Eschenz is a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
in
Frauenfeld District
Frauenfeld District is one of the five districts of the canton of Thurgau, Switzerland. It has a population of (as of ). Its capital, and the capital of Thurgau, is the city of Frauenfeld.
The district shares borders with Zurich (canton), canton ...
in the
canton of
Thurgau
Thurgau (; french: Thurgovie; it, Turgovia), anglicized as Thurgovia, more formally the Canton of Thurgau, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of five districts and its capital is Frauenfeld.
Thurgau is part ...
in
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
.
History
The prehistoric shore village on ''Werd Island'' and in the ''Seeäckern'' area (northeast of Eschenz) are rich archeological sites that have contributed substantially to our understanding of the history of settlements in the narrow area around
Lake Constance
Lake Constance (german: Bodensee, ) refers to three Body of water, bodies of water on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps: Upper Lake Constance (''Obersee''), Lower Lake Constance (''Untersee''), and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, ca ...
. The two sites remained settled throughout the prehistoric epoch and into the early historical era. In 1858, the settlement site was discovered on the main island. The excavation in 1882-83 by Schenk was followed by a second expedition in 1931-36 by Karl Keller Tarnuzzer. There was a smaller excavation in 1962 around the St. Otmars Chapel.
The first settlement of the island was made shortly after BC 4000th (Early
Pfyn culture
The Pfyn Culture is one of several archaeological cultures of the Neolithic period in Switzerland. It dates from c. 3900 BC to c. 3500 BC.
Discovery
The oldest traces of a settlement are about west of Pfyn in the former peat bog of ''Breitenloo ...
) and was part of a migration into
subalpine
Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...
wetlands during the beginning of the late
Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
era. A second settlement phase (late Pfyn culture) began after long break during the middle of the 4th millennium. This was followed by a third phase of settlement (
Horgen culture
The Horgen culture is one of several archaeological cultures belonging to the Neolithic period of Switzerland. The Horgen culture may derive from the Pfyn culture and early Horgen pottery is similar to the earlier Cortaillod culture pottery of ...
, 2nd half of 4th millennium). After this phase, an increase in the lake level put the entire island under water during the first half of the 3rd millennium. The next settlement wasn't until the mid-Late
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
(11th century BC). The lake waters rose again, interrupting the island settlements until the final phase of the Late Bronze Age (9th century BC). During this time, parts of a number of horse
bridle
A bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. As defined in the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', the "bridle" includes both the that holds a bit that goes in the mouth of a horse, and the reins that are attached to the bit.
Headgear w ...
s were discovered, indicating that the island may have been a transportation hub due to its convenient location.
[
]
A gold cup dating from the early bronze age, 2400–1600 BC, was found in Eschenz in 1916.
The Roman era
In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC ...
Vicus
In Ancient Rome, the Latin term (plural ) designated a village within a rural area () or the neighbourhood of a larger settlement. During the Republican era, the four of the city of Rome were subdivided into . In the 1st century BC, Augustus r ...
of ''Tasgetium'' which developed south of the Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
Bridge, probably in the 2nd and 3rd Centuries, had its nucleus in Untereschenz. The settlement grew into the ''Kastell auf Burg'' in Stein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein (abbreviated as Stein a. R.) is a historic town and a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland.
The town's medieval centre retains the ancient street plan. The site of the city wall, and the city gates are preserve ...
, which, together with fortifications in Pfyn
Pfyn is a municipality in Frauenfeld District in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland.
Pfyn gives its name to the ancient Pfyn culture, one of several Neolithic cultures in Switzerland which centered on intensive pig farming and trading, datin ...
and Arbon
Arbon is a historic town and a municipality and district capital of the district of Arbon in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland.
Arbon is located on the southern shore of Lake Constance, on a railway line between Konstanz/Romanshorn and Rorsch ...
provided the Roman border defenses around Lake Constance.
The modern village of Eschenz is first mentioned in 799 as ''castrum Exsientiae''. In 875/76 it was mentioned as ''Aschinza''.[ In 958 Eschenz came to the monastery of ]Einsiedeln
Einsiedeln () is a municipality and district in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland known for its monastery, the Benedictine Einsiedeln Abbey, established in the 10th century.
