Villmergen
Encyclopedia
Villmergen is a municipality
in the district of Bremgarten
in the canton
of Aargau
in Switzerland
.
Two famous battles took place at Villmergen.
In 2010 Hilfikon
merged into Villmergen.
The area was first settled between 500 and 58 BC, though no records and little evidence survives of this settlement. During the Roman era
there were at least two villa
s, one at Heidenhübel and the other on the Schwarzhalde. The first mention of the modern village was in 1185 when it was mentioned as Vilmaringen. In 1273 the Kyburger
counts sold Villmergen to the House of Habsburg. A Kyburg castle was mentioned in the village in 1315. However no clear evidence of this castle has been discovered. Most likely it was on the Heidenhübel which is south-west of the village, since in 1927 a square foundation was discovered there.
In 1337 the patronage right to the village church was held by the knight
ly family of Hallwyl. About a century later, in 1425, the rights to the church transferred to the Benedictine
Muri Abbey
. Between 1525-1531 the Protestant Reformation
entered the village, though much of the population remained with the Catholic Church. On 24 January 1656 and again on 24 July 1712, the two Battles of Villmergen
were fought near the village. These two battles were between the Reformed and Catholic Swiss cantons. The the Protestant side victory in the Second Battle of Villmergen, brought an end to Catholic hegemony in the Swiss Confederation, and prevented further conflict until the renewed outbreak of civil war in 1847, the Sonderbund war, that led to the formation of Switzerland as a federal state
.
Under the short lived Helvetic Republic
Villmergen was part of the District of Sarmenstorf in 1798. Five years later, under the Act of Mediation
, it became part of the Bremgarten District. In 1841, the local monastery was secularized
. On 12 January 1841, during the Sonderbund war, there was a battle between cantonal forces and local militia troops in the municipality. The battle ended with seven dead and one wounded.
On 1 January 2010, the formerly independent municipality of Hilfikon merged into Villmergen, becoming the village of Hilfikon in the Municipality of Villmergen.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Argent a Rose Gules barbed and seeded proper.
The age distribution, , in Villmergen is; 573 children or 10.4% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 644 teenagers or 11.7% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 770 people or 14.0% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 803 people or 14.6% are between 30 and 39, 961 people or 17.4% are between 40 and 49, and 756 people or 13.7% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 495 people or 9.0% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 294 people or 5.3% are between 70 and 79, there are 189 people or 3.4% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 23 people or 0.4% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.58 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.57 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m² (43.1 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics. About 58% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage
or a rent-to-own agreement). , there were 161 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 1,050 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 753 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. The average number of people per household was 2.47 individuals. there were 986 single family homes (or 40.9% of the total) out of a total of 2,411 homes and apartments. There were a total of 81 empty apartments for a 3.4% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 3.2 new units per 1000 residents.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 40.2% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the FDP
(20.6%), the CVP
(15.3%) and the SP
(12%).
In Villmergen about 67.4% 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 359 students attending primary school, there are 182 students attending secondary school in the municipality.
The historical population is given in the following table:
. In Villmergen proper, there are three more heritage sites of national significane. These sites are; the farm house at Halde, the main building of the former Bally factory at Bahnhofstrasse 66, and the Catholic parish church
on Kirchgasse.
there was a total of 2,735 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 1,985 or about 72.6% of the residents worked outside Villmergen while 1,336 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 2,086 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 9.5% used public transportation to get to work, and 55.5% used a private car.
. Of the rest of the population, there were 3 individuals (or about 0.06% of the population) who belonged 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 Bremgarten
Bremgarten (district)
Bremgarten District is a Swiss district in the Canton of Aargau, corresponding to the valleys of the Reuss and Bünz rivers in the area known as the Freiamt.-Geography:...
in 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
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....
.
Two famous battles took place at Villmergen.
In 2010 Hilfikon
Hilfikon
Hilfikon was a municipality in the district of Bremgarten in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. In January 2010 Hilfikon merged into Villmergen.-History:...
merged into Villmergen.
History
Switzerland in the Roman era
The history of Switzerland in the Roman era encompasses the roughly six centuries during which the territory of modern Switzerland was a part of the Roman Republic and Empire...
there were at least two villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
s, one at Heidenhübel and the other on the Schwarzhalde. The first mention of the modern village was in 1185 when it was mentioned as Vilmaringen. In 1273 the Kyburger
House of Kyburg
The House of Kyburg was family of Grafen or counts from Zürich in Switzerland. The family was one of the three most powerful noble families in the Swiss plateau beside the Habsburg and the House of Savoy during the 11th and 12th Centuries...
counts sold Villmergen to the House of Habsburg. A Kyburg castle was mentioned in the village in 1315. However no clear evidence of this castle has been discovered. Most likely it was on the Heidenhübel which is south-west of the village, since in 1927 a square foundation was discovered there.
