Binningen, Switzerland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Binningen
Coat of arms
Binningen Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Binningen Location in Canton of Basel-Landschaft Show map of Canton of Basel-Landschaft
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Basel-Landschaft
District	Arlesheim
Area
• Total	4.46 km2 (1.72 sq mi)
Elevation	292 m (958 ft)
Population  (Jun 2021 )
• Total	15,750
• Density	3,531/km2 (9,146/sq mi)
Postal code	4102
Surrounded by	Allschwil, Basel (BS), Bottmingen, Oberwil

Binningen (called Binnige in Swiss German) is a town, also known as a municipality, in Switzerland. It is located in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, within the Arlesheim district. Binningen is special because it sits in a valley, on a flat area, and on two hills. From these hills, you can see the nearby city of Basel.

Binningen's Past: A Look at Its History

Binningen was first written about in the year 1004. Back then, it was spelled Binningen. Over the years, between the 11th and 14th centuries, its name appeared in different ways. Some old records show it as "Binnengin" or "Biningin".

Where is Binningen? Its Geography

Aerial view of Binningen from 1925

Binningen covers an area of about 4.43 square kilometers (1.71 square miles). A big part of this land, about 72%, is covered by buildings and roads. This shows that Binningen is a developed area.

About 21% of the land is used for farming. This includes fields for crops and pastures for animals. A smaller part, about 7%, is covered by forests.

The town is located along the Birsig river. Long ago, the nearby town of Bottmingen was actually part of Binningen until 1837. Over time, Binningen has grown closer to the city of Basel, becoming part of its larger urban area.

Binningen's Symbol: The Coat of Arms

The official symbol of Binningen is its coat of arms. It shows a silver background with a black vertical stripe. On this black stripe, there are three silver stars, each with six points.

This symbol has a long history. It is believed to come from a family called "von Binningen" from Basel, dating back to the late 1200s. The design of Binningen's coat of arms has changed a little over the centuries. The version you see today was officially adopted in 1921.

Who Lives in Binningen? Population Details

Binningen has a population of about 15,000 people. As of 2008, about 20% of the people living in Binningen were from other countries.

Most people in Binningen speak German, which is about 84% of the population. Italian is the second most common language, spoken by about 3.7% of residents. French is third, spoken by about 2.7%.

In 2000, about 18.7% of the people living in Binningen were born there. Many others were born elsewhere in Switzerland or outside of Switzerland.

Population Changes Over Time

The number of people living in Binningen changes each year. In 2008, there were 101 babies born to Swiss citizens and 31 to non-Swiss citizens. During the same year, 119 Swiss citizens and 5 non-Swiss citizens passed away.

When we look at people moving in and out, the number of Swiss citizens living in Binningen went down slightly. However, the number of non-Swiss residents increased. Overall, Binningen's population grew by about 1.3% in 2008.

Age Groups in Binningen

Looking at the age of people in Binningen in 2010:

• About 6.3% of the population are young children (0-6 years old).
• About 10.9% are teenagers (7-19 years old).
• The largest group, about 19.1%, are adults between 50 and 64 years old.
• About 17% are seniors between 65 and 79 years old.
• About 6.4% are over 80 years old.

Homes and Housing in Binningen

In 2000, there were 6,829 homes in Binningen, with an average of 2 people living in each. Many homes, about 40%, had only one person living in them.

Most of the buildings in Binningen are single-family homes, making up about 59% of all inhabited buildings. There are also many multi-family buildings with several apartments.

In 2000, there were 7,364 apartments in Binningen. The most common size was a 3-room apartment. Most apartments were lived in all the time, while a small number were used only part of the year or were empty.

The cost to rent an apartment in Binningen in 2000 was:

• 2-room apartment: about 845 Swiss Francs (CHF)
• 3-room apartment: about 1049 CHF
• 4-room apartment: about 1361 CHF

The chart below shows how Binningen's population has grown over many years:

Fun Things to See and Do in Binningen

Binningen has many interesting places to visit:

• Allschwiler Forest: A beautiful nature reserve on the western side of Binningen, great for walks.
• Astronomy Observatory: This is part of the University of Basel and is where scientists study space.
• Binningen Castle:
  

