Biberstein
Encyclopedia
Biberstein is a municipality
in the district of Aarau
of the canton
of Aargau
in Switzerland.
to the east, Küttigen
to the west, Rohr
to the south, Rupperswil
to the south-east and Thalheim
to the north-east. The community of Biberstein occupies 4.1 km² (1.6 sq mi) of which 1.81 square kilometre (0.698844907052488 sq mi) is wooded.
Biberstein has an area, , of 4.1 km² (1.6 sq mi). Of this area, 34.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 50.6% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 10% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (4.6%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes).
evidence, the Biberstein area has been inhabited since at least the 6th century. The discoveries have included a grave cut into the surrounding tuff
stone, Alamanni
graves and a Spatha
that was found.
In 2005, the community celebrated the 725 years of Biberstein. In the 13th century the Count
of Habsburg-Laufenburg
built a castle, Schloss Biberstein, and the surrounding village to limit the territorial expansion of the Counts of Kyburg. The castle's position on the banks of the Aar River allowed them to collect tolls on the Aar ship traffic. Near the castle there was also a ferry that operated between Biberstein and Rohr
until the beginning of the Second World War when it was replaced with a bridge.
The village is first mentioned in 1280. Then, the village and castle were mentioned as a city in 1315 as a holding of the Habsburg-Laufenburg family. In 1335 the Knights Hospitaller
order in Klingnau
became the owners of Biberstein. By 1399 the city had a wall
around it. In 1499, during the Swabian War
the city was besieged by Bern. In 1527 the city-state of Bern took the castle and appointed a vogt
or bailiff
to occupy it. A few years later, in 1535, the Knights were forced to sell the city to Bern. This is the last time that Biberstein is mentioned as a city. Following the Napoleonic
invasion and collapse of the Swiss Ancien Régime
in 1798 Biberstein became part of the District of Aarau in the new Canton Aargau.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Gules a Beaver Argent sitting on a mount of the same gnawing a piece of wood Or. This is an example of canting
with a beaver
sitting on a stone .
The age distribution, , in Biberstein is; 130 children or 9.6% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 111 teenagers or 8.2% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 123 people or 9.1% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 159 people or 11.8% are between 30 and 39, 226 people or 16.7% are between 40 and 49, and 251 people or 18.6% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 197 people or 14.6% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 123 people or 9.1% are between 70 and 79, there are 30 people or 2.2% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 3 people or 0.2% who are 90 and older.
, there were 28 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 168 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 230 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. The average number of people per household was 2.42 individuals. there were 367 single family homes (or 60.7% of the total) out of a total of 605 homes and apartments.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 30.4% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP
(25.7%), the FDP
(16.2%) and the Green Party
(9.8%).
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Biberstein about 81% of the population (between age 25–64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a Fachhochschule
). Of the school age population , there are 86 students attending primary school in the municipality.
The historical population is given in the following table:
.
there were 641 total workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 518 or about 80.8% of the residents worked outside Biberstein while 112 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 235 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality.
. Of the rest of the population, there are 2 individuals (or about 0.18% of the population) who belong to the Christian Catholic
faith.
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 Aarau
Aarau (district)
Aarau District is a district in the Swiss Canton of Aargau with administrative capital Aarau encompasses the agglomeration of Aarau south of the Juras.-Geography: the Aargau District had a total area of...
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 Aargau
Aargau
Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:...
in Switzerland.
Geography
Biberstein is located on the north bank of the Aar River near Aarau. The town is a 17 minute bus ride from downtown Aarau. The neighboring communities are AuensteinAuenstein, Switzerland
Auenstein is a municipality in the district of Brugg in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.It is located about north west of Lenzburg.-Geography:...
to the east, Küttigen
Küttigen
Küttigen is a municipality in the district of Aarau of the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:Küttigen is first mentioned in 1036 as Chutingen though this comes from a 14th Century copy of the original. In 1045 it was mentioned as Chutingun....
to the west, Rohr
Rohr, Aargau
Until the first of January 2010 Rohr was a municipality in the district of Aarau in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.At the beginning of 2010 Rohr became a suburb of Aarau.-Geography:...
to the south, Rupperswil
Rupperswil
Rupperswil is a municipality in the district of Lenzburg in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:A partially preserved Roman era tile kiln from the 2nd Century was discovered in 1911. There is also evidence of the emergence of a late-Alamanni village in the 8th Century. The modern village...
to the south-east and Thalheim
Thalheim, Aargau
Thalheim is a municipality in the district of Brugg in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-Geography:Thalheim has an area, , of . Of this area, or 49.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 43.5% is forested...
to the north-east. The community of Biberstein occupies 4.1 km² (1.6 sq mi) of which 1.81 square kilometre (0.698844907052488 sq mi) is wooded.
Biberstein has an area, , of 4.1 km² (1.6 sq mi). Of this area, 34.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 50.6% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 10% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (4.6%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes).
History
Based on archaeologicArchaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
evidence, the Biberstein area has been inhabited since at least the 6th century. The discoveries have included a grave cut into the surrounding tuff
Tuff
Tuff is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, particularly when used as construction material, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. Rock that contains greater than 50% tuff is considered...
stone, Alamanni
Alamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
graves and a Spatha
Spatha
The spatha was a type of straight sword, measuring between , in use throughout first millennium AD Europe, and in the territory of the Roman Empire until about 600 AD. Later swords from 600 AD to 1000 AD are recognizable derivatives, though they are not spathae.The spatha was used in gladiatorial...
that was found.
