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Rapperswil (
Swiss German Swiss German (Standard German: , gsw, Schwiizerdütsch, Schwyzerdütsch, Schwiizertüütsch, Schwizertitsch Mundart,Because of the many different dialects, and because there is no defined orthography for any of them, many different spelling ...
: or ;Andres Kristol, ''Rapperswil SG (See)'' in: ''Dictionnaire toponymique des communes suisses – Lexikon der schweizerischen Gemeindenamen – Dizionario toponomastico dei comuni svizzeri (DTS, LSG)'', Centre de dialectologie, Université de Neuchâtel, Verlag Huber, Frauenfeld/Stuttgart/Wien 2005, and Éditions Payot, Lausanne 2005, , p. 727. short: ''Rappi'') is a former municipality and since January 2007 part of the
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 ...
of
Rapperswil-Jona Rapperswil-Jona is a municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. Besides Rapperswil and Jona, which were separate municipalities until 2006, the municipality includes Bollingen, B ...
in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of
See-Gaster See-Gaster is a constituency (''Wahlkreis'') in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The Wahlkreis ( SFOS number 1726) has been established on June 10, 2001, with an area of . It was formed from the former ''See'' and ''Gaster'' districts in 2 ...
in the
canton Canton may refer to: Administrative division terminology * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and ente ...
of St. Gallen 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 ...
, located at the east side of the
Lake Zurich __NOTOC__ Lake Zurich ( Swiss German/ Alemannic: ''Zürisee''; German: ''Zürichsee''; rm, Lai da Turitg) is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the city of Zürich. Depending on the context, Lake Zurich or ''Zürichsee'' can be used t ...
.


Geography

Rapperswil is located on
Lake Zürich __NOTOC__ Lake Zurich ( Swiss German/ Alemannic: ''Zürisee''; German: ''Zürichsee''; rm, Lai da Turitg) is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the city of Zürich. Depending on the context, Lake Zurich or ''Zürichsee'' can be used ...
at the point at which the lake is cut in two by the
Seedamm The Rapperswil Seedamm is the partially artificial causeway and bridge at the most narrow area of Lake Zurich, between Hurden (SZ) and Rapperswil (SG). The Seedamm carries a road and a railway across the lake, with the railway being used by the ...
.


