Bischofszell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bischofszell
|
||
|---|---|---|
Bischofszell
|
||
|
||
 Bischofszell
Location in Switzerland
Bischofszell
Location in Canton of Thurgau
|
||
| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Thurgau | |
| District | Weinfelden | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 11.58 km2 (4.47 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 506 m (1,660 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
|
||
| • Total | 5,907 | |
| • Density | 510.10/km2 (1,321.2/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
9220
|
|
| Surrounded by | Hauptwil-Gottshaus, Hohentannen, Kradolf-Schönenberg, Niederbüren (SG), Niederhelfenschwil (SG), Waldkirch (SG), Zihlschlacht-Sitterdorf | |
| Twin towns | Möhringen, Tuttlingen (Germany), Battaglia Terme (Italy), Waidhofen an der Ybbs (Austria), San Luis Obispo (United States of America) | |
Bischofszell (which sounds like Bischefzèl in the local Alemannic dialect) is a cool town in Switzerland. It's a municipality in the Weinfelden District of the Thurgau canton. It's also the main town of its district. In 1987, Bischofszell won the Wakker Prize for doing a great job of keeping its old, beautiful buildings safe and sound.
Contents
Exploring Bischofszell's Location
Bischofszell has two main parts. There's an older part built on a hill, and a newer, more industrial part to the north. Two rivers, the Sitter and the Thur, meet right outside Bischofszell. The forests nearby and the riverbanks are awesome places to hang out and relax. If you want to visit a bigger city, St. Gallen is only about 30 minutes away by train or car.
The town covers about 11.62 square kilometers (about 4.5 square miles). A big part of this land, over half, is used for farming. About a quarter of the area is covered by forests, which are great for exploring. The rest of the land has buildings, roads, and some rivers or lakes.
Bischofszell is located where the Thur and Sitter rivers join. It includes the main town, plus smaller areas like Halden and parts of Schweizersholz and Gottshaus.
Who Lives in Bischofszell?
Bischofszell has a population of about 5,466 people. Most people in Bischofszell speak German, which makes sense since it's in Switzerland! Other languages spoken include Portuguese and Serbo-Croatian.
The town has a good mix of people of all ages. There are lots of children and teenagers, making up about 22% of the population. There are also many adults and older people, making it a diverse community.
Most households in Bischofszell have about 2 to 3 people. Many families live in single-family homes. There are also apartments of different sizes available for rent.
Cool Historic Places in Bischofszell
Bischofszell has some really old and important buildings. Seven of them are listed as heritage sites of national significance. This means they are super important to Switzerland's history!
Some of these special places include:
- Two old houses: the Daller House and the double house Rebstock / Rosenstock.
- A former paper factory with its old paper machines.
- The Museum Bischofszell, which has a cool map collection.
- The Catholic Church of St. Pelagius, which has a chapel dedicated to St. Michael.
- The Rathaus (Town Council House), built a long time ago in the 1740s.
- The Alte Thurbrücke, an old bridge over the Thur river.
The whole city of Bischofszell is part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites, meaning its entire old town is special and protected.
-
Town council house
-
Alte Thurbrücke (Bridge)
-
Chapelle of St. Michael and Schottengasse
Fun Things to See and Do
The old part of Bischofszell is full of historic buildings, including the former bishop's home. Every year, at the end of June, the town celebrates "Rosen- und Kulturwoche" (Roses and Culture Week). During this time, the town is decorated with over 40 amazing rose displays! There are also concerts and balls.
Around Easter, many of the fountains in Bischofszell are decorated with Easter themes, which looks really pretty. In May, there's an annual rafting race. The large weir (a small dam) is a tricky spot in the race, and the bridge above it is a popular place to watch the rafts go by.
Other cool sights include:
- The "Thurbrücke": This is one of the most famous bridges from the late Middle Ages in Switzerland.
- The "Bogenturm": This was the eastern gate and guard tower of the old Bischofszell.
- The Reformed Church: A modern church building from the late 1960s.
Bischofszell's Economy
Bischofszell has a healthy economy with many people working in different jobs. There are jobs in farming, manufacturing, and services. Many people who live in Bischofszell also work in the town, while others travel to nearby places for work.
Two important companies in Bischofszell are:
- Bischofszell Nahrungsmittel AG: This company makes lots of different foods like fruit juices, jams, canned goods, and ready-to-eat meals. They supply these products to the big supermarket chain Migros and also export them to other countries.
- Molkerei Biedermann AG: This dairy company produces organic dairy products for many national and international stores, including Coop and Migros.
Learning in Bischofszell
Switzerland is known for its good education system, and Bischofszell is no different. Most adults in the town have completed high school or gone on to higher education like university.
Bischofszell has its own school district for primary and secondary education. In a recent school year, there were over 1,100 students in total. This included children in kindergarten, and students in both lower and upper primary school. After primary school, students go to secondary school, where they are placed into different levels based on their academic performance.
Getting Around Bischofszell
Bischofszell is well-connected by train. It's located on the Sulgen–Gossau railway line and has two train stations: Bischofszell Nord and Bischofszell Stadt. Both stations are part of the St. Gallen S-Bahn network, which makes it easy to travel to other towns and cities.
Sister Cities
Bischofszell has special friendships with other towns around the world. These are called "twin towns" or "sister cities." They share culture and ideas. Bischofszell is twinned with:
Battaglia Terme in Italy
Tuttlingen in Germany
Waidhofen an der Ybbs in Austria
Famous People from Bischofszell
Many interesting people have connections to Bischofszell:
- Fridolin Sicher (1490–1546): A composer and organist from the Renaissance period.
- Johannes Zwick (c.1496–1542): A German reformer and hymn writer who sadly died of the plague in Bischofszell.
- Ludwig Haetzer (1500–1529): An Anabaptist linked to the Protestant Reformation.
- Theodore Bibliander (1509–1564): A Swiss scholar, publisher, and linguist.
- Gall Morel (1803–1872): A poet, scholar, and educator.
- Eduard de Muralt (1808–1895): A professor of theology and librarian.
- Amir Abrashi (born 1990): A professional Albanian football player.
See also
In Spanish: Bischofszell para niños
