Möhlintal
Encyclopedia
The Möhlintal is a 10-kilometre long valley running between Möhlin
and Wegenstetten
in the Rheinfelden
district of Canton Aargau
, Switzerland
. The five municipalities in the valley (Möhlin
, Zeiningen
, Zuzgen
, Hellikon
and Wegenstetten
) have a total population of around 14,000 people.
In the upper valley, the valley is also known as the "Wegenstettertal".This name was particularly used by associations and groups related to the upper Möhlintal municipalities. In Habsburg times the area Landschaft (territory) Möhlinbach was already known. The valley was also sometimes known as the "Chläfflital". The official name of the valley given by Canton Aargau is "Möhlintal".
, part of the Swiss Jura Mountains
which are distinct from the Faltenjura because they or not folded. The Möhlintal runs in a practically straight line from Southeast to Northwest, surrounded by high tabel plateau's through which the valley cuts. The Möhlinbach
flows from its source at the top of the valley between the municipalities of Wegenstetten
and Hemmiken
(at a height of 520m), through the valley to join the Rein
near Möhlin (at 280m).
Like most other Jura valley's in the Fricktal
region, the Möhlintal has a relatively narrow valley floor. Because of its climatic circumstances, the valley experiences up to 40 days more sunshine than the Swiss Plateu and is mostly fog-free. On the 5th August 2003 the private weather service Meteomedia
recorded a temperature of 40.3°C in Möhlin, a record for Switzerland.
Thanks to the relatively mild climate and also the wind shielded location, the Möhlintal is suitable for vineyards and wine manufacture. On the south side of the Zeinigerberges near Zeiningen the Spätburgunder (Zeininger Pinot Noir, Red Wine) und Müller-Thurgau
(Zeininger Riesling x Sylvaner, White Wine) vineyards are located. On the valley floor, sides and flat hill summits intensive farming is performed. Particularly important for the Möhlintal is the production of Kirsch from cherries, so it is not surprising that the "Chriesiberg" near Zuzgen derives its name from the Cherry tree's that stand on its plateau. "Fricktaler Kirsch" is widely known product.
On the Northeastern side of the valley lies the Looberg-Wabrig-Hersberg high plateau that is bordered on the other side by the parallel running Fischingertal
. On this high plateau the Fricktal-Schupfart Aerodrome is located where each year the Schupfart Festival is held. The small winter sports area of Föhrlimatt in Wegenstetten
lies on the west flank of the Tiersteinberg has one ski lift and attracts high numbers of visitors from the region through the winter season.
Statistical data
a beneficiary of affiliation with Vorderösterreich through a lower administrative unit, the Kameralherrschaft Rheinfelden which in turn was affiliated to the Oberamt Breisgau. The Landschaft Möhlinbach encompased the villages of Hellikon
, Kaiseraugst
, Magden
, Möhlin
, Mumpf
, Olsberg
, Wallbach
, Wegenstetten
, Zeiningen
and Zuzgen
. The villagers of the Landschaft Möhlinbach were the trigger for the Rappenkkrieg.
–Hemmiken
–Wegenstetten) terminates, connecting the Möhlintal with the neighbouring Canton Basel Land. An infrequent bus route also connects Wegenstetten with the Fischingertal (via Fricktal-Schupfart Aerodrome). Möhlin railway station stands on the Basel-Zürich line. The station is served by the S1 route of the Regio S-Bahn Basel that runs from Mulhouse
in France, through Basel and terminates in either Frick
or Laufenburg
. The A3 motorway crosses the Möhlintal on a viaduct at Zeiningen. The nearest interchanges are located at Rheinfelden
(around 3 km West of Möhlin) or Eiken
(around 7 km Northeast from Wegenstetten).
Along the high plateau between Möhlintal and Fischingertal runs part of the Fricktaler Höhenweg, a regional walking route.