Sights

The town's main sights are concentrated in the
Altstadt ''Altstadt'' is the German language word for "old town", and generally refers to the historical town or city centre within the old town or city wall, in contrast to younger suburbs outside. '' Neustadt'' (new town), the logical opposite of ''Al ...
of Rapperswil and can be seen while strolling through the medieval alleys. The main sights of Rapperswil are its
rose gardens A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can ...
,
Rapperswil Castle Rapperswil Castle ( Swiss German: ''Schloss Rapperswil'') is a castle, built in the early 13th century by the House of Rapperswil, in the formerly independent city of Rapperswil. The castle is located on the eastern '' Zürichsees western '' ...
, the reconstructed wooden bridge to
Hurden Hurden is a village in the municipality of Freienbach in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. First mentioned in 1217, the name "de Hurden" was used for the peninsula and for the fish traps made of woven work, called "Hürden" or "Hurden", which ...
with its bridge chapel ''
Heilig Hüsli Heilig Hüsli (''Holy house'') is a bridge chapel in Rapperswil, Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Geography The chapel is located next to the Seedamm, near the Rapperswil railway station. It is situated on a small island on upper Lake Zü ...
'' located at
Seedamm The Rapperswil Seedamm is the partially artificial causeway and bridge at the most narrow area of Lake Zurich, between Hurden (SZ) and Rapperswil (SG). The Seedamm carries a road and a railway across the lake, with the railway being used by the ...
, the ''Kapuzinerkloster'' (Capuchin's monastery), the remains of the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
fortifications located on
Lake Zürich __NOTOC__ Lake Zurich ( Swiss German/ Alemannic: ''Zürisee''; German: ''Zürichsee''; rm, Lai da Turitg) is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the city of Zürich. Depending on the context, Lake Zurich or ''Zürichsee'' can be used ...
, ''Lindenhof'' hill, ''Herrenberg'', ''Engelplatz'', ''Hauptplatz'', ''Bühlerallee'' and ''Fischmarktplatz'' at Rapperswil harbour. Rapperswil is often referred to as the "town of roses" (''Rosenstadt'') because of its extensive displays of roses in three designated parks. No less than 15,000 plants of 600 different kinds may be viewed between June and October. There is also a rose garden in the town center, accessible to blind and disabled people. The old town (
Altstadt ''Altstadt'' is the German language word for "old town", and generally refers to the historical town or city centre within the old town or city wall, in contrast to younger suburbs outside. '' Neustadt'' (new town), the logical opposite of ''Al ...
) is dominated by the ''Schloss'' Rapperswil located at the peninsula called ''Endingen'', ''Lindenhof'' and ''Herrenberg'' on Lake Zürich perched atop this rocky hill at the bay of
Kempraten Kempraten-Lenggis is a village (''Kirchdorf'') within the municipality of Rapperswil-Jona, ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The remains of the Gallo-Roman settlement '' Centum Prata'' are on ...
. The castle dates back to the early 13th century (first mentioned in 1229). In 1350, it was destroyed by
Rudolf Brun Rudolf Brun (1290s – 17 September 1360) was the leader of the Zürich guilds' revolution of 1336, and the city's first independent mayor. Since 1234, Zürich had been governed by an aristocratic council. One third of the council's members w ...
, the mayor of
Zürich , neighboring_municipalities = Adliswil, Dübendorf, Fällanden, Kilchberg, Maur, Oberengstringen, Opfikon, Regensdorf, Rümlang, Schlieren, Stallikon, Uitikon, Urdorf, Wallisellen, Zollikon , twintowns = Kunming, San Francisco Z ...
, and was rebuilt in 1352/54 by Albrecht II, Duke of Austria. Deer inhabit lands surrounding the castle. Since 1870, the castle has been home to the Polish National Museum created by Polish émigrés, including the castle's
lessee A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the user (referred to as the ''lessee'') to pay the owner (referred to as the ''lessor'') for the use of an asset. Property, buildings and vehicles are common assets that are leased. Industria ...
and restorer, Count Wladyslaw Broel-Plater. A small Capuchin's monastery was established in 1606 at the lakeside ''Endingerhorn'' as a Catholic counterpart to the Reformation's centre in the city of
Zürich , neighboring_municipalities = Adliswil, Dübendorf, Fällanden, Kilchberg, Maur, Oberengstringen, Opfikon, Regensdorf, Rümlang, Schlieren, Stallikon, Uitikon, Urdorf, Wallisellen, Zollikon , twintowns = Kunming, San Francisco Z ...
. The monastery buildings belong to the citizens of Rapperswil (''Endingen'' itself belongs to the
Einsiedeln Abbey Einsiedeln Abbey (german: Kloster Einsiedeln) is a Benedictine Catholic monastery in the village of Einsiedeln in the canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. The abbey is dedicated to Our Lady of the Hermits, in recognition of Meinrad of Einsiedeln, a h ...
) rather than to the monks who inhabit it, and is still in use. The main churches in town include the Roman Catholic St. John's Church (built in early 13th century), the cemetery chapel ( ''Liebfrauenkapelle'') and a small Protestant church. The locational advantage of the place attracted the national Circus Knie who built its headquarters in Rapperswil in 1919. The circus is now also responsible for the Circus Museum and the Knie's Kinderzoo located in Rapperswil which is particularly aimed at children. Rapperswil also hosts the Hochschule für Technik Rapperswil HSR (University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil) and an Economics school for parts of the cantons Zürich and St. Gallen. Zürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft (commonly abbreviated to ''ZSG'') operates passenger vessels on the
Lake Zürich __NOTOC__ Lake Zurich ( Swiss German/ Alemannic: ''Zürisee''; German: ''Zürichsee''; rm, Lai da Turitg) is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the city of Zürich. Depending on the context, Lake Zurich or ''Zürichsee'' can be used ...
(''Zürichsee''), connecting the surrounding towns between Zürich-Bürkliplatz and the Rapperswil peninsula with its harbour area.


