Herisau
Encyclopedia
Herisau is a municipality
of the canton
of Appenzell Ausserrhoden
in Switzerland
. It is the seat of the canton's government and parliament; the judicial authorities are situated in Trogen
.
The central hamlet and the houses around the central square, the Protestant church of 1580, the houses Wetter and zur Rose (both 1737), the hamlet Schwänberg and the government building with the state archive are listed as heritage sites of national significance
.
. In 1248 and 1249 the town was destroyed again, this time by the monastery to establish loyalty. In 1401 Herisau joined an alliance with other places in Appenzell as part of the Appenzell Wars
.
Between 1517 and 1518 Herisau managed to buy itself free from the monastery. The town hall was built in 1601. In 1606 the town was largely destroyed by a fire. In 1648 Schwellbrunn
separates and becomes an independent village. Between 1798 and 1803 Herisau was the capital of the canton Säntis.
The municipality is located in the former District of Hinterland. It is located at the crossing point of two major routes through the region, the St. Gallen
-Toggenburg
road and the Gossau
-Appenzell
road. In addition to being the capital of the half canton, about one-third of the population of the entire half canton lives in Herisau. It consists of the village of Herisau and scattered hamlets
as well as bedroom communities
and industrial sections. Before 1648 it controlled about twice the land area as is currently part of the municipality. Until 1648 Schwellbrunn was part of the municipality and until 1720, Waldstatt
was part of Herisau.
, the gender distribution of the population was 49.6% male and 50.4% female. The age distribution, , in Herisau is; 1,194 people or 7.5% of the population are between 0–6 years old. 1,775 people or 11.2% are 6-15, and 835 people or 5.3% are 16-19. Of the adult population, 945 people or 6.0% of the population are between 20–24 years old. 4,760 people or 30.0% are 25-44, and 3,831 people or 24.1% are 45-64. The senior population distribution is 1,702 people or 10.7% of the population are between 65–79 years old, and 840 people or 5.3% are over 80.
In the 2007 federal election
the FDP
received 76.7% of the vote.
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Herisau about 66.2% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
. The wettest month is July during which time Herisau receives an average of 167 mm (6.6 in) of precipitation. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 13.9 days. The month with the most days of precipitation is May, with an average of 15.3, but with only 142 mm (5.6 in) of precipitation. The driest month of the year is February with an average of 82 mm (3.2 in) of precipitation over 13.9 days.
Herisau has an unemployment rate of 2.01%. , there were 340 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 115 businesses involved in this sector. 2,959 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 189 businesses in this sector. 4,505 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 651 businesses in this sector.
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...
of 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
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 is the seat of the canton's government and parliament; the judicial authorities are situated in Trogen
Trogen
Trogen is a municipality in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland. The town is the seat of the canton's judicial authorities.-History:...
.
The central hamlet and the houses around the central square, the Protestant church of 1580, the houses Wetter and zur Rose (both 1737), the hamlet Schwänberg and the government building with the state archive 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
Herisau was first mentioned in 837 as Herinisauva, and its church is mentioned in 907. In 1084 Herisau was destroyed as part of battles around the monastery in St. GallenAbbey of St. Gall
The Abbey of Saint Gall is a religious complex in the city of St. Gallen in present-day Switzerland. The Carolingian-era Abbey has existed since 719 and became an independent principality during the 13th century, and was for many centuries one of the chief Benedictine abbeys in Europe. It was...
. In 1248 and 1249 the town was destroyed again, this time by the monastery to establish loyalty. In 1401 Herisau joined an alliance with other places in Appenzell as part 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...
.
Between 1517 and 1518 Herisau managed to buy itself free from the monastery. The town hall was built in 1601. In 1606 the town was largely destroyed by a fire. In 1648 Schwellbrunn
Schwellbrunn
Schwellbrunn is a municipality in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland.-Geography:Schwellbrunn has an area, , of . Of this area, 61.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 33.3% is forested...
separates and becomes an independent village. Between 1798 and 1803 Herisau was the capital of the canton Säntis.
Geography
Herisau has an area, , of 25.2 km² (9.7 sq mi). Of this area, 56.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 27.1% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 15.5% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.6%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).The municipality is located in the former District of Hinterland. It is located at the crossing point of two major routes through the region, the St. Gallen
St. Gallen
St. Gallen is the capital of the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. It evolved from the hermitage of Saint Gall, founded in the 7th century. Today, it is a large urban agglomeration and represents the center of eastern Switzerland. The town mainly relies on the service sector for its economic...
-Toggenburg
Toggenburg
Toggenburg is the name given to the upper valley of the Thur River, in the Swiss Canton of St. Gallen. Currently, it is one of the eight constituencies into which the canton is divided....
road and the Gossau
Gossau
Gossau can mean either of two municipalities of Switzerland:* Gossau, St. Gallen, a city of 17,000 inhabitants* Gossau, Zürich, a town of 9,000 inhabitants...