Möhlin
Möhlin |Rheinfelden]] in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:The area around Möhlin was prehistorically settled. A neolithic settlement has been discovered at Chleizelgli, while scattered Bronze Age items were discovered around the municipality. There was a Roman era estate as well as...
and Wegenstetten
Wegenstetten
Wegenstetten is a municipality in the district of Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-Geography:Wegenstetten has an area, , of . Of this area, or 57.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 33.5% is forested...
in the Rheinfelden
Rheinfelden
Rheinfelden is a municipality in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland, seat of the district of Rheinfelden. It is located 15 kilometres east of Basel. The name means the fields of the Rhine, as the town is located on the Hochrhein. It is home to Feldschlösschen, the most popular beer in...
district of Canton 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:...
, 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 five municipalities in the valley (Möhlin
Möhlin
Möhlin |Rheinfelden]] in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:The area around Möhlin was prehistorically settled. A neolithic settlement has been discovered at Chleizelgli, while scattered Bronze Age items were discovered around the municipality. There was a Roman era estate as well as...
, Zeiningen
Zeiningen
Zeiningen is a municipality in the district of Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-Geography:Zeiningen has an area, , of . Of this area, or 43.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 44.2% is forested...
, Zuzgen
Zuzgen
Zuzgen is a municipality in the Rheinfelden district of canton Aargau in Switzerland. It is located in the West of the Fricktal region, around three kilometers Southwest of the border with Germany and has a border with Canton Basel-Landschaft....
, Hellikon
Hellikon
Hellikon is a municipality in the Rheinfelden district of canton Aargau in Switzerland. It is located in the West of the Fricktal region, around four kilometers Southwest of the border with Germany and has a border with Canton Basel-Landschaft.-Geography:...
and Wegenstetten
Wegenstetten
Wegenstetten is a municipality in the district of Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-Geography:Wegenstetten has an area, , of . Of this area, or 57.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 33.5% is forested...
) have a total population of around 14,000 people.
In the upper valley, the valley is also known as the "Wegenstettertal".This name was particularly used by associations and groups related to the upper Möhlintal municipalities. In Habsburg times the area Landschaft (territory) Möhlinbach was already known. The valley was also sometimes known as the "Chläfflital". The official name of the valley given by Canton Aargau is "Möhlintal".
Location and description
The valley lies in the North Eastern Tabel JuraTabel Jura
The Tabel Jura are part of the Jura range of mountains in North West Switzerland....
, part of the Swiss Jura Mountains
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
which are distinct from the Faltenjura because they or not folded. The Möhlintal runs in a practically straight line from Southeast to Northwest, surrounded by high tabel plateau's through which the valley cuts. The Möhlinbach
Möhlinbach
The Möhlinbach is a 15 kilometer long stream in Aargau canton, Switzerland....
flows from its source at the top of the valley between the municipalities of Wegenstetten
Wegenstetten
Wegenstetten is a municipality in the district of Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-Geography:Wegenstetten has an area, , of . Of this area, or 57.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 33.5% is forested...
and Hemmiken
Hemmiken
Hemmiken is a municipality in the district of Sissach in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.-Geography:Hemmiken has an area, , of . Of this area, or 70.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 25.4% is forested...
(at a height of 520m), through the valley to join the Rein
Rein
Reins are items of horse tack, used to direct a horse or other animal used for riding or driving. Reins can be made of leather, nylon, metal, or other materials, and attach to a bridle via either its bit or its noseband.-Use for riding:...
near Möhlin (at 280m).
Like most other Jura valley's in the Fricktal
Fricktal
The Fricktal region is the northwest finger extending from the Swiss canton of Aargau. It is situated in Northwestern Switzerland east of Basel, between the High Rhine forming the border with Germany in the north and the Jura Mountains in the south. The Fricktal contains the districts of...
region, the Möhlintal has a relatively narrow valley floor. Because of its climatic circumstances, the valley experiences up to 40 days more sunshine than the Swiss Plateu and is mostly fog-free. On the 5th August 2003 the private weather service Meteomedia
Meteomedia
Meteomedia may mean:*MétéoMédia, a Canadian French language cable television channel specializing on weather*Meteomedia AG, a company providing weather data in Germany and Switzerland...
recorded a temperature of 40.3°C in Möhlin, a record for Switzerland.
