Willisau
Encyclopedia
Willisau is a municipality
in the district of Willisau
in the Lucerne canton of Switzerland
. It was formed on 1 January 2006 from the municipalities of Willisau Land (W. Country) and Willisau Stadt (W. Town).
in the Willisau area. The patronage rights of the Willisau church and the use of a bailiwick within the grand parish of Willisau provided for a substantial income. As privileged vassal
s and tax-collectors for the House of Habsburg the Hasenburgs' sphere of influence expanded, although they never were granted the title of count
.
From spring 1302 to summer 1303, Markward, Heimo and Walter von Hasenburg created the town of Willisau. The existing village was cleared, and the new town counted 150 inhabitants. Possessing a town was a status symbol for the Hasenburgs. The administrative seat of the Hasenburgs was an elevated medieval castle at the base of the mountain, which was later destroyed in the time of the Battle of Sempach
. Newer archaeological findings indicate that Willisau already exhibited urban characteristics before its formal foundation.
. The town was surrounded by arable land and its inhabitants included many craftsmen. Willisau became a crafts centre and commercial city during the 16th century, although a devastating fire in 1704 decimated its prosperity. It took pride in its location on the most direct route from Lucerne
to Berne
and western Switzerland.
Willisau had received market rights
already in 1330. In the first four decades after the founding of town, the Habsburgs kept a firm rule. Among the descendants (1367–1407), living outward, the urban district had substantial liberties, which led to the emergence of an administrative upper class. The new national rule in Lucerne allowed for citzens of a town to return certain privileges and administrative authority, even if the competencies were noticed by the bailiff. Thus Willisau became appended to a smaller feudal dominion and under the rule of Lucerne it developed to an administrative centre of a relatively large territorial district.
During the 17th and 18th centuries poverty was a common plight. Taxation edicts were intended to allow the community to support these poor. Willisau taxes did howevernot serve this purpose because the citizens of the city could supply their needs with yields from a hospital and a nursing home, and were unwilling to aid those outside the city. Thus a special tax edict was developed in 1763 in addition to internal taxes in order to help support people outside the city. Subsequently there was discord because the privileged townspeople felt they owned the common land and restricted the usage of wood from surrounding forests.
In 1798, the municipalities' assessment areas were changed and in 1803 these two municipalities became autonomous. The city borders were redrawn in 1807 and 1876. For the inhabitants of outlying areas, the city remained a meeting center.
On 25 January 2004, the population of both municipalities voted for a reunification. So, on 1 January 2006 the formerly separate municipalities of Willisau Stadt and Willisau Land merged into the municipality of Willisau.
columns dating to 1805–10, and was designed by Josef Purtschert. It is the most important building within the old part of town. On the occasion of the church's renovation in 1929, a solid bell carrier was put onto the church roof, which experts today consider an architectural achievement in reinforced concrete
construction. Apart from refurbishments and modernizations, the interior of the church was restored to its original state in 1996.
, the age distribution in Willisau was as follows: 1,625 people or 22.6% of the population were 0–19 years old, 1,984 people or 27.5% were 20–39 years old, and 2,433 people or 33.8% were 40–64 years old. The senior population distribution was 831 people, or 11.5%, were 65–79 years old, 277, or 3.8%, were 80–89 years old and 56 people or 0.8% of the population were 90+ years old.
In Willisau, about 65.9% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
there were 2,619 households of which 758 households (or about 28.9%) contained only a single individual. 333 or about 12.7% were large households, with at least five members. there were 1,231 inhabited buildings in the municipality of which 800 were built only as housing, and 431 were mixed use
buildings. There were 518 single family homes, 96 double family homes, and 186 multi-family homes in the municipality. Most homes were either two (410) or three (239) story structures. There were only 43 single story buildings and 108 four or more story buildings.
(CVP) which received 38.7% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the FDP
(25.2%), the SVP
(20.8%) and the SPS
(7.3%).
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 Willisau
Willisau (district)
Willisau District is one of the five districts , of the German-speaking Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland. Its capital is the town of Willisau. It has a population of .Willisau District consists of the following municipalities:-References:...
in the Lucerne canton of 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 was formed on 1 January 2006 from the municipalities of Willisau Land (W. Country) and Willisau Stadt (W. Town).
Foundation
During the 12th century AD the von Hasenburg family acquired AsuelAsuel
Asuel is a village and a former municipality in the district of Porrentruy in the canton of Jura in Switzerland.Since January 1, 2009 it's a part of the new municipality La Baroche....
in the Willisau area. The patronage rights of the Willisau church and the use of a bailiwick within the grand parish of Willisau provided for a substantial income. As privileged vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
s and tax-collectors for the House of Habsburg the Hasenburgs' sphere of influence expanded, although they never were granted the title of count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
.
From spring 1302 to summer 1303, Markward, Heimo and Walter von Hasenburg created the town of Willisau. The existing village was cleared, and the new town counted 150 inhabitants. Possessing a town was a status symbol for the Hasenburgs. The administrative seat of the Hasenburgs was an elevated medieval castle at the base of the mountain, which was later destroyed in the time of the Battle of Sempach
Battle of Sempach
An armistice was agreed upon on 12 October, followed by a peace agreement valid for one year, beginning on 14 January 1387.The battle was a severe blow to Austrian interests in the region, and allowed for the further growth of the Old Swiss Confederacy....
. Newer archaeological findings indicate that Willisau already exhibited urban characteristics before its formal foundation.
