Rheinfelden (; ) is a municipality in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland, seat of the district of Rheinfelden. It is located 15 kilometres east of Basel. The name means the fields of the Rhine, as the town is located on the High Rhine. It is home to Feldschlösschen, the most popular beer in Switzerland. The city is across the river from Rheinfelden in Baden-Württemberg; the two cities were joined until Napoleon Bonaparte fixed the Germany–Switzerland border on the Rhine in 1802 and are still socially and economically tied.

Geography

left|thumb|Aerial view at the historic centre

thumb|left|Rheinfelden, shown to the right of [[Greater Basel]]

The old town of Rheinfelden lies on the left bank of the Rhine, where the river is divided into two arms by the "Inseli", a roughly long island. Downstream of the Inseli and the Rheinbrücke, the river bottoms drops to about deep, creating a huge and deadly vortex, known as the St-Anna-Loch. Nearly east is the Magdenerbach.

The wooded, gently-rising foothills of the Tafeljura lie south of the town. These are the Steppberg (above sea level) and the "Berg" (), both in the south-east. Between these two hills lie the deeply incised valleys of the Magdenerbach.

Rheinfelden has an area, (as of the 2004/09 survey) of . Of this area, about 20.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 50.0% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 22.6% is settled (buildings or roads) and 6.7% is unproductive land. In the 2013/18 survey a total of or about 13.3% of the total area was covered with buildings, an increase of over the 1982 amount. Over the same time period, the amount of recreational space in the municipality increased by and is now about 3.43% of the total area. Of the agricultural land, is used for orchards and vineyards, is fields and grasslands. Since 1982 the amount of agricultural land has decreased by . Over the same time period the amount of forested land has increased by . Rivers and lakes cover in the municipality.

The highest point () is located on "Berg", the lowest point () is on the Rhine. Neighbouring cities are Kaiseraugst to the west, Olsberg to the south-west, Magden to the south and Möhlin to the east (all in the Aargau); over the river in Germany lies Rheinfelden, Baden-Württemberg.

History

thumb|Aerial view (1945)

The area around Rheinfelden was already settled in the Middle Stone Age, around 10,000 years before the present day. At that time, people lived in the "Hermitage", a small natural cave next to the current highway. In the year 45 BC, a few kilometres further west, the settlement Augusta Raurica was founded, the first Roman town in Switzerland, near modern Kaiseraugst. In the plains at Rheinfelden was then a large estate. Towards the end of the 4th century a border fort was constructed at the western settlement.

thumb|left|upright|Loading a boat near the gate of Rheinfelden from Diebold Schillings "Schweizerchronik" from 1484. The Rhein has always played a pivotal role in the development of Rheinfelden.

Rheinfelden is first mentioned about 851 as Rifelt and in the first half of the 12th century it was called Rinfelden.

Demographics

Rheinfelden has a population () of . , 27.6% of the population are 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 (82.9%), with Italian being second most common (3.8%) and Serbo-Croatian being third (2.0%).

The age distribution, , in Rheinfelden is; 1,031 children or 9.1% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 1,173 teenagers or 10.4% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 1,418 people or 12.6% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 1,652 people or 14.6% are between 30 and 39, 1,904 people or 16.9% are between 40 and 49, and 1,544 people or 13.7% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 1,260 people or 11.2% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 790 people or 7.0% are between 70 and 79, there are 441 people or 3.9% who are between 80 and 89, and there are 77 people or 0.7% who are 90 and older. there were 958 single family homes (or 15.7% of the total) out of a total of 6,087 homes and apartments.

The historical population is given in the following table:

Heritage sites of national significance

The entire old town of Rheinfelden is designated as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. There are seven sites in Rheinfelden that are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance. Two religious buildings are on the list, the Christian Catholic collegiate church of St. Martin and the Johanniter Chapel at Johannitergasse 70. Three fortifications are on the list; the Heimenholz and the Pferrichgraben which were both part of the old Roman era Rhine fortications and the entire medieval city wall. The last two buildings on the list are the Feldschlösschen brewery at Feldschlösschenstrasse 34 and the former Gasthof (combination hotel and restaurant) zum goldenen Adler at Obertorplatz 4.

<gallery>

File:Rheinfelden Feldschloesschen.jpg|Feldschlösschen brewery

File:Johanniterkommende Rheinfelden.jpg|Johanniter Order house with chapel to the right

File:Rheinfelden_refKirche.jpg|Protestant Church of Rheinfelden

File:St. Martinskirche (Rheinfelden).jpg|St. Martin's Church

</gallery>

Economy

, Rheinfelden had an unemployment rate of 3.83%. , there were 40 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 9 businesses involved in this sector. 1,313 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 86 businesses in this sector. 4,420 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 432 businesses in this sector.

Notable people

160px|thumb|König Rudolf & Agnes von Böhmen

  • Matilda of Habsburg (1253 in Rheinfelden – 1304), by marriage, a duchess of Bavaria.
  • Hedwig of Habsburg (ca.1260 Rheinfelden, Swabia – 1303) Margravine of Brandenburg 1279-1285/1286
  • Rudolf II, Duke of Austria (ca. 1270 in Rheinfelden, Duchy of Swabia – 1290) Duke of Austria and Styria, 1282-1283
  • Jacob Sprenger (1436/1438 in Rheinfelden, Further Austria – 1495) a Dominican Friar
  • Ernst Hermann Joseph Münch (1798–1841), a Roman Catholic historian of Germany.
  • Jakob Christof Rad (1799 in Rheinfelden - 1871) a Swiss-born physician and industrial manager
  • Andreas Kyburz (born 1988 in Rheinfelden) a Swiss orienteering competitor

Sport

  • Ivan Rakitić (born 1988 in Rheinfelden) a Croatian professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Sevilla
  • Yannick Käser (born 1992 in Rheinfelden) a Swiss breaststroke swimmer
  • Alexander Ursenbacher (born 1996 in Rheinfelden) a Swiss professional snooker player
  • Eray Cömert (born 1998 in Rheinfelden), a footballer who has played 170 games and 15 for Switzerland

Weather

Notes and references

  • Official website
  • Feldschlösschen brewery
  • Rheinfelden images