helvetic Republic represented an early attempt to impose a central authority over Switzerland, which until then consisted mainly of self-governing cantons united by a loose military alliance, and conquered territories such as Vaud...
, both municipalities came to the short-lived canton of Baden
Canton of Baden
The Canton of Baden was a canton of the Helvetic Republic . Its capital was the town of Baden....
. During the establishment of the canton of Aargau in 1803, the two municipalities were reunited and joined the district of Bremgarten
Bremgarten (district)
Bremgarten District is a Swiss district in the Canton of Aargau, corresponding to the valleys of the Reuss and Bünz rivers in the area known as the Freiamt.-Geography:...
.
On 1 May 1902, the Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn
Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn
The Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn is a privately owned railway company in Switzerland. Its railway line connects Wohlen and Bremgarten in the canton of Aargau with Dietikon in the canton of Zurich. The line has been modernised and is part of the S-Bahn Zürich network...
was opened, giving Berikon a railway connection to the rest of Switzerland. Still, until well into the 20th century, Berikon was a rural village, populated by just 900 inhabitants in 1950, before a sudden boom of construction activity occurred. Within thirty years the total population increased by over 150%. Today's population is roughly quadruple that of the 1960s. Berikon has grown together with the neighbouring municipalities and is today part of the agglomeration
Agglomeration
In the study of human settlements, an urban agglomeration is an extended city or town area comprising the built-up area of a central place and any suburbs linked by continuous urban area. In France, INSEE the French Statistical Institute, translate it as "Unité urbaine" which means continuous...
of Zurich.
Geography
Berikon has an area, , of 5.4 square kilometres (2.1 sq mi). Of this area, 49.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 31.4% is forested. The rest of the land, (18.9%) is settled.The municipality is located in the Bremgarten district, and is located on the Mutschellenhöhe. It consists of the originally separate villages of Ober- and Unter-Berikon.
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 Argent a Trefoil slipped Vert
Demographics
At the end of 2008 Berikon had 4,491 residents, of whom 591 (13.2%) were non-Swiss, and 50.2% were female. Berikon had a population of , of which 13.9% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. According to the federal census of 2000, the 4358 residents in 1821 households included only 464 foreigners (10.6%).Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 0.9%. Most of the population speaks German (92.6%), with Italian being second most common ( 1.6%) and French being third ( 1.0%).
The age distribution, , in Berikon is; 457 children or 10.2% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 517 teenagers or 11.5% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 581 people or 12.9% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 651 people or 14.5% are between 30 and 39, 813 people or 18.1% are between 40 and 49, and 650 people or 14.5% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 485 people or 10.8% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 237 people or 5.3% are between 70 and 79, there are 87 people or 1.9% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 13 people or 0.3% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.56 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 34.9% 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 127 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 952 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 684 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. The average number of people per household was 2.40 individuals. there were 548 single family homes (or 27.5% of the total) out of a total of 1,993 homes and apartments. There were a total of 17 empty apartments for a 0.9% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 0.5 new units per 1000 residents.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1850 | 549 |
| 1900 | 701 |
| 1950 | 900 |
| 1970 | 1,593 |
| 2000 | 4,358 |
Religion
From the , 2,030 or 46.6% were Roman Catholic, while 1,545 or 35.5% 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 3 individuals (or about 0.07% of the population) 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.
Administration
The legislative function is exercised by the Gemeindeversammlung or town meeting. The executive in Berikon is handled by a five-member Gemeinderat (town council), the members of which are elected by a plurality voting systemPlurality voting system
The plurality voting system is a single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member constituencies...
for a four-year term. The Gemeinderat leads and represents the village, as well as performing the tasks determined by the Gemeindeversammlung, as well as those delegated by the canton and federal agencies.
Minor legal and civil disagreements fall under the jurisdiction of the Friedensrichterkreis (similar to a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
) of Bremgarten.
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 34.2% 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....
(18.7%), 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...
(18.1%) and 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....
(14.1%).
Education
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Berikon about 84.7% 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 334 students attending primary school, there are 312 students attending secondary school, there are 284 students attending tertiary or university level schooling in the municipality.
Berikon has primary schools of its own from kindergarten up through intermediate school (Bezirksschule, grades 6 through 9). The nearest Kantonsschule (canton school), a secondary school, is in Wohlen
Wohlen, Aargau
Wohlen is a municipality in the district of Bremgarten in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:The earliest known settlements in Wohlen date from the late Hallstatt era . This settlement left two clusters of burial mounds in Hohbühl and Häslerhau...
.