History


Early history

Settlements in the region of Rapperswil date back to at least 5000 years ago. Archaeological relicts have been found at the ''Technikum'' island settlement, and the remains of a first
wooden bridge A timber bridge or wooden bridge is a bridge that uses timber or wood as its principal structural material. One of the first forms of bridge, those of timber have been used since ancient times. History The most ancient form of timber bridge i ...
(1523 BC, reconstructed in 2001) to
Hurden Hurden is a village in the municipality of Freienbach in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. First mentioned in 1217, the name "de Hurden" was used for the peninsula and for the fish traps made of woven work, called "Hürden" or "Hurden", which ...
located on the ''Obersee'' lakeshore nearby the Technical University (HSR) respectively the so-called ''
Heilig Hüsli Heilig Hüsli (''Holy house'') is a bridge chapel in Rapperswil, Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Geography The chapel is located next to the Seedamm, near the Rapperswil railway station. It is situated on a small island on upper Lake Zü ...
'' at the northwestern part of the
Seedamm The Rapperswil Seedamm is the partially artificial causeway and bridge at the most narrow area of Lake Zurich, between Hurden (SZ) and Rapperswil (SG). The Seedamm carries a road and a railway across the lake, with the railway being used by the ...
area. The three neighbouring Prehistoric settlements, as well as the early lake crossings, are part of the
UNESCO World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
''
Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps are a series of prehistoric pile dwelling (or stilt house) settlements in and around the Alps built from about 5000 to 500 BC on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands. In 2011, 111 sites located variousl ...
''. In
Kempraten Kempraten-Lenggis is a village (''Kirchdorf'') within the municipality of Rapperswil-Jona, ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The remains of the Gallo-Roman settlement '' Centum Prata'' are on ...
, two kilometers away, there was a probably Helvetic settlement;
Neue Zürcher Zeitung The ''Neue Zürcher Zeitung'' (''NZZ''; "New Journal of Zürich") is a Swiss, German-language daily newspaper, published by NZZ Mediengruppe in Zürich. The paper was founded in 1780. It was described as having a reputation as a high-quality ...
(20/21 January 2001): ''Die Brücke auf dem Grund des Zürichsees''
and in the beginning of the 1st century AD, the
Roman 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 lett ...
vicus '' Centum Prata'' (meaning ''100 meadows'') became an important trade center on the way to the Roman heartland. The neolithic bridge between
Hurden Hurden is a village in the municipality of Freienbach in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. First mentioned in 1217, the name "de Hurden" was used for the peninsula and for the fish traps made of woven work, called "Hürden" or "Hurden", which ...
and Rapperswil was renewed by the Romans at least around 165 AD. Historians mention a 10th-century ferry station assumably at the so-called '' Einsiedlerhaus'' in Rapperswil – in 981 AD as well as the vineyard on the
Lindenhof hill The Lindenhof (lit.: ''courtyard of the lime'') is a moraine hill and a public square in the historic center of Zürich, Switzerland. It is the site of the Roman and Carolingian era Kaiserpfalz around which the city has historically grown. The ...
– between
Kempraten Kempraten-Lenggis is a village (''Kirchdorf'') within the municipality of Rapperswil-Jona, ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The remains of the Gallo-Roman settlement '' Centum Prata'' are on ...
on
Kempratnerbucht Kempraten-Lenggis is a village (''Kirchdorf'') within the municipality of Rapperswil-Jona, ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The remains of the Gallo-Roman settlement ''Centum Prata'' are one ...
, Lützelau and Ufenau island and assumably present
Hurden Hurden is a village in the municipality of Freienbach in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. First mentioned in 1217, the name "de Hurden" was used for the peninsula and for the fish traps made of woven work, called "Hürden" or "Hurden", which ...
, which allowed the pilgrims towards Einsiedeln to cross the lake before the prehistoric bridge at the
Seedamm The Rapperswil Seedamm is the partially artificial causeway and bridge at the most narrow area of Lake Zurich, between Hurden (SZ) and Rapperswil (SG). The Seedamm carries a road and a railway across the lake, with the railway being used by the ...
isthmus was re-built in 1358.


Counts of Rapperswil

Rapperswil Castle Rapperswil Castle ( Swiss German: ''Schloss Rapperswil'') is a castle, built in the early 13th century by the House of Rapperswil, in the formerly independent city of Rapperswil. The castle is located on the eastern '' Zürichsees western '' ...
and the fortifications of the former locus ''Endingen'' (given by the
Einsiedeln Abbey Einsiedeln Abbey (german: Kloster Einsiedeln) is a Benedictine Catholic monastery in the village of Einsiedeln in the canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. The abbey is dedicated to Our Lady of the Hermits, in recognition of Meinrad of Einsiedeln, a h ...
) were built by the
Counts of Rapperswil The House of Rapperswil respectively Counts of Rapperswil (''Grafen von Rapperwil'' since 1233, before ''Lords'') ruled the upper ''Zürichsee'' and ''Seedamm'' region around Rapperswil and parts of, as of today, Swiss cantons of St. Gallen, ...
, i.e. by ''Rudolf II'' and his son ''Rudolf III von Rapperswil'' around 1200: The town was founded when the nobility of Rapperswil moved from Altendorf across the lake to Rapperswil. On the peninsula at Oberbollingen, the St. Nicholas Chapel is mentioned, where around 1229 a small Cistercian (later Premonstratensian) monastery was established by the house of Rapperswil; in 1267 it was united with the nearby Mariazell-Wurmsbach Abbey. St. Martin Busskirch is one of the oldest churches around upper Lake Zürich. Even the citizens of Rapperswil had to attend services in Busskirch until Count Rudolf II built the ''Stadtpfarrkirche'' on ''Herrenberg'' next to Rapperswil Castle on ''Lindenhof'' hill. Known members of the family are Countess
Elisabeth von Rapperswil Elisabeth von Rapperswil (also ''von Habsburg-Laufenburg'', ''von Homberg''; c.1251/1261 – 1309) was the last countess of the House of Rapperswil, and secured by her second marriage the female line of the Counts of Rapperswil and the exte ...
(around 1252/62 –1309), her sons Wernher von Homberg, Reichsvogt and minnesang poet, and Count Johann I. von Habsburg-Laufenburg-Rapperswil (* around 1295/97, † 1337). His son Johann II († 1380), the opposition's leader against
Rudolf Brun Rudolf Brun (1290s – 17 September 1360) was the leader of the Zürich guilds' revolution of 1336, and the city's first independent mayor. Since 1234, Zürich had been governed by an aristocratic council. One third of the council's members w ...
, the mayor of Zürich, was arrested for two years, and the town walls of Rapperswil, its castle and Altendorf castle were destroyed by Brun in 1350.