Thanks to the relatively mild climate and also the wind shielded location, the Möhlintal is suitable for vineyards and wine manufacture. On the south side of the Zeinigerberges near Zeiningen the Spätburgunder (Zeininger Pinot Noir, Red Wine) und Müller-Thurgau
Müller-Thurgau
Müller-Thurgau is a variety of white grape which was created by Hermann Müller from the Swiss Canton of Thurgau in 1882. It is a crossing of Riesling with Madeleine Royale. It is used to make white wine in Germany, Austria, Northern Italy, Hungary, England, in Australia, Czech Republic, Slovakia,...
(Zeininger Riesling x Sylvaner, White Wine) vineyards are located. On the valley floor, sides and flat hill summits intensive farming is performed. Particularly important for the Möhlintal is the production of Kirsch from cherries, so it is not surprising that the "Chriesiberg" near Zuzgen derives its name from the Cherry tree's that stand on its plateau. "Fricktaler Kirsch" is widely known product.
On the Northeastern side of the valley lies the Looberg-Wabrig-Hersberg high plateau that is bordered on the other side by the parallel running Fischingertal
Fischingertal
The Fischingertal is a 5 kilometer long valley running between Mumpf and Schupfart in the Rheinfelden District of Canton Aargau, Switzerland....
. On this high plateau the Fricktal-Schupfart Aerodrome is located where each year the Schupfart Festival is held. The small winter sports area of Föhrlimatt in Wegenstetten
Wegenstetten
Wegenstetten is a municipality in the district of Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-Geography:Wegenstetten has an area, , of . Of this area, or 57.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 33.5% is forested...
lies on the west flank of the Tiersteinberg has one ski lift and attracts high numbers of visitors from the region through the winter season.
Statistical data
- AreaAreaArea is a quantity that expresses the extent of a two-dimensional surface or shape in the plane. Area can be understood as the amount of material with a given thickness that would be necessary to fashion a model of the shape, or the amount of paint necessary to cover the surface with a single coat...
: 5,272 Hektars (52.72 km²), of which:- 51 % Farmed
- 37 % Forest
- 11 % Housing
- PopulationPopulationA population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
: 14,194 (31 December 2007) - Population DensityPopulation densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
: 269 people/km² (31st. December 2007)
Landschaft Möhlinbach
The Landschaft Möhlinbach was, like the rest of FricktalFricktal
The Fricktal region is the northwest finger extending from the Swiss canton of Aargau. It is situated in Northwestern Switzerland east of Basel, between the High Rhine forming the border with Germany in the north and the Jura Mountains in the south. The Fricktal contains the districts of...
a beneficiary of affiliation with Vorderösterreich through a lower administrative unit, the Kameralherrschaft Rheinfelden which in turn was affiliated to the Oberamt Breisgau. The Landschaft Möhlinbach encompased the villages of Hellikon
Hellikon
Hellikon is a municipality in the Rheinfelden district of canton Aargau in Switzerland. It is located in the West of the Fricktal region, around four kilometers Southwest of the border with Germany and has a border with Canton Basel-Landschaft.-Geography:...
, Kaiseraugst
Kaiseraugst
Kaiseraugst is a municipality in the district of Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. It is named for the Ancient Roman city of Augusta Raurica whose ruins are situated nearby...
, Magden
Magden
Magden is a municipality in the district of Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.It is located 3 km to the south of the Rheinfelden...
, Möhlin
Möhlin
Möhlin |Rheinfelden]] in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:The area around Möhlin was prehistorically settled. A neolithic settlement has been discovered at Chleizelgli, while scattered Bronze Age items were discovered around the municipality. There was a Roman era estate as well as...
, Mumpf
Mumpf
Mumpf is a municipality in the district of Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:The area around Mumpf was prehistorically settled. In 1991 a mid to late neolithic fortified settlement was excavated on the Kapf/Chapf hill. This settlement was surrounded by a huge moat, and...
