Stein am Rhein (, ; abbreviated as Stein a. R.) is a historic town and a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland. It is located at the outfall of Lower Lake Constance on the High Rhine river, about halfway between the town of Schaffhausen and the city of Konstanz.

The town's medieval centre retains 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 frescoes.

History

thumb|left|Stein am Rhein 1642

thumb|left|Painted houses with bay windows in the Old Town

thumb|left|Aerial view by [[Walter Mittelholzer (1919)]]

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 prosperous town which in the 15th century was 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, 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. However, Zürich 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.

On February 22, 1945, the town was bombed by the United States Air Force.

Coat of arms

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 the coats of arms of Kaltbrunn (Switzerland), Sankt Georgen im Schwarzwald (Germany) and Sankt Georgen an der Gusen (Austria), Moscow (Russia), Holstebro (Denmark) and Georgia, among others.

Geography

thumb|left|Aerial view of Stein am Rhein, showing the Rhine and the compact medieval town

Stein am Rhein is located in the eastern part of the Swiss canton of Schaffhausen, where the Rhine flows out of the Untersee (), the western part of Lake Constance (). It is adjacent to the Hegau region of southern Germany, known for its extinct volcanoes and castles.

Stein am Rhein has an area, , of . 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). Most of the population () speaks German (89.2%), with Serbo-Croatian being second most common (2.5%) and Albanian being third (1.4%).

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%.

Notable people

  • Mathias Gnädinger (1941–2015), a Swiss stage and film actor, lived in Stein am Rhein

Heritage sites of national significance

Stein am Rhein is home to several buildings that are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance. There are three churches on the list; the former monastery church of St. Georg, the former Benedictine monastery church of St. Georgen and the Castle Church (Kirche auf Burg). Burg Hohenklingen above the town, an older late-Roman castle and the city walls are also included on the list. In the old city there are six houses or municipal building that are on the inventory. The former Inn Rother Ochsen at Rathausplatz 9, Haus Neubu at Bärengass 7, Haus zum Lindwurm at Understadt 18, Haus zum Weissen Adler at Oberstadt 1, Haus zur Vorderen Krone at Rathausplatz 7 and the Town Hall at Rathausplatz 1 make up the rest of the inventory.

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File:Kloster Sankt Georgen in Stein am Rhein 0073.JPG|Monastery of St. Georg

File:Rheinpromenade "Schiffländi" in Stein am Rhein.jpg|Promenade at River Rhine

File:Rathaus in Stein am Rhein SH.jpg|Town hall

File:Rathausplatz 7, 9 und 11 in Stein am Rhein.jpg|Houses at town hall square

File:Erker und Fassadenmalereien in Stein am Rhein.jpg|Orial windows and murals at town hall square

File:Stein Weisser Adler Luegentest.jpg|Haus zum Weissen Adler

File:Marktbrunnen, "Zum steinenen Trauben" und Gasthaus "zur Sonne" in Stein am Rhein.jpg|Marktbrunnen (Market fontaine)

File:Untertor in Stein am Rhein - 20111009.jpg|Untertor (lower gate and clock tower)

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See also

  • Tourism in Switzerland

References

  • Stein am Rhein: pictures
  • Stein am Rhein and Castle Hohenklingen: pictures and comments in English