History Early history
There was no permanent settlement in the area p ...
. From 1623 until 1798 the governor of the monastery of Einsiedeln held the low court at Castle Freudenfels in Eschenz.[
The ]parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...
of Eschenz was incorporated in 1362 under Einsiedeln. During the Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
(1525–1529) the municipality converted to the new faith. In the course of the 1560s Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation (), also called the Catholic Reformation () or the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to the Protestant Reformation. It began with the Council of Trent (1545–1563) a ...
entered the village and converted the villagers back to the Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
faith. A Protestant minority population remained and they became part of the parish of Burg. The cemetery was used equally by both faiths until 1690.
In 1851 the village of Hüttwilen
Hüttwilen is a municipality in Frauenfeld District in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland.
History
Archeological sites and scattered, individual items indicate that there was a mesolithic settlement in the ''Seebachtal'' near Hüttwilen. In 19 ...
separated from Eschenz to form an independent municipality. was located beyond the lake crest Munizipalgem. from Munizipalgem. E. separated. In 1835, a paper mill opened in Eschenz. Around the end of the 19th century, animal husbandry and agriculture replaced viticulture
Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...
and fishing as the major industries. With the exception of Unipektin AG, which operates in the food industry, there is no industry in Eschenz.[
]
Geography
Eschenz has an area, , of . Of this area, or 52.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 36.5% is forested. Of the rest of the land, or 10.2% is settled (buildings or roads) and or 0.8% is unproductive land.[Swiss Federal Statistical Office-Land Use Statistics]
2009 data accessed 25 March 2010
Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 5.0% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 0.5% and transportation infrastructure made up 0.4%. while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 3.7%. Out of the forested land, 34.1% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.4% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 49.4% is used for growing crops, while 3.1% is used for orchards or vine crops.[
The municipality is located in Frauenfeld District, near the outflow of the Untersee portion of ]Lake Constance
Lake Constance (german: Bodensee, ) refers to three Body of water, bodies of water on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps: Upper Lake Constance (''Obersee''), Lower Lake Constance (''Untersee''), and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, ca ...
into the Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
river. Today it has grown toward Stein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein (abbreviated as Stein a. R.) is a historic town and a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland.
The town's medieval centre retains the ancient street plan. The site of the city wall, and the city gates are preserve ...
's village section of ''Burg''. It consists of the village of Eschenz and includes Freudenfels Castle (since 1812) and ''Insel Werd'' (Werd Island).
Demographics
Eschenz has a population () of , 14.3% of the population are foreign nationals.[Swiss Federal Statistical Office - Superweb database - Gemeinde Statistics 1981-2008]
accessed 19 June 2010 Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of 6.9%. Most of the population () speaks German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
(93.7%), with Albanian
Albanian may refer to:
*Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular:
**Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans
**Albanian language
**Albanian culture
**Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
being second most common ( 2.3%) and Serbo-Croatian
Serbo-Croatian () – also called Serbo-Croat (), Serbo-Croat-Bosnian (SCB), Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian (BCS), and Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian (BCMS) – is a South Slavic language and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and ...
being third ( 1.3%).[Swiss Federal Statistical Office]
accessed 26-June-2010
, the gender distribution of the population was 49.4% male and 50.6% female. The population was made up of 680 Swiss men (41.7% of the population), and 127 (7.8%) non-Swiss men. There were 719 Swiss women (44.1%), and 106 (6.5%) non-Swiss women. In there were 18 live births to Swiss citizens and 1 birth to non-Swiss citizens, and in same time span there were 14 deaths of Swiss citizens and 1 non-Swiss citizen death. Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens increased by 4 while the foreign population remained the same. There were 4 Swiss men who emigrated from Switzerland to another country, 2 Swiss women who emigrated from Switzerland to another country, 12 non-Swiss men who emigrated from Switzerland to another country and 11 non-Swiss women who emigrated from Switzerland to another country. The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources) was a decrease of 2 and the non-Swiss population change was an increase of 15 people. This represents a population growth rate
Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a population or dispersed group. Actual global human population growth amounts to around 83 million annually, or 1.1% per year. The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to ...
