Kaiserstuhl, Switzerland
Encyclopedia
Kaiserstuhl is a municipality
in the district of Zurzach
in the canton
of Aargau
in Switzerland
. The small town is listed as a heritage site of national significance
.
come from the Freiherr
of Kaiserstuhl, who's castle guarded the right bank of the Rhine. In 1359, the name of the castle changed to Rötelen Castle. The sale of remote properties lying on both sides of the Rhine to Wettingen Abbey
by Rudolf of Kaiserstuhl and his wife Adelheid von Tengen in 1254/55 enabled the expansion of the settlement on left bank of the Rhine. The wall and upper tower (raised to today's height after a fire in 1360) are dated archaeologically to 1260. Construction of the new town also involved the noble Lütold VII of Regensberg
, who's descendant, Lütold IX, in mentioned in 1279 as the owner of the city. In 1294 his son sold it with the bridge, castle and other rights in the surrounding villages to Bishop
Henry II of Constance. It remained part of the Bishop's holdings until 1798. The Bishop's reeve
at Rötelen Castle managed the city and held the low court
rights. The independent area of law covered only the area within the city walls, and before the upper gate as well the banks of the Rhine. The left bank territory included fields and gardens, while the area on the right was five times larger and held vineyard
s and fields for the citizens of the town. The citizenry rights and obligations was first defined in 1310. After 1287, they choose mayors, an eight-member Council and the Court from their midst, which was equal with the episcopal steward, who was almost always an outsider. Further attempts to expand the legal power of the local leaders were rejected in the treaties of 1526, 1535, 1578 and 1687.
In 1365–66 and 1384–85 the town served as a refuge for the Bishop of Constance when he was expelled from the Constance. Before 1324 and between 1371–86 the city was pawned
to outside owners as collateral
for a loan. From 1359 to 1403 the castle was owned by the locals. In 1374 they were granted an exemption of the war tax. The episcopal rule was weakened by the transition of sovereignty from the Habsburg to the County of Baden in 1415. Due to its location on the religious boundary Kaiserstuhl presented an important bridgehead for the Catholic
regions. In the two Battles of Villmergen
(1655/56 and 1712) the village was occupied by Zurich. During the religious conflicts, traffic to Kaiserstuhl was forced to instead cross the Rhine in Zurich controlled areas. As the town did not have the right to tax ship traffic on the Rhine, this loss of land traffic cost the town most of its custom revenue. However, the town remained prosperous due to viticulture
and animal husbandry, through the credit and banking, and through foreign service
. The prosperity is reflected in the stately houses built during this era. (Gasthaus zur Krone in 1550, administration hall of the monastery of St. Blaise in 1563 and 1612, and the Marschallhaus in 1764). The buildings that allowed Kaiserstuhl to function as a regional center were on the right bank of the Rhine, and were lost in 1798 with the creation of the Canton of Baden
. After the destruction of the bridge by the French
in 1799 border traffic through Kaiserstuhl ended for almost two decades.
Floods damaged the Rhine Bridge in 1817 and 1876. It was rebuilt in steel and concrete in 1890 and again in 1985. The creation of the post offices in 1816 and the pony express line to Baden, led to prosperity and growth. This culminated in the establishment of the district school in 1836 and a Savings Bank (1837–1916). However, after 1850 the prosperity and growth ended. In 1861 ten houses along Rheingasse were destroyed in a fire, but were never rebuilt. The railway station was opened in 1876 on the railway line Koblenz-Winterthur. The old station was replaced in 1995. Between 1870–1911 modern technological infrastructure, including telegraph, telephone and electricity from the power plant Beznau, entered the town. But even with the increased infrastructure, industry hardly settled in Kaiserstuhl. The only industry was textiles, such as an embroidery plant that in 1913 had 33 employees.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 28.1% and transportation infrastructure made up 12.5%. while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 3.1%. Out of the forested land, 0.0% of the total land area is heavily forested and 9.4% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 9.4% is used for growing crops and 15.6% is pastures, while 9.4% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is flowing water.
The municipality is located in the Zurzach district, on the left bank of the Rhine along the border with the Canton of Zürich
. It is the site of a bridge over the Rhine to the city of Hohentengen
in Baden-Württemberg
, Germany
.
of the municipal coat of arms is Per fess Azure a Pile Gules pointing in base dexter and of the second a Pile of the first pointing in chief dexter.
(85.5%), with Albanian
being second most common ( 7.1%) and Italian
being third ( 2.3%).