In 2005, the community celebrated the 725 years of Biberstein. In the 13th century the 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...
of Habsburg-Laufenburg
Habsburg Family Tree
This is a family tree of the Habsburg family. It currently ranges between the First Count of Habsburg in 1096 to 1395....
built a castle, Schloss Biberstein, and the surrounding village to limit the territorial expansion of the Counts of Kyburg. The castle's position on the banks of the Aar River allowed them to collect tolls on the Aar ship traffic. Near the castle there was also a ferry that operated between Biberstein and Rohr
Rohr, Aargau
Until the first of January 2010 Rohr was a municipality in the district of Aarau in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.At the beginning of 2010 Rohr became a suburb of Aarau.-Geography:...
until the beginning of the Second World War when it was replaced with a bridge.
The village is first mentioned in 1280. Then, the village and castle were mentioned as a city in 1315 as a holding of the Habsburg-Laufenburg family. In 1335 the Knights Hospitaller
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
order in Klingnau
Klingnau
Klingnau is a municipality in the district of Zurzach in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:Klingnau is first mentioned in 1239 as Chlingenowe. Ulrich of Klingen acquired land from the monastery of St. Blaise in 1239 to found the city. He and the abbot reached an agreement over which of...
became the owners of Biberstein. By 1399 the city had a wall
Curtain wall (fortification)
A curtain wall is a defensive wall between two bastions of a castle or fortress.In earlier designs of castle the curtain walls were often built to a considerable height and were fronted by a ditch or moat to make assault difficult....
around it. In 1499, during the Swabian War
Swabian War
The Swabian War of 1499 was the last major armed conflict between the Old Swiss Confederacy and the House of Habsburg...
the city was besieged by Bern. In 1527 the city-state of Bern took the castle and appointed a vogt
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
or bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
to occupy it. A few years later, in 1535, the Knights were forced to sell the city to Bern. This is the last time that Biberstein is mentioned as a city. Following the Napoleonic
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
invasion and collapse of the Swiss Ancien Régime
Early Modern Switzerland
The early modern history of the Old Swiss Confederacy , lasting from formal independence in 1648 to the French invasion of 1798 came to be referred as Ancien Régime retrospectively, in post-Napoleonic Switzerland.The early modern period was characterized by an increasingly...
in 1798 Biberstein became part of the District of Aarau in the new Canton Aargau.
Coat of arms
The blazonBlazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
of the municipal coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is Gules a Beaver Argent sitting on a mount of the same gnawing a piece of wood Or. This is an example of canting
Canting arms
Canting arms are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name in a visual pun or rebus. The term cant came into the English language from Anglo-Norman cant, meaning song or singing, from Latin cantāre, and English cognates include canticle, chant, accent, incantation and recant.Canting arms –...
with a beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
sitting on a stone .
Demographics
Biberstein has a population (as of ) of . , 10.2% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 24.1%. Most of the population speaks German (94.7%), with English being second most common ( 1.0%) and Albanian being third ( 0.8%).The age distribution, , in Biberstein is; 130 children or 9.6% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 111 teenagers or 8.2% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 123 people or 9.1% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 159 people or 11.8% are between 30 and 39, 226 people or 16.7% are between 40 and 49, and 251 people or 18.6% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 197 people or 14.6% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 123 people or 9.1% are between 70 and 79, there are 30 people or 2.2% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 3 people or 0.2% who are 90 and older.
, there were 28 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 168 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 230 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. The average number of people per household was 2.42 individuals. there were 367 single family homes (or 60.7% of the total) out of a total of 605 homes and apartments.
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 most popular party was 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...
which received 30.4% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(25.7%), 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....
(16.2%) and the Green Party
Green Party of Switzerland
The Green Party of Switzerland is the fifth-largest party in the National Council of Switzerland, and the largest party that is not represented on the Federal Council.-History:...
(9.8%).
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Biberstein about 81% 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...
). Of the school age population , there are 86 students attending primary school in the municipality.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1764 | 307 |
| 1850 | 761 |
| 1888 | 594 |
| 1900 | 651 |
| 1930 | 549 |
| 1950 | 652 |
| 2000 | 1,101 |
Sights
The village of Biberstein is designated as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage SitesInventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
The Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites 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:...
.
Economy
, Biberstein had an unemployment rate of 0.72%. , there were 24 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 8 businesses involved in this sector. 9 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 5 businesses in this sector. 162 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 25 businesses in this sector.there were 641 total workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 518 or about 80.8% of the residents worked outside Biberstein while 112 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 235 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality.
Religion
From the , 236 or 21.4% are Roman Catholic, while 678 or 61.6% belonged to the Swiss Reformed ChurchSwiss Reformed Church
The Reformed branch of Protestantism in Switzerland was started in Zürich by Huldrych Zwingli and spread within a few years to Basel , Bern , St...
. Of the rest of the population, there are 2 individuals (or about 0.18% of the population) who belong to the Christian Catholic
Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland
The Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland is the Swiss member church of the Union of Utrecht, also known as Old Catholic Church, originally founded by the jansenists, with a later influx of discontented Catholics following their disappointment with the First Vatican Council. It has 14,000...
faith.