Survival
The town of Willisau developed at the end of the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. The town was surrounded by arable land and its inhabitants included many craftsmen. Willisau became a crafts centre and commercial city during the 16th century, although a devastating fire in 1704 decimated its prosperity. It took pride in its location on the most direct route from Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
to Berne
Berne
The city of Bern or Berne is the Bundesstadt of Switzerland, and, with a population of , the fourth most populous city in Switzerland. The Bern agglomeration, which includes 43 municipalities, has a population of 349,000. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000...
and western Switzerland.
Willisau had received market rights
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
already in 1330. In the first four decades after the founding of town, the Habsburgs kept a firm rule. Among the descendants (1367–1407), living outward, the urban district had substantial liberties, which led to the emergence of an administrative upper class. The new national rule in Lucerne allowed for citzens of a town to return certain privileges and administrative authority, even if the competencies were noticed by the bailiff. Thus Willisau became appended to a smaller feudal dominion and under the rule of Lucerne it developed to an administrative centre of a relatively large territorial district.
Reunification
On maps older than 1 January 2006, Willisau appears as two separate political municipalities: Willisau Stadt (the city, 337 hectares) and Willisau Land (countryside, 3771 hectares).During the 17th and 18th centuries poverty was a common plight. Taxation edicts were intended to allow the community to support these poor. Willisau taxes did howevernot serve this purpose because the citizens of the city could supply their needs with yields from a hospital and a nursing home, and were unwilling to aid those outside the city. Thus a special tax edict was developed in 1763 in addition to internal taxes in order to help support people outside the city. Subsequently there was discord because the privileged townspeople felt they owned the common land and restricted the usage of wood from surrounding forests.
In 1798, the municipalities' assessment areas were changed and in 1803 these two municipalities became autonomous. The city borders were redrawn in 1807 and 1876. For the inhabitants of outlying areas, the city remained a meeting center.
On 25 January 2004, the population of both municipalities voted for a reunification. So, on 1 January 2006 the formerly separate municipalities of Willisau Stadt and Willisau Land merged into the municipality of Willisau.
Parish church
The Willisau parish possessed a church prior to the town's founding. The late Roman church tower dates from the 13th century. Today's church has extensive classicistClassicism
Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for classical antiquity, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. The art of classicism typically seeks to be formal and restrained: of the Discobolus Sir Kenneth Clark observed, "if we object to his restraint...
columns dating to 1805–10, and was designed by Josef Purtschert. It is the most important building within the old part of town. On the occasion of the church's renovation in 1929, a solid bell carrier was put onto the church roof, which experts today consider an architectural achievement in reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
construction. Apart from refurbishments and modernizations, the interior of the church was restored to its original state in 1996.
Holy Blood Church
Originally a wooden chapel, the Holy Blood Church before the upper town's gate was turned into a stone building in 1497. In 1675 it was redesigned in a Renaissance style. The name is reminiscent of a legend of three sinful card players and the devil which dates back to a crimeon 7 July 1392.Geography
As of 2006, Willisau has an area of 41.2 km² (15.9 sq mi). Of this area, 64.2% is used for agricultural purposes while 27.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 7.3% is populated (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.8%) is made up of non-productive rivers, glaciers or mountains. , 27.73% of the total municipality area was forested. Of the agricultural land, 61.32% is used for farming or pastures, while 2.97% is used for orchards or vine crops. Of the populated areas, 3.46% is covered with buildings, 0.95% is industrial, 0.15% is classed as special developments, 0.29% is parks or green areas and 2.39% is transportation infrastructure. Of the unproductive areas, 0.1% is still water (ponds or lakes), 0.46% is flowing water (rivers) and 0.19% is other unproductive land.Demographics
As of Willisau had a population of . , 586 or about 8.1% of them were not Swiss citizens. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 1.3%. Most of the population speaks German (94.5%), with Albanian being the second-most common (2.3%) and Serbo-Croatian being third-most common ( 0.7%) languages., the age distribution in Willisau was as follows: 1,625 people or 22.6% of the population were 0–19 years old, 1,984 people or 27.5% were 20–39 years old, and 2,433 people or 33.8% were 40–64 years old. The senior population distribution was 831 people, or 11.5%, were 65–79 years old, 277, or 3.8%, were 80–89 years old and 56 people or 0.8% of the population were 90+ years old.
In Willisau, about 65.9% 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...
).
there were 2,619 households of which 758 households (or about 28.9%) contained only a single individual. 333 or about 12.7% were large households, with at least five members. there were 1,231 inhabited buildings in the municipality of which 800 were built only as housing, and 431 were mixed use
Mixed-use development
Mixed-use development is the use of a building, set of buildings, or neighborhood for more than one purpose. Since the 1920s, zoning in some countries has required uses to be separated. However, when jobs, housing, and commercial activities are located close together, a community's transportation...
buildings. There were 518 single family homes, 96 double family homes, and 186 multi-family homes in the municipality. Most homes were either two (410) or three (239) story structures. There were only 43 single story buildings and 108 four or more story buildings.
Religion
the religious membership of Willisau was this: 5,749 (81.%) were Roman Catholic, and 631 (8.9%) were Protestant, with an additional 91 (1.28%) that were of any other Christian faith. There were 2 individuals (0.03% of the population) who were Jewish. 198 individuals (2.79% of the population) were Muslim. Of the rest, there were 35 (0.49%) individuals who belonged to another religion (not listed), 126 (1.77%) who did not belong to any organized religion, and 269 (3.79%) who did not answer the question.Politics
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the Christian Democratic People's Party of SwitzerlandChristian 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...
(CVP) which received 38.7% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were 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....
(25.2%), 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...
(20.8%) and the SPS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(7.3%).