of 0.8%.[
The age distribution, , in Eschenz is; 154 children or 9.3% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 210 teenagers or 12.7% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 195 people or 11.8% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 198 people or 12.0% are between 30 and 39, 291 people or 17.6% are between 40 and 49, and 235 people or 14.2% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 191 people or 11.5% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 118 people or 7.1% are between 70 and 79, there are 58 people or 3.5% who are between 80 and 89, and there are 5 people or 0.3% who are 90 and older.
, there were 592 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.5 persons per household.][ there were 309 single family homes (or 82.4% of the total) out of a total of 375 inhabited buildings. There were 41 two family buildings (10.9%), 12 three family buildings (3.2%) and 13 multi-family buildings (or 3.5%). There were 318 (or 21.0%) persons who were part of a couple without children, and 874 (or 57.8%) who were part of a couple with children. There were 79 (or 5.2%) people who lived in single parent home, while there are 18 persons who were adult children living with one or both parents, 6 persons who lived in a household made up of relatives, 19 who lived in a household made up of unrelated persons, and 24 who are either institutionalized or live in another type of collective housing. The vacancy rate for the municipality, , was 2.78%. , the construction rate of new housing units was 5.6 new units per 1000 residents.][
there were 673 apartments in the municipality. The most common apartment size was the 5 room apartment of which there were 167. There were 10 single room apartments and 125 apartments with six or more rooms.][Statistical Office of Thurgau]
, MS Excel document - ''Wohnungen nach Anzahl Zimmer und Gemeinden, Jahr 2000'' accessed 24 June 2010 the average price to rent an average apartment in Eschenz was 1047.14 Swiss franc
The Swiss franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It is also legal tender in the Italian exclave of Campione d'Italia which is surrounded by Swiss territory. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) issues banknotes and the f ...
s (CHF) per month (US$840, £470, €670 approx. exchange rate from 2003). The average rate for a one-room apartment was 475.00 CHF (US$380, £210, €300), a two-room apartment was about 731.52 CHF (US$590, £330, €470), a three-room apartment was about 893.39 CHF (US$710, £400, €570) and a six or more room apartment cost an average of 1607.88 CHF (US$1290, £720, €1030). The average apartment price in Eschenz was 93.8% of the national average of 1116 CHF.
In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SVP which received 41.34% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the FDP (19.33%), the CVP (17.56%) and the Green Party
A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence.
Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...
(8.33%). In the federal election, a total of 571 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
In political science, voter turnout is the participation rate (often defined as those who cast a ballot) of a given election. This can be the percentage of registered voters, eligible voters, or all voting-age people. According to Stanford Unive ...
was 50.1%.
The historical population is given in the following table:
: after the separation of Hüttwilen
Heritage sites of national significance
''Werd Island'' (a prehistoric lake shore settlement as well as the site of a Roman Vicus
In Ancient Rome, the Latin term (plural ) designated a village within a rural area () or the neighbourhood of a larger settlement. During the Republican era, the four of the city of Rome were subdivided into . In the 1st century BC, Augustus r ...
and bridge), Freudenfels Castle and the pilgrimage chapel of St. Otmar on Werd Island are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance. The ''Eschenzer Becken'' (The Eschenz basin which includes Eschenz and Mammern
Mammern is a municipality in Frauenfeld District in the canton of Thurgau, Switzerland, on Lake Constance.
History
Finds from the Neolithic Age, Bronze Age (including stilt houses and stone hatchets) and the Early Middle Ages show that there was ...
) is designated as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
The Federal Inventory of Heritage Sites (ISOS) 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
The types are based on t ...
.
