Bichelsee
Encyclopedia
Bichelsee is a village and former municipality in the canton of Thurgau, Switzerland
. It takes its name from the nearby lake, Bichelsee
.
The municipality also contained the villages Höfli, Niederhofen am Bichelsee and Itaslen.
, to the Abbey of St. Gall
en. During the High Middle Ages
, the Bichelsee family ruled the village as a fief for the Abbey. Originally they ruled from Alt-Bichelsee Castle, though in the early 13th Century, they built Neu-Bichelsee Castle. This castle was destroyed in 1274 by the Habsburgs. In 1358 Hermann IV of Landsberg-Greifensee acquired Alt-Bichelsee Castle along with various rights and possessions, including the bailiwick
of Balterswil. In 1407, Alt-Bichelsee was burned by Appenzell
troops. After rebuilding the castle, the Abbey of Fischingen bought the castle, land and parish
in 1419-21. It remained part of the Fischingen court until 1798. However, the village of Itaslen was not part of Bichelsee at this time. It was part of the Tannegg district and an independent municipality until 1812.
The parish church
of St. Nicholas (later St. Blasius church) was occupied from 1275 and probably built in the 12th Century under the leadership of Fischingen Abbey. The Abbey supported the church until 1769. In 1529 the village converted to the new faith during the Protestant Reformation
in 1529, but returned to their old faith in 1542 during the Counter-Reformation
. The Reformed church members were part of the parish of Dussnang since 1550. St. Blasius church remained a shared church
, even after a new church was built in 1864, until 1954. In 1960 a new Reformed church was built.
Agriculture and small industries still dominated the local economy until the late 20th Century. Since the end of the 19th Century, cropland and orchards have been segregated from the dairy industry. Small-scale home weaving and embroidery became common in the early 19th Century but declined by about 1900. In 1899, Johann Evangelist Traber founded the first Swiss Raiffeisen bank. The largest employer is the Traxler AG embroidery firm (founded 1908). With increased immigration after 1970 and the construction of many new houses it became a commuter town
, with about 62% of the population commuting.
In 1996 the municipality was merged with the neighboring municipality Balterswil
to form a new and larger municipality Bichelsee-Balterswil
.
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 takes its name from the nearby lake, Bichelsee
Bichelsee (lake)
Bichelsee is a lake in the canton of Thurgau, Switzerland. The village of Bichelsee in the municipality Bichelsee-Balterswil is named after the lake. Of the surface of 0.092 km², 5/6 are located in the canton of Thurgau, the reminder in the canton of Zurich....
.
The municipality also contained the villages Höfli, Niederhofen am Bichelsee and Itaslen.
History
Bichelsee is first mentioned in 894 as Pichelense. The Udalrichinger family donated the village of Bichelsee, in the Early Middle AgesEarly Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
, to the Abbey of St. Gall
Abbey 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...
en. During the High Middle Ages
High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages was the period of European history around the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries . The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which by convention end around 1500....
, the Bichelsee family ruled the village as a fief for the Abbey. Originally they ruled from Alt-Bichelsee Castle, though in the early 13th Century, they built Neu-Bichelsee Castle. This castle was destroyed in 1274 by the Habsburgs. In 1358 Hermann IV of Landsberg-Greifensee acquired Alt-Bichelsee Castle along with various rights and possessions, including the bailiwick
Bailiwick
A bailiwick is usually the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff, and may also apply to a territory in which the sheriff's functions were exercised by a privately appointed bailiff under a royal or imperial writ. The word is now more generally used in a metaphorical sense, to indicate a sphere of...
of Balterswil. In 1407, Alt-Bichelsee was burned by Appenzell
Appenzell
Appenzell is a region and historical canton in the northeast of Switzerland, entirely surrounded by the Canton of St. Gallen....
troops. After rebuilding the castle, the Abbey of Fischingen bought the castle, land and parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in 1419-21. It remained part of the Fischingen court until 1798. However, the village of Itaslen was not part of Bichelsee at this time. It was part of the Tannegg district and an independent municipality until 1812.
The parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of St. Nicholas (later St. Blasius church) was occupied from 1275 and probably built in the 12th Century under the leadership of Fischingen Abbey. The Abbey supported the church until 1769. In 1529 the village converted to the new faith during the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
in 1529, but returned to their old faith in 1542 during the Counter-Reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
. The Reformed church members were part of the parish of Dussnang since 1550. St. Blasius church remained a shared church
Simultaneum
A shared church, or Simultankirche, Simultaneum or, more fully, simultaneum mixtum, a term first coined in 16th century Germany, is a church in which public worship is conducted by adherents of two or more religious groups. Such churches became common in Europe in the wake of the Reformation...
, even after a new church was built in 1864, until 1954. In 1960 a new Reformed church was built.
Agriculture and small industries still dominated the local economy until the late 20th Century. Since the end of the 19th Century, cropland and orchards have been segregated from the dairy industry. Small-scale home weaving and embroidery became common in the early 19th Century but declined by about 1900. In 1899, Johann Evangelist Traber founded the first Swiss Raiffeisen bank. The largest employer is the Traxler AG embroidery firm (founded 1908). With increased immigration after 1970 and the construction of many new houses it became a commuter town
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...
, with about 62% of the population commuting.
In 1996 the municipality was merged with the neighboring municipality Balterswil
Balterswil
Balterswil is a village and former municipality in the canton of Thurgau, Switzerland.The municipality also contained the villages Lützelmurg, Zielwies, Ifwil and Lochwies.-History:Balterswil is first mentioned in 885 as Baldherreswilare'....
to form a new and larger municipality Bichelsee-Balterswil
Bichelsee-Balterswil
Bichelsee-Balterswil is a municipality in the district of Münchwilen in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland. It was formed from the union on January 1, 1996 of Bichelsee and Balterswil.-History:...
.
Historic population
The historical population is given in the following table:| Year | Population, Bichelsee Village | Population, Bichelsee Bürgergemeinde Bürgergemeinde The Bürgergemeinde is a statutory corporation in public law in Switzerland... |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | - | 1,071 |
| 1870 | 605 | 953 |
| 1900 | 728 | 1,205 |
| 1910 | 782 | 1,442 |
| 1950 | 691 | 1,417 |
| 1970 | 696 | 1,554 |
| 1990 | 935 | 2,065 |