Modern history

Between 1358 and 1360
Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria Rudolf IV (1 November 1339 – 27 July 1365), also called Rudolf the Founder (german: der Stifter), was a scion of the House of Habsburg who ruled as duke of Austria (self-proclaimed archduke), Styria and Carinthia from 1358, as well as count ...
, built a wooden bridge across the lake that has been used to 1878 – measuring approximately in length and wide; 546 oak piles have been installed. In 1415, the town bought freedom for itself. In 1442, during
Old Zurich War Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...
, Rapperswil was in alliance with Zürich and the Habsburg Dynasty. In 1458 Rapperswil was controlled by the Swiss Confederation as a so-called ''Gemeine Herrschaft'', i.e. under control of two cantons (Glarus and Schwyz) of the Old Swiss Confederation and their representative, a ''Vogt'' at Rapperswil castle. Because of its strategic location along important infrastructure lines, and because of flourishing trade, the town grew rich. This allowed a certain degree of freedom (especially within the Habsburg-controlled territories and) within the Swiss Confederation which ended with the formation of the Swiss cantons by
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...
in 1799. In 1656 and 1712 (the First War of Villmergen and the Toggenburg War, or Second War of Villmergen, respectively), Rapperswil was involved in wars between the Catholic and Reformed cantons of the Old Swiss Confederation. Rapperswil was at first part of the Helvetic and the
canton of Linth Linth was a canton of the Helvetic Republic from 1798 to 1803, consisting of Glarus and its subject County of Werdenberg, the Höfe and March districts of Schwyz and the Züricher subject Lordship of Sax, along with a handful of shared terri ...
's capital city. After the 1803
Act of Mediation The Act of Mediation () was issued by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the French Republic on 19 February 1803 establishing the Swiss Confederation. The act also abolished the previous Helvetic Republic, which had existed since the invasi ...
, it joined the canton of St. Gallen, and the former ''Herrschaft Rapperswil'' was split into the municipalities of Rapperswil and Jona. On 1 January 2007 the former municipalities of Rapperswil and
Jona Jona may refer to: * Jona, Switzerland, a village of the municipality Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland * Jona (river), in the cantons of Zürich and St. Gallen in Switzerland * ''Jona'' (album), an album by Jona Viray People with the given name * Jo ...
merged to form a new political entity:
Rapperswil-Jona Rapperswil-Jona is a municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. Besides Rapperswil and Jona, which were separate municipalities until 2006, the municipality includes Bollingen, B ...
has a population of 25,777 (December 2007). This makes it the second-largest town in the canton after the capital of St. Gallen itself.