The age distribution, , in Kaiserstuhl is; 32 children or 8.1% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 47 teenagers or 11.9% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 52 people or 13.2% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 46 people or 11.7% are between 30 and 39, 68 people or 17.3% are between 40 and 49, and 65 people or 16.5% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 45 people or 11.4% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 23 people or 5.8% are between 70 and 79, there are 14 people or 3.6% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 2 people or 0.5% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.54 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 41% 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 33 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 87 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 63 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. , there were 185 private households (homes and apartments) in the municipality, and an average of 2.3 persons per household. there were 56 single family homes (or 25.7% of the total) out of a total of 218 homes and apartments. There were a total of 4 empty apartments for a 1.8% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 0 new units per 1000 residents.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 27.62% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP
(21.8%), the CVP
(18.02%) and the Green Party
(12%). In the federal election, a total of 138 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
was 51.7%.
The historical population is given in the following table:
.
.
). Of the school age population , there are 54 students attending tertiary or university level schooling in the municipality.
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 Zurzach
Zurzach (district)
Zurzach District is a district in the Swiss Canton of Aargau with the administrative capital of Zurzach. It covers the Studenlands and is located in the northeastern part of the canton. The district capital is Bad Zurzach. The main valleys are the Surb and the Aare. It has a population of ...
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 small town is listed as a heritage site 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
Kaiserstuhl is first mentioned around 1227–34 as domino Arnoldo de Keiserstul. In 1236 it was mentioned as de Kayserstule. The name and coat of armsCoat 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...
come from the Freiherr
Freiherr
The German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname...
of Kaiserstuhl, who's castle guarded the right bank of the Rhine. In 1359, the name of the castle changed to Rötelen Castle. The sale of remote properties lying on both sides of the Rhine to Wettingen Abbey
Wettingen Abbey
Wettingen Abbey was a Cistercian monastery in Wettingen in the Swiss canton of Aargau. It was founded in 1227 and dissolved during the secularisation of 1841, but re-founded at Mehrerau in Austria in 1854...
by Rudolf of Kaiserstuhl and his wife Adelheid von Tengen in 1254/55 enabled the expansion of the settlement on left bank of the Rhine. The wall and upper tower (raised to today's height after a fire in 1360) are dated archaeologically to 1260. Construction of the new town also involved the noble Lütold VII of Regensberg
Regensberg
Regensberg is a municipality in the district of Dielsdorf in the canton of Zurich in Switzerland. It is located just to the west of Dielsdorf, on a ridge of the Lägern .-History:...
, who's descendant, Lütold IX, in mentioned in 1279 as the owner of the city. In 1294 his son sold it with the bridge, castle and other rights in the surrounding villages to Bishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
Henry II of Constance. It remained part of the Bishop's holdings until 1798. The Bishop's reeve
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
at Rötelen Castle managed the city and held the low court
High, middle and low justice
High, middle and low justices are notions dating from Western feudalism to indicate descending degrees of judiciary power to administer justice by the maximal punishment the holders could inflict upon their subjects and other dependents....
rights. The independent area of law covered only the area within the city walls, and before the upper gate as well the banks of the Rhine. The left bank territory included fields and gardens, while the area on the right was five times larger and held vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s and fields for the citizens of the town. The citizenry rights and obligations was first defined in 1310. After 1287, they choose mayors, an eight-member Council and the Court from their midst, which was equal with the episcopal steward, who was almost always an outsider. Further attempts to expand the legal power of the local leaders were rejected in the treaties of 1526, 1535, 1578 and 1687.
In 1365–66 and 1384–85 the town served as a refuge for the Bishop of Constance when he was expelled from the Constance. Before 1324 and between 1371–86 the city was pawned
Pawnbroker
A pawnbroker is an individual or business that offers secured loans to people, with items of personal property used as collateral...
to outside owners as collateral
Collateral (finance)
In lending agreements, collateral is a borrower's pledge of specific property to a lender, to secure repayment of a loan.The collateral serves as protection for a lender against a borrower's default - that is, any borrower failing to pay the principal and interest under the terms of a loan obligation...
for a loan. From 1359 to 1403 the castle was owned by the locals. In 1374 they were granted an exemption of the war tax. The episcopal rule was weakened by the transition of sovereignty from the Habsburg to the County of Baden in 1415. Due to its location on the religious boundary Kaiserstuhl presented an important bridgehead for the Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
regions. In the two Battles of Villmergen
Battles of Villmergen
The Battles of Villmergen were two battles between Reformed and Catholic Swiss cantons. They occurred on January 24, 1656 and July 24, 1712 at Villmergen, Canton of Aargau, Switzerland ....
(1655/56 and 1712) the village was occupied by Zurich. During the religious conflicts, traffic to Kaiserstuhl was forced to instead cross the Rhine in Zurich controlled areas. As the town did not have the right to tax ship traffic on the Rhine, this loss of land traffic cost the town most of its custom revenue. However, the town remained prosperous due to viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
and animal husbandry, through the credit and banking, and through foreign service
Swiss mercenaries
Swiss mercenaries were notable for their service in foreign armies, especially the armies of the Kings of France, throughout the Early Modern period of European history, from the Later Middle Ages into the Age of the European Enlightenment...