Economy
, Eschenz had an unemployment rate of 1.73%. , there were 95 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 35 businesses involved in this sector. 159 people are employed in the secondary sector
In macroeconomics, the secondary sector of the economy is an economic sector in the three-sector theory that describes the role of manufacturing. It encompasses industries that produce a finished, usable product or are involved in constructi ...
and there are 21 businesses in this sector. 230 people are employed in the tertiary sector
The tertiary sector of the economy, generally known as the service sector, is the third of the three economic sectors in the three-sector model (also known as the economic cycle). The others are the primary sector (raw materials) and the second ...
, with 46 businesses in this sector.[
there were 1,048 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 485 or about 46.3% of the residents worked outside Eschenz while 188 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 751 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 13.3% used public transportation to get to work, and 43.5% used a private car.][
]
Transport
Eschenz sits on the Lake Line
The Lake Line
at www.sbb.ch. Accessed on 13 Jan 201 ...
between Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen (; gsw, Schafuuse; french: Schaffhouse; it, Sciaffusa; rm, Schaffusa; en, Shaffhouse) is a list of towns in Switzerland, town with historic roots, a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in northern Switzerland, and the ...
and Rorschach Rorschach may refer to:
* Hermann Rorschach, a Swiss psychiatrist
** Rorschach test, his psychological evaluation method involving inkblots
* Rorschach (character), a character from the comics ''Watchmen''
* Rorschach (comic book), a 2020 comic
* ...
and is served by the St. Gallen S-Bahn at Eschenz railway station.
Religion
From the , 557 or 36.8% were Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
, while 663 or 43.8% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church
The Protestant Church in Switzerland (PCS), (EKS); french: Église évangélique réformée de Suisse (EERS); it, Chiesa evangelica riformata in Svizzera (CERiS); rm, Baselgia evangelica refurmada da la Svizra (BRRS) formerly named Federation o ...
. Of the rest of the population, there are 23 individuals (or about 1.52% of the population) who belong to the Orthodox Church, and there are 26 individuals (or about 1.72% of the population) who belong to another Christian church. There were 92 (or about 6.08% of the population) who are Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
ic. There are 3 individuals (or about 0.20% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), 108 (or about 7.14% of the population) belong to no church, are agnostic
Agnosticism is the view or belief that the existence of God, of the divine or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable. (page 56 in 1967 edition) Another definition provided is the view that "human reason is incapable of providing sufficient ...
or atheist
Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...
, and 41 individuals (or about 2.71% of the population) did not answer the question.
Education
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Eschenz about 74% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a ''Fachhochschule
A ''Fachhochschule'' (; plural ''Fachhochschulen''), abbreviated FH, is a university of applied sciences (UAS), in other words a German tertiary education institution that provides professional education in many applied sciences and applied arts ...
'').[
Eschenz is home to the Eschenz primary school district. It is also home to the Eschenz secondary school district.
In the primary school district there are 126 students who are in kindergarten or the primary level. There are 31 children in the ]kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...
, and the average class size is 15.5 kindergartners. Of the children in kindergarten, 14 or 45.2% are female, 2 or 6.5% are not Swiss citizens and 3 or 9.7% do not speak German natively. The lower and upper primary levels begin at about age 5-6 and lasts for 6 years. There are 48 children in who are at the lower primary level and 47 children in the upper primary level. The average class size in the primary school is 19 students. At the lower primary level, there are 17 children or 35.4% of the total population who are female, 6 or 12.5% are not Swiss citizens and 5 or 10.4% do not speak German natively. In the upper primary level, there are 22 or 46.8% who are female, 6 or 12.8% are not Swiss citizens and 5 or 10.6% do not speak German natively.
In the secondary school district there are 122 students at the secondary level. At the secondary level, students are divided according to performance. The secondary level begins at about age 12 and usually lasts 3 years. There are 67 teenagers who are in the advanced school, of which 36 or 53.7% are female, 6 or 9.0% are not Swiss citizens and 4 or 6.0% do not speak German natively. There are 55 teenagers who are in the standard school, of which 26 or 47.3% are female, 14 or 25.5% are not Swiss citizens and 13 or 23.6% do not speak German natively. The average class size for all classes at the secondary level is 17.43 students.Canton Thurgau Schools
accessed 23 June 2010
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Municipalities of Thurgau
Cultural property of national significance in Thurgau