Birrhard
Encyclopedia
Birrhard is a municipality
in the district of Brugg
in canton
of Aargau
in Switzerland
.
It is located about 5 km (3.1 mi) south east of the town of Brugg
.
in Windisch
in 1397. After the secularization of the monastery in 1528, the authority went to Bern.
The municipality is made up of the communities of Ausserdorf, Unterdorf (both part of the linear village
of Birrhard) and the hamlets
of Inlauf. It is located on the eastern edge of the expansive and mainly agriculture Birrfeld region. Just to the east of the town the plain drops about 50 metres (164 ft) to the banks of the Reuss river. The Reuss forms the eastern boundary of the municipality, and, in this area, flows through a valley about 100 metres (328.1 ft) wide. The highest point has an elevation of 412 metres (1,351.7 ft), and the lowest elevation, along the Reuss, is 340 metres (1,115.5 ft).
Neighboring municipalities are Mülligen
to the north, Birmenstorf
to the east, Wohlenschwil
and Mägenwil
to the south, Brunegg
to the south-east and Birr
and Lupfig
to the west.
The municipalities of Birr
and Birrhard are considering a merger on 1 January 2014 into a new municipality which will be known as Birr.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Gules a Pear Tree eradicated Vert fructed Or and in Base wavy Argent fimbriated and with two fillets wavy Sable. This may be an example of canting
as the German word for pear tree is similar to Birrhard.
The age distribution, , in Birrhard is; 63 children or 9.7% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 83 teenagers or 12.7% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 72 people or 11.0% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 67 people or 10.3% are between 30 and 39, 148 people or 22.7% are between 40 and 49, and 101 people or 15.5% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 68 people or 10.4% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 32 people or 4.9% are between 70 and 79, there are 16 people or 2.5% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 2 people or 0.3% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.58 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 74.3% 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 17 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 111 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 121 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. The average number of people per household was 2.57 individuals. there were 173 single family homes (or 61.1% of the total) out of a total of 283 homes and apartments. There were a total of 3 empty apartments for a 1.1% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 10.9 new units per 1000 residents.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 50.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP
(14%), the FDP
(11.8%) and the Green Party
(8.3%).
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Birrhard about 82.8% 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 54 students attending primary school in the municipality.
The historical population is given in the following table:
there was a total of 368 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 319 or about 86.7% of the residents worked outside Birrhard while 109 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 158 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 8.4% used public transportation to get to work, and 66.1% used a private car.
.
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 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 5 km (3.1 mi) south east of the town of Brugg
Brugg
Brugg or Brügg may refer to the following places:* In Switzerland:** Brugg, Aargau, in the Canton of Aargau*** FC Brugg, a Swiss football club, from the town of Brugg in Canton Aargau...
.
History
Birrhard is first mentioned in 1254 as Birharth when it belonged to the Habsburgs. The authority over the village went to the monastery KönigsfeldenKönigsfelden Abbey
Königsfelden Abbey is a former Franciscan monastery and former Clarisse convent in the municipality of Windisch in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. It was founded in 1308 by the Habsburgs and during the Reformation in 1528 it was secularized. The complex was then the residence of the bailiffs...
in Windisch
Windisch
Windisch is a municipality in the district of Brugg in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:Windisch is situated at the site of the Roman legion camp Vindonissa. In 1064 the current municipality was mentioned as Vinse, and in 1175 as Vindisse. Until the 19th Century the official name was...
in 1397. After the secularization of the monastery in 1528, the authority went to Bern.
Geography
Birrhard has an area, , of 2.99 square kilometres (1.2 sq mi). Of this area, 1.58 square kilometre (0.610041410576205 sq mi) or 52.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while1.01 square kilometre (0.38996318017846 sq mi) or 33.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.37 square kilometre (0.142857798679238 sq mi) or 12.4% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.05 km² (12.4 acre) or 1.7% is either rivers or lakes. Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 0.7% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 6.0% and transportation infrastructure made up 4.7%.. 32.8% of the total land area was heavily forested. Of the agricultural land, 46.2% is used for growing crops and 5.7% is pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.The municipality is made up of the communities of Ausserdorf, Unterdorf (both part of the linear village
Linear village
In geography, a linear village, or linear settlement, is a small to medium-sized settlement that is formed around a transport route, such as a road, river, or canal. Wraysbury, a village in Berkshire, is one of the longest villages in England....
of Birrhard) 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 Inlauf. It is located on the eastern edge of the expansive and mainly agriculture Birrfeld region. Just to the east of the town the plain drops about 50 metres (164 ft) to the banks of the Reuss river. The Reuss forms the eastern boundary of the municipality, and, in this area, flows through a valley about 100 metres (328.1 ft) wide. The highest point has an elevation of 412 metres (1,351.7 ft), and the lowest elevation, along the Reuss, is 340 metres (1,115.5 ft).