. The prosperity is reflected in the stately houses built during this era. (Gasthaus zur Krone in 1550, administration hall of the monastery of St. Blaise in 1563 and 1612, and the Marschallhaus in 1764). The buildings that allowed Kaiserstuhl to function as a regional center were on the right bank of the Rhine, and were lost in 1798 with the creation of the Canton of Baden
Canton of Baden
The Canton of Baden was a canton of the Helvetic Republic . Its capital was the town of Baden....
. After the destruction of the bridge by the French
French Revolutionary Army
The French Revolutionary Army is the term used to refer to the military of France during the period between the fall of the ancien regime under Louis XVI in 1792 and the formation of the First French Empire under Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804. These armies were characterised by their revolutionary...
in 1799 border traffic through Kaiserstuhl ended for almost two decades.
Floods damaged the Rhine Bridge in 1817 and 1876. It was rebuilt in steel and concrete in 1890 and again in 1985. The creation of the post offices in 1816 and the pony express line to Baden, led to prosperity and growth. This culminated in the establishment of the district school in 1836 and a Savings Bank (1837–1916). However, after 1850 the prosperity and growth ended. In 1861 ten houses along Rheingasse were destroyed in a fire, but were never rebuilt. The railway station was opened in 1876 on the railway line Koblenz-Winterthur. The old station was replaced in 1995. Between 1870–1911 modern technological infrastructure, including telegraph, telephone and electricity from the power plant Beznau, entered the town. But even with the increased infrastructure, industry hardly settled in Kaiserstuhl. The only industry was textiles, such as an embroidery plant that in 1913 had 33 employees.
Geography
Kaiserstuhl has an area, , of 0.32 square kilometre (0.123552690749611 sq mi). Of this area, 0.11 km² (0.0424712374451789 sq mi) or 34.4% is used for agricultural purposes, while 0.03 km² (0.0115830647577761 sq mi) or 9.4% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.14 km² (34.6 acre) or 43.8% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.03 km² (7.4 acre) or 9.4% is either rivers or lakes.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 28.1% and transportation infrastructure made up 12.5%. while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 3.1%. Out of the forested land, 0.0% of the total land area is heavily forested and 9.4% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 9.4% is used for growing crops and 15.6% is pastures, while 9.4% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is flowing water.
The municipality is located in the Zurzach district, on the left bank of the Rhine along the border with the Canton of Zürich
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...
. It is the site of a bridge over the Rhine to the city of Hohentengen
Hohentengen
Hohentengen is a municipality in the district of Sigmaringen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
in Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
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 is Per fess Azure a Pile Gules pointing in base dexter and of the second a Pile of the first pointing in chief dexter.
Demographics
Kaiserstuhl has a population of , 18.0% of the population are foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of −9.3%. Most of the population speaks GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
(85.5%), with Albanian
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
being second most common ( 7.1%) and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
being third ( 2.3%).
The age distribution, , in Kaiserstuhl is; 32 children or 8.1% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 47 teenagers or 11.9% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 52 people or 13.2% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 46 people or 11.7% are between 30 and 39, 68 people or 17.3% are between 40 and 49, and 65 people or 16.5% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 45 people or 11.4% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 23 people or 5.8% are between 70 and 79, there are 14 people or 3.6% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 2 people or 0.5% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.54 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 41% 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 33 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 87 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 63 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. , there were 185 private households (homes and apartments) in the municipality, and an average of 2.3 persons per household. there were 56 single family homes (or 25.7% of the total) out of a total of 218 homes and apartments. There were a total of 4 empty apartments for a 1.8% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 0 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 27.62% 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....
(21.8%), 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...
(18.02%) 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:...
(12%). In the federal election, a total of 138 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
was 51.7%.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1837 | 395 |
| 1850 | 448 |
| 1870 | 332 |
| 1900 | 366 |
| 1950 | 408 |
| 2000 | 434 |
Heritage sites of national significance
The administration building of the former St. Blasien monastery at Hauptstrasse 35, the Mayenfisch- or Marschallhaus at Rheingasse 5, the Upper Tower and the city walls are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance. The entire village of Kaiserstuhl is designated as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage SitesInventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
The Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites is part of a 1981 Ordinance of the Swiss Federal Council implementing the Federal Law on the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage.-Sites of national importance:-Types:...
.
Economy
, Kaiserstuhl had an unemployment rate of 1.49%. , there were 7 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 2 businesses involved in this sector. 9 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 5 businesses in this sector. 111 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 24 businesses in this sector. there were 245 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 190 or about 77.6% of the residents worked outside Kaiserstuhl while 68 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 123 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 16% used public transportation to get to work, and 52.4% used a private car.Religion
From the , 125 or 28.8% were Roman Catholic, while 195 or 44.9% 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...
.
Education
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Kaiserstuhl about 74.9% 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 54 students attending tertiary or university level schooling in the municipality.