Heilig Hüsli
Encyclopedia
Heilig Hüsli is a chapel
in the city of Rapperswil
, canton of St. Gallen
, Switzerland
.
, as of the today, situated on a small island on upper Lake Zürich
(Obersee) on the Holzbrücke Rapperswil-Hurden
, a historical wooden bridge reconstructed in 2001.
and Hurden was first mentioned in 1485 in the form of a wooden prayer house respectively pilgrim's chapel. The Jakobsweg (Way of St. Jamens) leads through the region of Lake Zürich: From Wattwil
over the Ricken pass
to Schmerikon
on to Lachen
and along the left bank of the lake to Pfäffikon
. Another route leads from Schmerikon along the lake to Rapperswil and then over the wooden bridge respectively from Constance
over the Hörnli
mountain through Zürcher Oberland
via Rapperswil
and the wooden bridge to St. Meinrad pass (Etzel mountain
) and heads to Einsiedeln Abbey
.
As recorded by an inscription, the present stone building dates back to 1551. After the Seedamm
was built in 1878, the Heilig Hüsli chapel was the only remaining structure of the medieval wooden bridge. It stood isolated in the lake and was not accessible to visitors until the reconstruction of the former wooden bridge was erected in 2001. The chapel was partially renewed in 1908, 1930 and 1957. As of today it is owned by the Ortsgemeinde (community) Rapperswil.
The chapel is under protection since 1907 and is listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance
as part of the Seedamm
area including Heilig Hüsli and the remains of the prehistoric wooden bridges respectively stilt house
settlements.
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
in the city of Rapperswil
Rapperswil
Rapperswil-Jona is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.Besides Rapperswil and Jona, which were separate municipalities until 2006, the municipality includes Bollingen, Busskirch, Curtiberg, Kempraten-Lenggis, Wagen, and Wurmsbach.-Today:On...
, canton of St. Gallen
Canton of St. Gallen
The Canton of St. Gallen is a canton of Switzerland. St. Gallen is located in the north east of Switzerland. It covers an area of 2,026 km², and has a population of . , the population included 97,461 foreigners, or about 20.9% of the total population. The capital is St. Gallen. Spelling...
, 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....
.
Geography
The chapel is located next to the so-called SeedammSeedamm
Seedamm is the partially artificial dam and bridge at the most narrow area of Lake Zurich, between Hurden and Rapperswil .- Geography and location :...
, as of the today, situated on a small island on upper Lake Zürich
Lake Zurich
Lake Zurich is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the city of Zurich. It is also known as Lake Zürich and Lake of Zürich. It lies approximately at co-ordinates ....
(Obersee) on the Holzbrücke Rapperswil-Hurden
Holzbrücke Rapperswil-Hurden
Holzbrücke Rapperswil-Hurden is a wooden pedestrian bridge between the city of Rapperswil and the village of Hurden crossing the upper Lake Zürich in Switzerland. The prehistoric timber piles discovered to the west of the Seedamm date back to 1523 BC...
, a historical wooden bridge reconstructed in 2001.
History
The chapel on the former medieval wooden bridge between RapperswilRapperswil
Rapperswil-Jona is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.Besides Rapperswil and Jona, which were separate municipalities until 2006, the municipality includes Bollingen, Busskirch, Curtiberg, Kempraten-Lenggis, Wagen, and Wurmsbach.-Today:On...
and Hurden was first mentioned in 1485 in the form of a wooden prayer house respectively pilgrim's chapel. The Jakobsweg (Way of St. Jamens) leads through the region of Lake Zürich: From Wattwil
Wattwil
Wattwil is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of Toggenburg in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.-Geography:Wattwil has an area, , of . Of this area, 52.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 37.3% is forested...
over the Ricken pass
Ricken Pass
Ricken Pass is a mountain pass in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.It connects the Linth valley and Toggenburg. The pass road has a maximum grade of 9 percent.A Federal Railway tunnel has been dug under the pass....
to Schmerikon
Schmerikon
Schmerikon is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.-Geography:Schmerikon has an area, , of . Of this area, 38.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 23% is forested...
on to Lachen
Lachen, Switzerland
Lachen is a municipality in March District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Lachen has an area, , of . Of this area, 26.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 5.8% is forested...
and along the left bank of the lake to Pfäffikon
Pfäffikon, Schwyz
Pfäffikon is the principal town of the Municipality of Freienbach in canton Schwyz in Switzerland. Together with Wollerau, Pfäffikon is considered the principal town of the borough Höfe and the center of the region of Ausserschwyz. The former farm town is known today as cultural, economic and...
. Another route leads from Schmerikon along the lake to Rapperswil and then over the wooden bridge respectively from Constance
Constance
Constance is a female given name that derives from Latin and means "constant." Variations of the name include Connie, Constancia, Constanze, Constanza, Stanzy, and Konstanze.Constance may refer to:-People:*Constance Bennett , American actress...
over the Hörnli
Hörnli
Hörnli mountain, altitude 1133 meters, coordinates 47/22/16/N - 8/56/16/E, is located on the territory of the community of Fischenthal, in the Zürcher Oberland, in the eastern part of canton of Zürich, in Switzerland....
mountain through Zürcher Oberland
Zürcher Oberland
The Zürcher Oberland in Switzerland, is the hilly south-eastern part of the Canton of Zurich, bordering on the Toggenburg, including the districts of Uster, Hinwil, Pfäffikon as well as the Töss Valley as far as the district of Winterthur. The territory gradually fell under the control of the city...
via Rapperswil
Rapperswil
Rapperswil-Jona is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.Besides Rapperswil and Jona, which were separate municipalities until 2006, the municipality includes Bollingen, Busskirch, Curtiberg, Kempraten-Lenggis, Wagen, and Wurmsbach.-Today:On...
and the wooden bridge to St. Meinrad pass (Etzel mountain
Etzel (mountain)
The Etzel is a mountain in the Alps on the south side of Lake Zurich in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland....
) and heads to Einsiedeln Abbey
Einsiedeln Abbey
Einsiedeln Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the town of Einsiedeln in the Canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. The abbey is dedicated to Our Lady of the Hermits, the title being derived from the circumstances of its foundation, from which the name Einsiedeln is also said to have originated...
.
As recorded by an inscription, the present stone building dates back to 1551. After the Seedamm
Seedamm
Seedamm is the partially artificial dam and bridge at the most narrow area of Lake Zurich, between Hurden and Rapperswil .- Geography and location :...
was built in 1878, the Heilig Hüsli chapel was the only remaining structure of the medieval wooden bridge. It stood isolated in the lake and was not accessible to visitors until the reconstruction of the former wooden bridge was erected in 2001. The chapel was partially renewed in 1908, 1930 and 1957. As of today it is owned by the Ortsgemeinde (community) Rapperswil.
The chapel is under protection since 1907 and is listed as Swiss 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...
as part of the Seedamm
Seedamm
Seedamm is the partially artificial dam and bridge at the most narrow area of Lake Zurich, between Hurden and Rapperswil .- Geography and location :...
area including Heilig Hüsli and the remains of the prehistoric wooden bridges respectively stilt house
Stilt house
Stilt houses or pile dwellings or palafitte are houses raised on piles over the surface of the soil or a body of water. Stilt houses are built primarily as a protection against flooding, but also serve to keep out vermin...
settlements.