  Binningen Castle
  This old castle was built in the 13th century near a lake. Today, it belongs to the town and has a restaurant and a hotel.
• Catholic Church: A place of worship for the Catholic community.
• Holee Castle: Built in 1550, this castle is now owned by a private family.
• Ice-skating Station, St. Margarethen: A place where you can go ice skating.
• Monteverdi Car Collection:
  

  Monteverdi Automuseum
  This is the biggest car museum in Switzerland, featuring cars made by the Monteverdi brand.
• Neubad Inn: This used to be a wellness bath built in 1765, around natural springs.
• Sunbath St. Margarethen (Sonnenbad): A place to enjoy the sun.
• St. Margarethen Church: A church located on Margarethen hill.
• Ortsmuseum (Town Museum): Here you can learn about the history of Binningen.
• Zoo Basel: Part of the famous Basel Zoo is on Binningen's land, though the main entrance is just outside the town.

Binningen's Economy: How People Work

Binningen has a strong economy with many different types of jobs. In 2007, the unemployment rate was low, at 2.48%.

Many people in Binningen work in the tertiary sector, which includes services like healthcare, education, and retail. There were 4,360 people working in this sector in 2005. The secondary sector (manufacturing and construction) employed 767 people, and the primary sector (agriculture) employed 51 people.

In 2008, there were over 4,100 full-time jobs in Binningen. A large number of these jobs, almost half, were in healthcare. Other important job areas included sales, transportation, hotels, finance, and education.

Many people who live in Binningen travel to other towns for work. Also, many people from other places come to Binningen for their jobs. In 2000, about 38% of workers used public transportation to get to work, while 30% used a private car.

Religion in Binningen

St. Margarethen Church

Based on a 2000 study, the main religions in Binningen are:

• About 29.6% of the people are Roman Catholic.
• About 37.4% belong to the Swiss Reformed Church.
• Smaller groups include members of Orthodox churches, other Christian churches, and people who are Jewish or Islamic.
• A significant number of people, about 20.4%, do not belong to any church or have no specific religious belief.

Learning and Education in Binningen

Education is important in Binningen. About 39.5% of the population has finished upper secondary education, which is like high school. About 21.7% have gone on to higher education, such as a university or a specialized college.

Binningen has two libraries for its residents:

• The Astronomical Institute Library (German: Astronomisches Institut)
• The Municipal Library (German: Gemeindebibliothek)

In 2008, these libraries had over 23,000 books and other media. They loaned out more than 62,000 items in that year.

Binningen's Weather

Binningen has a moderate climate. The warmest month is July, with an average high temperature of 24.2 degrees Celsius (75.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The coldest month is January, with an average low temperature of -1.9 degrees Celsius (28.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Binningen gets a good amount of rain throughout the year, with August and June being the wettest months.

Sports in Binningen

SC Binningen is the local football (soccer) club in the municipality.

Famous People from Binningen

Many notable people have connections to Binningen:

• Curt Goetz (1888–1960): A famous actor, author, and film director. He spent his early years in Binningen.
• Otto Abt (1903–1982): A Swiss painter born in Binningen.
• Ruedi Walter (1916–1990): A well-known comedian and actor who lived in Binningen.
• Kurt Baldinger (1919–2007): A Swiss expert in languages and old texts, born in Binningen.
• Peter-Lukas Graf (born 1929): A talented flutist.
• Peter Monteverdi (1934–1998):
  

  Peter Monteverdi
  A Swiss carmaker who created the Monteverdi car brand. He was born in Binningen.
• Hans Fünfschilling (born 1940): A politician who served as a senator for Basel-Country.
• Claude Janiak (born 1948): A lawyer and politician who was president of the Swiss National Council. He has worked in Binningen since 1978.
• Martin Senn (1954–2016): A Swiss insurance manager who was the CEO of Zurich Insurance Group. He was born in Binningen.
• Andreas Zivy (born 1955): A Swiss businessman born in Binningen, who still lives there.
• Krystian Zimerman (born 1956): A Polish pianist and conductor who lives in Binningen.

Sports Stars from Binningen

• Oumar Kondé (born 1979): A former Swiss football player.
• Roger Federer (born 1981):
  

  Roger Federer
  One of the greatest tennis players of all time. He was born in the Binningen Cantonal Hospital.
• Noah Okafor (born 2000): A Swiss football player born in Binningen.

See also

In Spanish: Binningen para niños