-Appenzell
Appenzell
Appenzell is a region and historical canton in the northeast of Switzerland, entirely surrounded by the Canton of St. Gallen....
road. In addition to being the capital of the half canton, about one-third of the population of the entire half canton lives in Herisau. It consists of the village of Herisau and scattered 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...
as well as bedroom communities
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
and industrial sections. Before 1648 it controlled about twice the land area as is currently part of the municipality. Until 1648 Schwellbrunn was part of the municipality and until 1720, Waldstatt
Waldstatt
Waldstatt is a municipality in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland.-History:Waldstatt is first mentioned in 1374 as Ober Walstatt. In 1415 it was mentioned as Wallstatt.-Geography:...
was part of Herisau.
Demographics
Herisau has a population of 15,527, of which about 17.9% are foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -5.2%. Most of the population speaks German (87.0%), with Serbo-Croatian being second most common ( 3.8%) and Italian being third ( 3.4%)., the gender distribution of the population was 49.6% male and 50.4% female. The age distribution, , in Herisau is; 1,194 people or 7.5% of the population are between 0–6 years old. 1,775 people or 11.2% are 6-15, and 835 people or 5.3% are 16-19. Of the adult population, 945 people or 6.0% of the population are between 20–24 years old. 4,760 people or 30.0% are 25-44, and 3,831 people or 24.1% are 45-64. The senior population distribution is 1,702 people or 10.7% of the population are between 65–79 years old, and 840 people or 5.3% 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 76.7% of the vote.
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Herisau about 66.2% 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...
).
Historical population
The historical population is given in the following table:| year | population | Swiss Citizens | % German Speaking | % Protestant Protestantism Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the... |
% Roman Catholic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1667 | 3,021 | ||||
| 1734 | 4,816 | ||||
| 1780 | 5,933 | ||||
| 1813 | 6,863 | ||||
| 1830 | 7,014 | ||||
| 1850 | 8,387 | 8,189 | 97.1% | 2.9% | |
| 1870 | 9,705 | 9,481 | 92.9% | 6.2% | |
| 1888 | 12,937 | 12,082 | 98.9% | 87.7% | 12.0% |
| 1900 | 13,497 | 12,426 | 98.1% | 84.9% | 14.7% |
| 1910 | 15,336 | 13,550 | 95.0% | 81.4% | 18.0% |
| 1930 | 13,599 | 12,784 | 98.4% | 82.8% | 16.6% |
| 1950 | 13,407 | 12,819 | 97.6% | 80.6% | 18.6% |
| 1970 | 14,597 | 12,128 | 86.0% | 66.3% | 31.3% |
| 1990 | 15,624 | 12,731 | 84.6% | 55.3% | 34.1% |
| 2000 | 15,882 | 12,535 | 87.0% | 48.3% | 32.1% |
Weather
Herisau has an average of 154 days of rain per year and on average receives 1413 mm (55.6 in) of precipitationPrecipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
. The wettest month is July during which time Herisau receives an average of 167 mm (6.6 in) of precipitation. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 13.9 days. The month with the most days of precipitation is May, with an average of 15.3, but with only 142 mm (5.6 in) of precipitation. The driest month of the year is February with an average of 82 mm (3.2 in) of precipitation over 13.9 days.
Economy
Herisau is located in the centre of eastern Switzerland. As early as 1537 it established itself as an important centre of trade and commerce.Herisau has an unemployment rate of 2.01%. , there were 340 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 115 businesses involved in this sector. 2,959 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 189 businesses in this sector. 4,505 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 651 businesses in this sector.
Notable residents
- Robert WalserRobert Walser (writer)Robert Walser , was a German-speaking Swiss writer.-1878–1897:...
(1878–1956), writer - Johannes BaumannJohannes BaumannJohannes Baumann was a Swiss politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council .He was elected to the Federal Council of Switzerland on March 22, 1934 and handed over office on December 31, 1940...
, was a member of the Swiss Federal Council (1934–1940) - Hans-Rudolf MerzHans-Rudolf MerzHans-Rudolf Merz is a Swiss politician of FDP.The Liberals and member of the Swiss Federal Council . He is the head of the Federal Department of Finance and President of the Swiss Confederation for 2009...
, member of the Swiss Federal Council (2003-2010) - Paul GigerPaul GigerPaul Giger , is a Swiss violinist and composer. He plays contemporary classical music, jazz, and free improvised music, and specializes in extended techniques....
(born 1952), violinist and composer - Daniel Stricker (born 1975), Swiss National Hockey League Referee
- Jonas HillerJonas HillerJonas Hiller is a Swiss professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, National Hockey League goaltend - Hermann RorschachHermann RorschachHermann Rorschach was a Swiss Freudian psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, best known for developing a projective test known as the Rorschach inkblot test. This test was reportedly designed to reflect unconscious parts of the personality that "project" onto the stimuli...
, psychologist
External links
- http://www.herisau.ch official website