Culture

Ironman 70.3 Switzerland and the Triathon Challenge took place in Rapperswil-Jona on 6 June 2010, and was repeated several times. The ''blues'n'jazz'' festival, taking place since 1998, is held at the end of June. Every three years ''Seenachtsfest'' is celebrated one weekend in August, attracting nearly 100,000 visitors to a spectacular fireworks, for the next time in summer 2018. Rapperswil is the home of the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, and their ''Diners Club Arena'' is situated on ''Obersee'' lakeshore. ''Kunst(Zeug)Haus'' is a vibrant center of Swiss contemporary art, housed in a former Swiss Military armory (''Zeughaus''). '' Herzbaracke'' is a swimming theatre, cabaret and restaurant on Lake Zürich at different locations, among them Zürich-Bellevue and Rapperswil harbour. '' Eis-zwei-Geissebei'' is a Carnival festival in Rapperswil on Shrove Tuesday, and ''Christkindlymärt'' is a Christmas funfair celebrated in late December, and last but not least, '' Radio Zürisee'' is situated in Rapperswil opposite of the
Rapperswil railway station Rapperswil railway station (german: Bahnhof Rapperswil) is a railway station located next to the old town and harbour of Rapperswil in the Swiss canton of St. Gallen. It is the largest of four active railway stations in the municipality of Rappe ...
, and Obersee Nachrichten at ''Hauptplatz'' plaza. In Rapperswil there are several sites situated that are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance: '' Schloss Rapperswil'' with the Polish Museum including the Polish national archive, the medieval ''Rathaus'' (town hall) located at the ''Hauptplatz'' square, and the
Seedamm The Rapperswil Seedamm is the partially artificial causeway and bridge at the most narrow area of Lake Zurich, between Hurden (SZ) and Rapperswil (SG). The Seedamm carries a road and a railway across the lake, with the railway being used by the ...
region including
Heilig Hüsli Heilig Hüsli (''Holy house'') is a bridge chapel in Rapperswil, Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Geography The chapel is located next to the Seedamm, near the Rapperswil railway station. It is situated on a small island on upper Lake Zü ...
and the remains of the prehistoric
wooden bridges Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin tha ...
respectively the neolithic stilt house settlements located there. The latter are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps".


Cultural heritage

Located on '' Obersee'' lake shore at the ''
Seedamm The Rapperswil Seedamm is the partially artificial causeway and bridge at the most narrow area of Lake Zurich, between Hurden (SZ) and Rapperswil (SG). The Seedamm carries a road and a railway across the lake, with the railway being used by the ...
'' isthmus between the ''Zürichsee'' and the ''Obersee'' lake area, the area was in close vicinity to the prehistoric lake crossings, and neighboured by four Prehistoric pile dwelling settlements:
Freienbach–Hurden Rosshorn Freienbach–Hurden Rosshorn is one of the 111 serial sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Site ''Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps'', of which are 56 located in Switzerland. Geography The site is located on ''Zürichsee'' lakeshore in H ...
,
Freienbach–Hurden Seefeld Freienbach–Hurden Seefeld is one of the 111 serial sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Site ''Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps'', of which are 56 located in Switzerland. Geography Hurden-Seefeld is located at the ''Frauenwinkel'' area ...
, Seegubel and
Rapperswil-Jona–Technikum Rapperswil-Jona–Technikum is one of the 111 serial sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Site ''Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps'', of which are 56 located in Switzerland. Located on a small former island on '' upper Lake Zürich'' in Rap ...
. Because the lake has grown in size over time, the original piles are now around to under the water level of . As well as being part of the 56 Swiss sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Site ''Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps'', the settlements are also listed in the
Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance #REDIRECT Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance {{R from other capitalisation ...
as ''Class A'' objects of national importance.


Transportation

railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in Track (rail transport), tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the ...
is a nodal point of the IR ''
Voralpen Express The ''Voralpen-Express'' (''VAE'') is a named train connecting small to medium-sized cities and villages in Central and Eastern Switzerland, carrying this name since 1992. It is operated by Südostbahn (SOB) and runs every hour between St. Gall ...
'' ( SOB), the Zürich S-Bahn lines S5, S7, S15 and S40, and the
St. Gallen S-Bahn The St. Gallen S-Bahn (german: S-Bahn St. Gallen) is an S-Bahn-style commuter rail in Eastern Switzerland and neighbouring areas. The network connects stations in the Swiss cantons of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Glarus, Grison ...
line S6. This railway station is a 36-minute (S5/S15, combined quarter-hourly service) ride away from
Zürich Hauptbahnhof Zürich Hauptbahnhof (often shortened to Zürich HB, or just HB; ''Zürich Main Station'' or ''Zürich Central Station'') is the largest railway station in Switzerland. Zürich is a major railway hub, with services to and from across Switzerland ...
and a 55-minute ride away from St. Gallen (direct with ''Voralpen-Express'' or S6/ S4 with change in ). The railway tracks and the infrastructure, excluded the train station's building, have been renewed by June/July 2016. Since 2008 the bus service in Rapperswil-Jona has been provided by the
Verkehrsbetriebe Zürichsee und Oberland Verkehrsbetriebe Zürichsee und Oberland (VZO) is a public transport operator in the region between Lake Zürich and the Zürcher Oberland to the south-east of the city of Zürich in the canton of Zürich. It operates bus services between the var ...
(VZO). As of 2016, an average of 26,000 road vehicles cross the
Seedamm The Rapperswil Seedamm is the partially artificial causeway and bridge at the most narrow area of Lake Zurich, between Hurden (SZ) and Rapperswil (SG). The Seedamm carries a road and a railway across the lake, with the railway being used by the ...
causeway and the ''Bahnhofstrasse'' road in Rapperswil every day. As of 30 June 2016, Rapperswil-Jona is expected to participate as the first Swiss city in a pilot project for so-called Mobility pricing in order to relieve the traffic on road and rail during rush hours.


