- Gersau
Infobox Swiss town
subject_name = Gersau
municipality_name = Gersau
municipality_type = municipality
imagepath_coa = Wappen Gersau.svg
languages = German
canton = Schwyz
iso-code-region = CH-SZ
district = Gersau
lat_d=46|lat_m=59|lat_NS=N|long_d=8|long_m=31|long_EW=E
postal_code = 6442
municipality_code = 1311
area = 23.70
elevation = 435|elevation_description=
population = 1951|populationof = December 2003 | popofyear = 2003
website = www.gersau.ch
mayor = |mayor_asof=|mayor_party=
mayor_title = |list_of_mayors =
places =
demonym =
neighboring_municipalities=Arth ,Beckenried (NW),Buochs (NW),Emmetten (NW),Ennetbürgen (NW),Ingenbohl ,Lauerz ,Vitznau (LU)
twintowns = Infobox Former Country
native_name = "Freistaat und Republik Gersau"
conventional_long_name = Free State and Republic of Gersau
common_name = Gersau|
continent = Europe
region = Alps
country = Switzerland
era = Early Modern Age
status = City-state
status_text = City-republic and an alliedprotectorate
of theOld Swiss Confederacy
government_type = Republic|
year_start = 1433
year_end = 1817
life_span = 1433 – 1798
1814 – 1817/18|
event_pre = Purchased liberty from
the Counts of Habsburg
date_pre =
1390
event_start = Gained "Reichsfreiheit "
date_start = 1433
event1 = Annexed to Helv. Rep.
date_event1 = 1798
event2 =Act of Mediation :
Joined Schwyz
date_event2 =February 19 1803
event3 = Regained independence
date_event3 = 1814
event_end = Annexed by Switzerland
date_end = 1817–18|
p1 = Counts of Habsburg
image_p1 =
p2 = Canton of Schwyz
flag_p2 = Flag of Switzerland.svg
s1 = Canton of Waldstätten
flag_s1 = Republiquehelv.svg
s2 = Canton of Schwyz
flag_s2 = Flag of Switzerland.svg|
capital = Gersau|
footnotes =Gersau is the sole municipality in the canton of Schwyz in
Switzerland , sitting on the shores ofLake Lucerne History
The estates of Gersau gradually came into the hands of the
Habsburg s, but in 1333, under dukes Albert II and Otto IV "the Merry" of Austria, the jurisdiction and rights over Gersau fell into the hands of Lucerne nobility. On 1359, Gersau allied with theOld Swiss Confederacy as aprotectorate of the Confederacy, for its protection and to gain arms from the confederates. OnJuly 9 1386 , the citizens of Gersau fought with the Swiss for the first time, on the battlefield of Sempach, where the banner of Count Rudolf of Hohenzollern was captured.Gersau purchased its liberty from the counts of Habsburg in 1390 for the sum of 690
pfennig s. The fate of the "Vogt ei" and whether or not the municipality pledged to the Confederacy was then in the hands ofLucerne rs John, Peter and Agnes von Moos; as a result, the jurisdiction, "Vogtei" and tax rights went to the courtiers of Gersau, allowing a free municipality without being mortgaged to some other power. InBasel , in 1433, Gersau received original confirmation of the ancient freedoms, rights and privileges from Emperor Sigismund, thus becoming a "Reichsunmittelbar " municipality under the direct protection of theHoly Roman Emperor , with its own courts, covering an area of convert|24|km2|abbr=on.During the
French Revolutionary Wars Gersau was annexed into theHelvetic Republic , becoming a district of thecanton of Waldstätten . After theAct of Mediation and the collapse of the Helvetic Republic, Gersau became a district of thecanton of Schwyz until 1814, when it regained its independence, with Schwyzer approval, centred around the 1745 "Rathaus ", containing council chambers and a courtroom (now a museum).In 1817, the "
Tagsatzung " decided, on the basis of theCongress of Vienna and the first article of the 1815 "Bundesvertrag" that Gersau should be united with the canton of Schwyz, which took effect the following year, against its wishes, becoming the sixth and last district of the canton Schwyz.Geography
Gersau is in a self-contained location, nestled in a sunny recess in the lee of the south face of
Rigi . Gersau is protected from cool winds by the Rigi-Hochfluh and Gersauerstock peaks to the north, and the winds are further moderated by Lake Lucerne to the south. This produces a mild climate in whichSweet Chestnut trees thrive, and as a result of which Gersau is known in the region as the "Riviera of Lake Lucerne".Economy
Historically,
silk weaving andwoodworking were the predominant industries. Today, however,tourism has become the main economic sector. Gersau has been a well-known health and vacationresort since 1860, with a significant number ofhotel s and guest houses.Cuisine
Culinary specialties of Gersau include salty
cheesecake and a dessert called "Rahmschinken".Famous People
Born in Gersau
*Walter Nigg (1903–1988),
Theologian
*Josef Maria Camenzind (1904–1984), Catholicpriest andwriter
*Benno Ammann (1904–1986), conductor andcomposer
*Oskar Camenzind (1971– ), former professional road racing cyclist, 1998 road cycling world championGallery
External links
*
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