In 1337 the patronage right to the village church was held by the knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ly family of Hallwyl. About a century later, in 1425, the rights to the church transferred to the Benedictine
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
Muri Abbey
Muri Abbey
Muri Abbey was a Benedictine monastery dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. It flourished for over eight centuries at Muri, in the Canton of Aargau, near Basle in Switzerland...
. Between 1525-1531 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...
entered the village, though much of the population remained with the Catholic Church. On 24 January 1656 and again on 24 July 1712, the two Battles of Villmergen
Battles of Villmergen
The Battles of Villmergen were two battles between Reformed and Catholic Swiss cantons. They occurred on January 24, 1656 and July 24, 1712 at Villmergen, Canton of Aargau, Switzerland ....
were fought near the village. These two battles were between the Reformed and Catholic Swiss cantons. The the Protestant side victory in the Second Battle of Villmergen, brought an end to Catholic hegemony in the Swiss Confederation, and prevented further conflict until the renewed outbreak of civil war in 1847, the Sonderbund war, that led to the formation of Switzerland as a federal state
Switzerland as a federal state
The rise of Switzerland as a federal state began on September 12, 1848, with the creation of a federal constitution, which was created in response to a 27-day civil war in Switzerland, the Sonderbundskrieg...
.
Under the short lived Helvetic Republic
Helvetic Republic
In Swiss history, the Helvetic Republic represented an early attempt to impose a central authority over Switzerland, which until then consisted mainly of self-governing cantons united by a loose military alliance, and conquered territories such as Vaud...
Villmergen was part of the District of Sarmenstorf in 1798. Five years later, under the Act of Mediation
Act of Mediation
The Act of Mediation was issued by Napoleon Bonaparte on 19 February 1803 establishing the Swiss Confederation. The act also abolished the previous Helvetic Republic, which had existed since the invasion of Switzerland by French troops in 1798. After the withdrawal of French troops in July 1802,...
, it became part of the Bremgarten District. In 1841, the local monastery was secularized
German Mediatisation
The German Mediatisation was the series of mediatisations and secularisations that occurred in Germany between 1795 and 1814, during the latter part of the era of the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Era....
. On 12 January 1841, during the Sonderbund war, there was a battle between cantonal forces and local militia troops in the municipality. The battle ended with seven dead and one wounded.
On 1 January 2010, the formerly independent municipality of Hilfikon merged into Villmergen, becoming the village of Hilfikon in the Municipality of Villmergen.
Geography
Villmergen has an area, , of 10.2 square kilometres (3.9 sq mi). Of this area, 41.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 35.9% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 22.3% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.2%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes).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 Argent a Rose Gules barbed and seeded proper.
Demographics
Villmergen has a population (as of ) of . , 24.4% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of 6.1%. Most of the population speaks German (86.1%), with Italian being second most common ( 5.7%) and Albanian being third ( 1.4%).The age distribution, , in Villmergen is; 573 children or 10.4% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 644 teenagers or 11.7% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 770 people or 14.0% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 803 people or 14.6% are between 30 and 39, 961 people or 17.4% are between 40 and 49, and 756 people or 13.7% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 495 people or 9.0% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 294 people or 5.3% are between 70 and 79, there are 189 people or 3.4% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 23 people or 0.4% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.58 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.57 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m² (43.1 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics. About 58% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
or a rent-to-own agreement). , there were 161 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 1,050 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 753 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. The average number of people per household was 2.47 individuals. there were 986 single family homes (or 40.9% of the total) out of a total of 2,411 homes and apartments. There were a total of 81 empty apartments for a 3.4% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 3.2 new units per 1000 residents.
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 40.2% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were 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....
(20.6%), the CVP
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
(15.3%) and the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(12%).
In Villmergen about 67.4% 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 359 students attending primary school, there are 182 students attending secondary school in the municipality.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1798 | 888 |
| 1803 | 998 |
| 1854 | 1,594 |
| 1900 | 1,785 |
| 1930 | 2,707 |
| 1950 | 2,812 |
| 1960 | 3,232 |
| 1970 | 4,222 |
| 1975 | 4,401 |
| 1980 | 4,079 |
| 1990 | 4,641 |
| 2000 | 5,078 |
Heritage sites of national significance
Schloss Hilfikon and chapel, in Hilfikon village, are listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significanceSwiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
. In Villmergen proper, there are three more heritage sites of national significane. These sites are; the farm house at Halde, the main building of the former Bally factory at Bahnhofstrasse 66, and the Catholic 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....
on Kirchgasse.
Economy
, Villmergen had an unemployment rate of 2.14%. , there were 100 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 29 businesses involved in this sector. 1,237 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 73 businesses in this sector. 1,477 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 167 businesses in this sector.there was a total of 2,735 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 1,985 or about 72.6% of the residents worked outside Villmergen while 1,336 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 2,086 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 9.5% used public transportation to get to work, and 55.5% used a private car.
Religion
From the , 3,239 or 63.8% were Roman Catholic, while 957 or 18.8% 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 were 3 individuals (or about 0.06% of the population) who belonged 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.