Neighboring municipalities are Mülligen
Mülligen
Mülligen is a municipality in the district of Brugg in canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:The earliest known settlement was in the Early Middle Ages, though the only traces of the settlement are two groups of graves. Mülligen is first mentioned in the 12th Century as Mülinon...
to the north, Birmenstorf
Birmenstorf, Aargau
Birmenstorf is a municipality in the district of Baden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:The first written mention of Birmenstorf dates to 1146, when a stay of Bernard of Clairvaux was recorded. In 1415, the Eidgenossenschaft conquered the Aargau, and Birmenstorf as part of the...
to the east, Wohlenschwil
Wohlenschwil
Wohlenschwil is a municipality in the district of Baden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:On June 3, 1653 Wohlenschwil was the site of the Battle of Wohlenschwil, which ended the Swiss peasant war of 1653...
and Mägenwil
Mägenwil
Mägenwil is a municipality in the district of Baden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:Mägenwil is first mentioned in 924 as Maganwilare. In 1273 it was mentioned as Echwile.-Geography:...
to the south, Brunegg
Brunegg
Brunegg is a municipality in the district of Lenzburg in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:Brunegg is first mentioned in first half of the 12th Century as Bruneco. In 1273 it was mentioned as Brunegge. Brunegg castle was built on a hill at the edge of the Jura mountains in the 13th...
to the south-east and Birr
Birr
Birr is a town in County Offaly, Ireland. Once called Parsonstown, after the Parsons family who were local landowners and hereditary Earls of Rosse. It is also a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe....
and Lupfig
Lupfig
Lupfig is a municipality in the district of Brugg in canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:Near the modern village of Lupfig was the source of a Roman aqueduct leading to the camp of Vindonissa. Additionally, Alamanni graves have been discovered near the village...
to the west.
The municipalities of Birr
Birr
Birr is a town in County Offaly, Ireland. Once called Parsonstown, after the Parsons family who were local landowners and hereditary Earls of Rosse. It is also a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe....
and Birrhard are considering a merger on 1 January 2014 into a new municipality which will be known as Birr.
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 Gules a Pear Tree eradicated Vert fructed Or and in Base wavy Argent fimbriated and with two fillets wavy Sable. This may be an example of canting
Canting arms
Canting arms are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name in a visual pun or rebus. The term cant came into the English language from Anglo-Norman cant, meaning song or singing, from Latin cantāre, and English cognates include canticle, chant, accent, incantation and recant.Canting arms –...
as the German word for pear tree is similar to Birrhard.
Demographics
Birrhard has a population of , 9.6% of the population are foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of 1.3%. Most of the population speaks German (95.0%), with Italian being second most common ( 1.3%) and Albanian being third ( 1.0%).The age distribution, , in Birrhard is; 63 children or 9.7% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 83 teenagers or 12.7% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 72 people or 11.0% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 67 people or 10.3% are between 30 and 39, 148 people or 22.7% are between 40 and 49, and 101 people or 15.5% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 68 people or 10.4% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 32 people or 4.9% are between 70 and 79, there are 16 people or 2.5% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 2 people or 0.3% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.58 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 74.3% 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 17 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 111 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 121 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. The average number of people per household was 2.57 individuals. there were 173 single family homes (or 61.1% of the total) out of a total of 283 homes and apartments. There were a total of 3 empty apartments for a 1.1% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 10.9 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 50.6% 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....
(14%), 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....
(11.8%) 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:...
(8.3%).
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Birrhard about 82.8% 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 54 students attending primary school in the municipality.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1850 | 365 |
| 1900 | 236 |
| 1930 | 267 |
| 1950 | 316 |
| 1975 | 352 |
| 1980 | 453 |
| 1990 | 553 |
| 2000 | 618 |
Economy
, Birrhard had an unemployment rate of 1.34%. , there were 46 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 11 businesses involved in this sector. 75 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 6 businesses in this sector. 70 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 17 businesses in this sector.there was a total of 368 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 319 or about 86.7% of the residents worked outside Birrhard while 109 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 158 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 8.4% used public transportation to get to work, and 66.1% used a private car.
Religion
From the , 226 or 33.2% were Roman Catholic, while 351 or 51.5% 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...
.