Economy
, Berikon had an unemployment rate of 2.46%. , there were 85 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 22 businesses involved in this sector. 142 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 33 businesses in this sector. 956 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 191 businesses in this sector.there were 2,504 total workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 2,037 or about 81.3% of the residents worked outside Berikon while 644 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 1,111 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 19.5% used public transportation to get to work, and 56.9% used a private car. The majority of the working residents commute to jobs in the city of Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
or in the towns of the nearby Limmat Valley
Limmat Valley
The Limmat Valley is a river valley and a region in the cantons of Zürich and Aargau in Switzerland.- Geography :Limmat is the name of a long river located in the cantons of Zürich and Aargau...
(Dietikon
Dietikon
Dietikon is the fifth biggest city of the canton of Zürich in Switzerland, after Zürich, Winterthur, Uster and Dübendorf. It is the capital of the same-named district of Dietikon and part of the Zürich metropolitan area.- Geography :...
, Spreitenbach
Spreitenbach
Spreitenbach is a municipality in the district of Baden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland, located in the Limmat Valley .It lies southeast of the district center directly on the border with the canton of Zurich....
, Schlieren
Schlieren, Zurich
Schlieren is a municipality in the district of Dietikon in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.- History :The oldest artifact discovered in the Canton of Zürich is a Stone Age Neanderthal hand axe which was found in Schlieren, and dates back to approximately 100,000 BCE.Until 1415, Schlieren...
).
Transportation
The Berikon-Widen station of the Bremgarten-Dietikon-BahnBremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn
The Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn is a privately owned railway company in Switzerland. Its railway line connects Wohlen and Bremgarten in the canton of Aargau with Dietikon in the canton of Zurich. The line has been modernised and is part of the S-Bahn Zürich network...
stands right on the Mutschellen pass. This station is a stop of the S-Bahn Zürich on the line S17
S17 (ZVV)
The S17 is a regional railway line of the S-Bahn Zürich on the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund , Zürich transportation network, in the cantons of Zürich and Aargau .- Route :...
serviced by the Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn. Buses of two Postauto lines, each with a terminus at Berikon-Widen station, connect the Mutschellen communities with Baden
Baden, Switzerland
Baden is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Aargau, on the west bank of the river Limmat, located in the Limmat Valley , northwest of Zürich. It is the seat of the district of Baden...
to the north and Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
at the Wiedikon
Wiedikon
Wiedikon is a district in the Swiss city of Zurich. It is District number 3.The district comprises the quarters Alt-Wiedikon, Sihlfeld and Friesenberg.Wiedikon was formerly a municipality of its own, having been incorporated into Zurich in 1893....
station to the east. The No. 350 Postauto line to Zurich Wiedikon also affords a good connection in Birmensdorf with the S9
S9 (ZVV)
The S9 is a regional railway line of the S-Bahn Zürich on the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund , Zürich transportation network, and is one of the network's lines connecting the cantons of Zürich and Zug.- Route :...
and S15
S15 (ZVV)
The S15 is a regional railway line of the S-Bahn Zürich on the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund , Zürich transportation network, and is one of the network's lines connecting the cantons of Zürich and St...
train lines to Zurich, Affoltern am Albis
Affoltern am Albis
Affoltern am Albis is a municipality in the district of Affoltern in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.It is the smallest city of Switzerland. In Switzerland a city is defined as having at least 10,000 inhabitants.-Geography:...
, and Zug
Zug
Zug , is a German-speaking city in Switzerland. The name ‘Zug’ originates from fishing vocabulary; in the Middle Ages it referred to the right to ‘pull up’ fishing nets and hence to the right to fish.The city of Zug is located in the Canton of Zug and is its capital...
.
Before the A1 expressway
A1 (Switzerland)
The A1 is a motorway in Switzerland. It follows Switzerland's main east-west axis, from St. Margrethen in northeastern Switzerland's canton of St. Gallen through to Geneva in southwestern Switzerland...
was built, the Mutschellen pass was the main connection for auto traffic between Zurich and Bern. Now, the road to Bern (Bernstrasse a.k.a. Hauptstrasse 1) is still an important carrier of road traffic, particularly commuters. With the completion of the A4 expressway (scheduled November 2009) much more traffic (at least 5% by 2015) is expected through Berikon for travellers heading for the interchange at Birmensdorf (approx. 3 km away). Berikon has begun roadwork with a view to reduce the flow of transit vehicles. The project implementing these remedial measures is planned to last some 2.5 years and should be completed in autumn of 2011.
External links
- Kanton Aargau: Betriebszählung 2005 Business census 2005 figures
- Hauser-Gehrig, Margrith (year unknown). Erinnerungen an Alt Berikon. Publisher unknown. Excerpts accessed via Berikon Web site, 2009-06-27.