Gallery

File:Rapperswil - Stadtmuseum - Abschluss Erneuerung 2011-11-18 16-27-38 ShiftN.jpg,
Stadtmuseum Rapperswil Stadtmuseum Rapperswil-Jona is a museum of local history and art in Rapperswil, canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. Location The museum is situated in three Middle Ages buildings, remains of a former castle as part of the town walls of Rap ...
File:Fischmarktplatz - Rapperswil Hafen 2011-07-09 14-21-02.JPG, ''Fischmarktplatz'' File:Rapperswil - Engelplatz IMG 2409 ShiftN.jpg, ''Engelplatz'' File:Rapperswil - Herrenberg IMG 4818 ShiftN.jpg, ''Herrenberg'' File:Rapperswil - Stadtpfarrkirche-Schloss - Kempraten IMG 5536.JPG,
Stadtmuseum Rapperswil Stadtmuseum Rapperswil-Jona is a museum of local history and art in Rapperswil, canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. Location The museum is situated in three Middle Ages buildings, remains of a former castle as part of the town walls of Rap ...
, Liebfrauenkapelle, ''Stadtpfarrkirche'' St. Johann (St. John's church) and the ''Schloss'', as seen from
Kempraten Kempraten-Lenggis is a village (''Kirchdorf'') within the municipality of Rapperswil-Jona, ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The remains of the Gallo-Roman settlement '' Centum Prata'' are on ...
-Lenggis File:Liebfrauenkapelle & Mariensäule - Stadtpfarrkirche-Schlossgasse 2011-07-02 14-51-50 ShiftN3.jpg, '' Liebfrauenkapelle'' (St Mary's church) between ''Schloss'' and ''Stadtpfarrkirche'' File:Kempraten-Rapperswil - Kapelle St Ursula IMG 5550 ShiftN.jpg, ''St. Ursula chappel (re-built in 1607'') File:Rapperswil - Reformierte Kirche - Friedhof 2011-05-25 11-13-12 ShiftN.jpg, ''Reformierte Kirche'' (built in 1841) File:Eis-Zwei-Geissebei (2010) IMG 8578 ShiftN.jpg, '' Eis-zwei-Geissebei on the main square at
Rathaus Rapperswil Rathaus Rapperswil is the former ''Rathaus'' of the city government of medieval town of Rapperswil, Canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. Today, the building houses a café and restaurant, the city archives and a collection of stained glass windows, ...
(townhall)'' File:Herzbaracke - Rapperswil IMG 5573.JPG, '' Herzbaracke'' cabaret-theater at Rapperswil harbour File:Rapperswil - Seedamm IMG 2913 ShiftN.jpg, ''See-Quai'' in Rapperswil, ''Bühlerallee'' to the left, ''Lindenhof'' hill in the background File:Rapperswil - Hirschpark - Schloss - Lindenhof 2011-06-19 15-11-56.JPG, ''Lindenhof'' and Deer park towards to the ''Schloss''


