Gais
Encyclopedia
Gais is a municipality
in the canton
of Appenzell Ausserrhoden
in Switzerland. The area of Gais is 21.2 km² (8.2 sq mi).
In 1977 Gais received the Wakker Prize
for the development and preservation of its architectural heritage. The village square, the Protestant church of 1782, the former spa hotel Neuer Ochsen of 1796 and the Krone inn of 1781 are listed as heritage sites of national significance
.
(bailiff) and judge. By the 14th century Gais was already acting as an independent community. Under the amtmann Konrad Geppensteiner, Gais joined the Swabian Cities Alliance
in 1377. In 1401 the town allied with the League of God's House
. One of the most important battles of the Appenzell Wars
(1401–29), the battle of Stoss Pass
, took place in the territory of Gais.
The municipality is located in the former District of Mittelland. It consists of the village of Gais and several hamlets
and individual farm houses.
, the gender distribution of the population was 50.3% male and 49.7% female. The age distribution, , in Gais is: 217 people or 7.8% of the population are between 0–6 years old; 410 people or 14.8% are 6–15; and 152 people or 5.5% are 16–19. Of the adult population, 112 people or 4.0% of the population are between 20–24 years old. 758 people or 27.4% are 25–44, and 663 people or 23.9% are 45–64. The senior population distribution is 323 people or 11.7% of the population are between 65–79 years old, and 135 people or 4.9% are over 80.
In the 2007 federal election
the FDP
received 73.5% of the vote.
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Gais about 73.7% of the population (between age 25–64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Gais has an unemployment rate of 1.01%. , there were 130 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 57 businesses involved in this sector. 240 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 39 businesses in this sector. 600 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 119 businesses in this sector.
The historic population was;
The old village, lined with traditional wooden houses with curved gable
s, was rebuilt following a fire in 1780 and has remained mostly unchanged since then. The houses along the town square and on Webergasse are the center of the old village.
The Protestant Church
was built in 1781–82 by Hans Ulrich Haltiner. The interior is decorated in a Rococo
style. The interior work was done in 1782, from the shop of Andreas and Peter Anton Mosbrugger.
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 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 Appenzell Ausserrhoden
Appenzell Ausserrhoden
Appenzell Ausserrhoden is a canton of Switzerland. The seat of the government and parliament is Herisau, judicial authorities are in Trogen. Appenzell Ausserrhoden is located in the north east of Switzerland, bordering the cantons of St...
in Switzerland. The area of Gais is 21.2 km² (8.2 sq mi).
In 1977 Gais received the Wakker Prize
Wakker Prize
The Wakker Prize is awarded annually by the Swiss Heritage Society to a Municipality of Switzerland for the development and preservation of its architectural heritage....
for the development and preservation of its architectural heritage. The village square, the Protestant church of 1782, the former spa hotel Neuer Ochsen of 1796 and the Krone inn of 1781 are listed as heritage sites of national significance
Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
.
History
The village of de Geis is first mentioned in a list of offerings given to the Abbey of St Gall in 1272. While under the Abbey, Gais was a semi-independent village with its own amtmannAmtmann
Amtmann can be :*a feudal, administrative and/or gubernatorial title, such as Bezirksamtmann . Amtmann, ammann and amman were a kind of bailiff in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and in Brussels....
(bailiff) and judge. By the 14th century Gais was already acting as an independent community. Under the amtmann Konrad Geppensteiner, Gais joined the Swabian Cities Alliance
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
in 1377. In 1401 the town allied with the League of God's House
League of God's House
The League of God's House was formed in what is now Switzerland on January 29, 1367 to resist the rising power of the Bishopric of Chur and the House of Habsburg. The League allied with the Grey League and the League of the Ten Jurisdictions in 1471 to form the Three Leagues...
. One of the most important battles of the Appenzell Wars
Appenzell Wars
The Appenzell Wars were a series of conflicts that lasted from 1401 until 1429 in the Appenzell region of Switzerland. The wars were a successful uprising of cooperative groups, such as the farmers of Appenzell or the craftsmen of the city of St. Gallen, against the traditional medieval power...
(1401–29), the battle of Stoss Pass
Stoss Pass
Stoss Pass is a mountain pass between the cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland.-History:On June 17, 1405 during the Appenzell Wars, there was a battle on the pass between 400 soldiers from Appenzell and 1200 Habsburg and abbatial soldiers. The Appenzellers...
, took place in the territory of Gais.
Geography
Gais has an area, , of 21.2 km² (8.2 sq mi). Of this area, 49.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while 44.3% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 6.2% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.4%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).The municipality is located in the former District of Mittelland. It consists of the village of Gais and several 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...
and individual farm houses.
Demographics
Gais has a population of 2,987 . Of that population 373 are foreigners (in 2007 it was 351), which represents 12.49% of the total population. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at an annual rate of 1.5%. Most of the population speaks German (93.7%), with Serbo-Croatian being second most common (1.6%) and Italian being third (0.9%)., the gender distribution of the population was 50.3% male and 49.7% female. The age distribution, , in Gais is: 217 people or 7.8% of the population are between 0–6 years old; 410 people or 14.8% are 6–15; and 152 people or 5.5% are 16–19. Of the adult population, 112 people or 4.0% of the population are between 20–24 years old. 758 people or 27.4% are 25–44, and 663 people or 23.9% are 45–64. The senior population distribution is 323 people or 11.7% of the population are between 65–79 years old, and 135 people or 4.9% are over 80.
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 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....
received 73.5% of the vote.
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Gais about 73.7% 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...
).
Gais has an unemployment rate of 1.01%. , there were 130 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 57 businesses involved in this sector. 240 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 39 businesses in this sector. 600 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 119 businesses in this sector.
The historic population was;
| 1667 | 1,870 |
| 1850 | 2,470 |
| 1900 | 2,854 |
| 1950 | 2,422 |
| 2000 | 2,770 |
| 2005 | 2,846 |
| 2007 | 2885 |
Sights
The village is home to several Swiss heritage sites of national significance including the village square, the Protestant church of 1782, the former spa hotel Neuer Ochsen of 1796 and the Krone inn of 1781.The old village, lined with traditional wooden houses with curved gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
s, was rebuilt following a fire in 1780 and has remained mostly unchanged since then. The houses along the town square and on Webergasse are the center of the old village.
The Protestant 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...
was built in 1781–82 by Hans Ulrich Haltiner. The interior is decorated in a Rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
style. The interior work was done in 1782, from the shop of Andreas and Peter Anton Mosbrugger.