Switzerland - Stein am Rhein - 2016. in (4K)
Stein am Rhein is a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland.
The town has a well-preserved medieval centre, retaining the ancient street plan. The site of the city wall, and the city gates are preserved, though the former city wall now consists of houses. The medieval part of the town has been pedestrianised and many of the medieval buildings are painted with beautiful frescoes.
Houses in the Old Town
In or around 1007 Emperor Henry II moved St George's Abbey from its former location on the Hohentwiel in Singen to Stein am Rhein, at that time little more than a small fishing village on the Rhine. This was in order to strengthen his presence at this strategic point where major road and river routes intersected. He gave the abbots extensive rights over Stein and its trade so that they could develop it commercially. In this they were very successful, and Stein am Rhein rapidly became a flourishing and prosperous town which in the 15th century was itself (if briefly) granted reichsfrei status.
The Imperial abbey also prospered and in the 15th century completely rebuilt its premises, which remain as a significant example of late Gothic architecture in the region.
Under the Reformation however the abbey was secularised and its assets taken over by Zürich. Abbot von Winkelsheim negotiated a settlement with the Zürich authorities, whereby, although control of the abbey was handed over to them, he and the remaining monks would be allowed to remain on the premises until their deaths. Zürich however suspected the abbot of collusion with the Habsburgs and locked him up in his new rooms. He was able to escape to Radolfzell, but died shortly after, in 1526.
Stein am Rhein was the birthplace of Johann Heynlin (c. 1425–1496), who introduced the first printing press into France.
On February 22, 1945, the town was bombed by the USAF.
The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Gules St. George armoured Azure mulleted, haired and haloed Or riding a Horse Argent to sinister holding in sinister an escutcheon Argent cross Gules and in dexter a lance Or killing a Dragon Vert. This is a reference to the monastery of St. George in the town. The coat of arms bears similarity to Coat of arms of Moscow.
Aerial view of Stein am Rhein, showing the Rhine river and compact medieval town
Stein am Rhein has an area, as of 2006, of 5.8 km2 (2.2 sq mi). Of this area, 29.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 42.4% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 22% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (5.7%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes).
The municipalities of Hemishofen and Stein am Rhein are considering a merger for some time in the future into a new municipality, whose name is not yet (as of 2009) decided.
Stein am Rhein has a population (as of 2008) of 3,189, of which 20.6% are foreign nationals. Of the foreign population, (as of 2008), 38.6% are from Germany, 6.9% are from Italy, 3.2% are from Croatia, 12.8% are from Serbia, 10.8% are from Macedonia, 1.8% are from Turkey, and 25.8% are from another country. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -1.2%. Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks German (89.2%), with Serbo-Croatian being second most common ( 2.5%) and Albanian being third ( 1.4%).
The age distribution of the population (as of 2008) is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 19.2% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 59.2% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 21.5%.
In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SVP which received 42% of the vote. The next two most popular parties were the SP (33%), and the FDP (24.9%) .
In Stein am Rhein about 75% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule). In Stein am Rhein, as of 2007, 1.65% of the population attend kindergarten or another pre-school, 5.66% attend a Primary School, 3.08% attend a lower level Secondary School, and 2.13% attend a higher level Secondary School.
As of 2000, 25.1% of the population belonged to the Roman Catholic Church and 50.6% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.