Personalities

; Early times * (Saint) Kunigunde of Rapperswil died in early 4th century AD, a Christian saint, beatified 1504 *
Elisabeth von Rapperswil Elisabeth von Rapperswil (also ''von Habsburg-Laufenburg'', ''von Homberg''; c.1251/1261 – 1309) was the last countess of the House of Rapperswil, and secured by her second marriage the female line of the Counts of Rapperswil and the exte ...
(c.1251 – 1309) the last countess of the House of Rapperswil * Albrecht von Rapperswil (13th century) one of the Minnesingers featured in the
Codex Manesse The Codex Manesse (also Große Heidelberger Liederhandschrift or Pariser Handschrift) is a ''Liederhandschrift'' (manuscript containing songs), the single most comprehensive source of Middle High German ''Minnesang'' poetry, written and illustrat ...
* Wernher von Homberg (1284–1320) a knight in the service of
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII (German: ''Heinrich''; c. 1273 – 24 August 1313),Kleinhenz, pg. 494 also known as Henry of Luxembourg, was Count of Luxembourg, King of Germany (or ''Rex Romanorum'') from 1308 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1312. He was the first emp ...
* Count
Johann I (Habsburg-Laufenburg) Johann I von Habsburg-Laufenburg (also ''Johannes von Rapperswil-Laufenburg- Habsburg'', ''von Laufenburg-Rapperswil''; born around 1297; died 21 September 1337 in Grynau) was the Count of Habsburg-Laufenburg and later Count of the House of Rappe ...
(c.1297–1337), son of Countess
Elisabeth von Rapperswil Elisabeth von Rapperswil (also ''von Habsburg-Laufenburg'', ''von Homberg''; c.1251/1261 – 1309) was the last countess of the House of Rapperswil, and secured by her second marriage the female line of the Counts of Rapperswil and the exte ...
* Count
Johann II (Habsburg-Laufenburg) Johann II von Habsburg-Laufenburg (also ''Johannes von Rapperswil-Laufenburg- Habsburg'', ''von Laufenburg-Rapperswil''; born around 1330; died 17 December 1380) was the Count of Habsburg-Laufenburg and later Count of the House of Rapperswil. E ...
(c.1330 – 1380), son of
Johann I Johann I may refer to: * Johann I Josef, Prince of Liechtenstein (1760–1836) * Johann I, Duke of Opava-Ratibor * Johann I, Count Palatine of Simmern * Johann I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken *John, Elector of Saxony (1468–1532), John the Stead ...
; Modern times * Valentin Molitor (1637–1713) a composer and Benedictine monk * Marianne Ehrmann (1755–1795) early woman novelist, publicist and journalist *
Felix Maria Diogg Felix Maria Diogg (1 July 1762 – 19 February 1834) was a Swiss painter. Born in Andermatt, as an adult he made Rapperswil his home. Diogg is considered the most important Swiss Classicism portraitist. Life and work Born as the son of Kathar ...
(1762–1834) a painter and Swiss
Classicism Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for a classical period, classical antiquity in the Western tradition, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. In its purest form, classicism is an aesthet ...
portraitist * Count Wladyslaw Plater (1808–1889) a Polish count, in 1870 co-founded the
Polish Museum, Rapperswil The Polish Museum, Rapperswil, was founded in Rapperswil, Switzerland, on 23 October 1870, by Polish Count Władysław Broel-Plater, at the urging of Agaton Giller, as "a refuge for Poland's historic memorabilia dishonored and plundered in ...
*
Joachim Raff Joseph Joachim Raff (27 May 182224 or 25 June 1882) was a German-Swiss composer, pedagogue and pianist. Biography Raff was born in Lachen in Switzerland. His father, a teacher, had fled there from Württemberg in 1810 to escape forced recruitme ...
(1822–1882) a German-Swiss composer, teacher and pianist * Agaton Giller (1831–1887) a Polish historian, journalist and politician; co-founded the
Polish Museum, Rapperswil The Polish Museum, Rapperswil, was founded in Rapperswil, Switzerland, on 23 October 1870, by Polish Count Władysław Broel-Plater, at the urging of Agaton Giller, as "a refuge for Poland's historic memorabilia dishonored and plundered in ...
*
Alwina Gossauer Alwina Gossauer (1841–1926) was a Swiss photographer and businesswoman. Born and raised in Rapperswil, as an adult she made Rapperswil again her home and became one of the first women professional photographers in Switzerland. Early life a ...
(1841–1926) one of the first Swiss women professional photographers *
Franz Curti __NOTOC__ Jean Baptist Joseph Franz Henry Curti (1854–1898) was a Swiss-German opera composer. Curti was born 16 November 1854 at Kassel, son to the lawyer and court opera singer Anton Curti (1820-1887), and his wife Marie Clementine, née ...
(1854–1898), opera composer * Stefan Zeromski (1864–1925) a Polish novelist and dramatist; nominated four times for the
Nobel Prize in Literature ) , image = Nobel Prize.png , caption = , awarded_for = Outstanding contributions in literature , presenter = Swedish Academy , holder = Annie Ernaux (2022) , location = Stockholm, Sweden , year = 1901 , ...
* Martha Burkhardt (1874–1956) a painter and photographer Information boards on occasion of the 2015 exhibition ''Der Zeit voraus - Drei Frauen auf eigenen Wegen'', Stadtmuseum Rapperswil-Jona. * Josef Müller-Brockmann (1914–1996) a graphic designer and teacher *
Kurt Aepli Kurt is a male given name of Germanic or Turkish origin. ''Kurt'' or ''Curt'' originated as short forms of the Germanic Conrad, depending on geographical usage, with meanings including counselor or advisor. In Turkish, Kurt means "Wolf" and i ...
(1914-2002) a silversmith, designer of fine jewelry and implements and teacher *
Josef Helbling Josef Helbling (born 15 July 1935) is a Swiss former cyclist. He competed in the 1000m time trial at the 1960 Summer Olympics The 1960 Summer Olympics ( it, Giochi Olimpici estivi del 1960), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad ...
(born 1935) a former cyclist, competed in the
1960 Summer Olympics The 1960 Summer Olympics ( it, Giochi Olimpici estivi del 1960), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad ( it, Giochi della XVII Olimpiade) and commonly known as Rome 1960 ( it, Roma 1960), were an international multi-sport event held ...
* Gerold Späth (born 1939) an author, poet and writer IMDb Database
retrieved 20 December 2018
* Hans Heinemann (born 1940) a former cyclist, competed in the
1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...
and the
1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 ( ja, 東京1964), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this h ...
* Alfredo Battistini (1953–2008) an Italian-Swiss sculptor, illustrator and athlete * Alexander Hahn (born 1954) is an electronic media artist