, Olsberg
Olsberg
Olsberg can refer to:*Olsberg, Germany, a town in Sauerland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany*Olsberg, Switzerland, a municipality in Rheinfelden district in Aargau, Switzerland*Olsberg, Basel-Country, a former municipality in Basel-Country, Switzerland...
, Wallbach
Wallbach
Wallbach can refer to:*Wallbach , a village in the state of Baden-Württemberg, part of Bad Säckingen*Wallbach, Thuringia, a municipality in the state of Thuringia*Wallbach, Switzerland, a municipality in the canton of Aargau...
, Wegenstetten
Wegenstetten
Wegenstetten is a municipality in the district of Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-Geography:Wegenstetten has an area, , of . Of this area, or 57.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 33.5% is forested...
, Zeiningen
Zeiningen
Zeiningen is a municipality in the district of Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-Geography:Zeiningen has an area, , of . Of this area, or 43.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 44.2% is forested...
and Zuzgen
Zuzgen
Zuzgen is a municipality in the Rheinfelden district of canton Aargau in Switzerland. It is located in the West of the Fricktal region, around three kilometers Southwest of the border with Germany and has a border with Canton Basel-Landschaft....
. The villagers of the Landschaft Möhlinbach were the trigger for the Rappenkkrieg.
Population
The Möhlintal shows a religious anomaly: Mohlin has the highest Swiss-wide population of Christ Catholics (around 1,000) and Hellikon has the highest proportion of Christ Catholics (around 20%). Christ Catholic churches and/or chapels are found in Hellikon, Möhlin and Zuzgen.Transport
The Möhlintal can be travelled in half an hour using the PostAuto Nordschweiz line 89 (Möhlin - Wegenstetten). In Wegenstetten the bus line 101 (GelterkindenGelterkinden
Gelterkinden is a municipality in the district of Sissach in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.-Geography:Gelterkinden has an area, , of . Of this area, or 34.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 47.4% is forested...
–Hemmiken
Hemmiken
Hemmiken is a municipality in the district of Sissach in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.-Geography:Hemmiken has an area, , of . Of this area, or 70.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 25.4% is forested...
–Wegenstetten) terminates, connecting the Möhlintal with the neighbouring Canton Basel Land. An infrequent bus route also connects Wegenstetten with the Fischingertal (via Fricktal-Schupfart Aerodrome). Möhlin railway station stands on the Basel-Zürich line. The station is served by the S1 route of the Regio S-Bahn Basel that runs from Mulhouse
Mulhouse
Mulhouse |mill]] hamlet) is a city and commune in eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders. With a population of 110,514 and 278,206 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2006, it is the largest city in the Haut-Rhin département, and the second largest in the Alsace region after...
in France, through Basel and terminates in either Frick
Frick
-People:* Alexander Frick , head of government of Liechtenstein* Arnold Frick , Liechtenstein judoka* Aurelia Frick , Liechtenstein government minister* Bruno Frick , Swiss politician...
or Laufenburg
Laufenburg
- Places :* Laufenburg, Germany* Laufenburg, Switzerland* Laufenburg District, a district of the canton of Aargau, Switzerland...
. The A3 motorway crosses the Möhlintal on a viaduct at Zeiningen. The nearest interchanges are located at Rheinfelden
Rheinfelden
Rheinfelden is a municipality in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland, seat of the district of Rheinfelden. It is located 15 kilometres east of Basel. The name means the fields of the Rhine, as the town is located on the Hochrhein. It is home to Feldschlösschen, the most popular beer in...
(around 3 km West of Möhlin) or Eiken
Eiken
is a heavily fanservice-themed manga and anime series created by Seiji Matsuyama. The story depicts the life of schoolboy Densuke Mifune after he is forced into the mysterious Eiken Club, which is populated only by females, several of whom have enormous breasts....
(around 7 km Northeast from Wegenstetten).
Along the high plateau between Möhlintal and Fischingertal runs part of the Fricktaler Höhenweg, a regional walking route.