See also

* Towns respectively villages of the municipality of Rapperswil-Jona:
Bollingen Bollingen is a village (''Kirchdorf'') within the municipality of Rapperswil-Jona in the Swiss canton of St. Gallen. Geography The village is located along the northern shore of the upper Lake Zürich (''Obersee'') between Jona and Schmeriko ...
, Busskirch,
Jona Jona may refer to: * Jona, Switzerland, a village of the municipality Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland * Jona (river), in the cantons of Zürich and St. Gallen in Switzerland * ''Jona'' (album), an album by Jona Viray People with the given name * Jo ...
,
Kempraten Kempraten-Lenggis is a village (''Kirchdorf'') within the municipality of Rapperswil-Jona, ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The remains of the Gallo-Roman settlement '' Centum Prata'' are on ...
, Rapperswil * Points of interest: Circus Knie,
Heilig Hüsli Heilig Hüsli (''Holy house'') is a bridge chapel in Rapperswil, Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Geography The chapel is located next to the Seedamm, near the Rapperswil railway station. It is situated on a small island on upper Lake Zü ...
, Hochschule für Technik Rapperswil HSR (University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil),
Holzbrücke Rapperswil-Hurden Holzbrücke Rapperswil-Hurden is a wooden pedestrian bridge between the city of Rapperswil and the village of Hurden crossing the upper Lake Zürich (''Obersee'') in Switzerland. The prehistoric timber piles discovered to the west of the Seedam ...
,
Kapuzinerkloster Rapperswil The Capuchin Friary, Rapperswil, (german: Kapuzinerkloster Rapperswil) is a Capuchin friary located in Rapperswil in the Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Geography The monastery is situated to the west of the city of Rapperswil, below the ...
, Knies Kinderzoo, Lindenhof, Paddle steamer Stadt Rapperswil, Polish Museum Rapperswil,
Rapperswil Castle Rapperswil Castle ( Swiss German: ''Schloss Rapperswil'') is a castle, built in the early 13th century by the House of Rapperswil, in the formerly independent city of Rapperswil. The castle is located on the eastern '' Zürichsees western '' ...
, Hintergasse,
Rathaus Rapperswil Rathaus Rapperswil is the former ''Rathaus'' of the city government of medieval town of Rapperswil, Canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. Today, the building houses a café and restaurant, the city archives and a collection of stained glass windows, ...
,
Seedamm The Rapperswil Seedamm is the partially artificial causeway and bridge at the most narrow area of Lake Zurich, between Hurden (SZ) and Rapperswil (SG). The Seedamm carries a road and a railway across the lake, with the railway being used by the ...
,
Stadtmuseum Rapperswil Stadtmuseum Rapperswil-Jona is a museum of local history and art in Rapperswil, canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. Location The museum is situated in three Middle Ages buildings, remains of a former castle as part of the town walls of Rap ...
, Stadtpfarrkirche Rapperswil, Liebfrauenkapelle (Rapperswil), Wurmsbach Abbey,
Rapperswil rose gardens The Rapperswil Rose Gardens are privately established small rose gardens probably dating back to the early years of the former independent town of Rapperswil. They are located in the present city of Rapperswil-Jona, Canton of St. Gallen, in Switz ...


References


Literature

* Beat Glaus: ''Der Kanton Linth der Helvetik''. Schwyz 2005. * Peter Röllin: ''Kulturbaukasten Rapperswil-Jona''. Rapperswil-Jona 2005.


External links


Rapperswil-Jona
(official site)
Ortsgemeinde Rapperswil-Jona


* {{Authority control Former municipalities of the canton of St. Gallen Tourist attractions in Rapperswil-Jona States and territories established in 1220 Former protectorates of Switzerland Rapperswil (1415-1458) 1798 disestablishments in Europe Rapperswil-Jona Populated places on Lake Zurich 1220s establishments in the Holy Roman Empire 1220 establishments in Europe 1460s disestablishments in the Holy Roman Empire 1464 disestablishments in Europe 15th-century establishments in the Old Swiss Confederacy 1450s establishments in the Holy Roman Empire 1458 establishments in Europe