Flawil facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Flawil
Coat of arms
Flawil Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Flawil Location in Canton of St. Gallen Show map of Canton of St. Gallen
Country	Switzerland
Canton	St. Gallen
District	Wil
Area
• Total	11.47 km2 (4.43 sq mi)
Elevation	610 m (2,000 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	10,510
• Density	916.3/km2 (2,373.2/sq mi)
Postal code	9230
Surrounded by	Degersheim, Gossau, Herisau (AR), Oberbüren, Oberuzwil
Twin towns	Isny (Germany)

Flawil is a town in Switzerland, located in the canton of St. Gallen. It is home to just over 10,000 people. Flawil is considered a local center for the Untertoggenburg region. It belongs to the Wil area, which is called a Wahlkreis (constituency).

History of Flawil

Flawil was first mentioned in old records in the year 858. Back then, it was known as Flawilare marcho. Some of the small villages nearby were also mentioned around the same time. For example, Alterswil was first noted in 858. Oberglatt appeared in records as early as 731. Burgau was mentioned in 964.

Geography of Flawil

Aerial view of Flawil from 100 meters (1920)

Flawil covers an area of about 11.5 square kilometers (4.4 square miles). A large part of this land, about 53%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 22.6% of the area. Around 23% of the land is built up with buildings and roads. A small part, 1.3%, is made up of rivers or lakes.

The town is located in the Wil area. It used to be the main town of an older district. To the northeast, Flawil is bordered by the Wissbach valley and the Glatt river. Flawil includes the main town and smaller villages called hamlets. These include Botsberg, Alterswil, and Burgau. There are also many scattered farmhouses.

Flawil's Coat of Arms

The blazon of Flawil's coat of arms is described as Chequy Argent and Gules and a Chief Or. This means it has a pattern of silver and red squares. Above this pattern, there is a golden band at the top.

People and Population

Flawil has a population of over 10,000 people. About 26.5% of the people living in Flawil are from other countries. Many different languages are spoken here. Most people, about 84.5%, speak German. Italian and Serbo-Croatian are the next most common languages.

The population includes people of all ages. About 13% of the population are children aged 0 to 9 years old. Another 13.4% are teenagers between 10 and 19 years old. The adult population includes people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s. There are also many seniors, including those over 90 years old.

Many people in Flawil live in families. About 57.4% of people live in homes with a couple and their children. Around 20.9% are couples without children. About 12.9% of people live alone.

In the 2007 national election, the most popular political party was the SVP. They received about 31.9% of the votes. Other popular parties included the FDP, CVP, and SP.

Swiss people are generally well educated. In Flawil, about 64.7% of adults aged 25-64 have finished high school or gone on to higher education. This includes university or a specialized college.

Here is how Flawil's population has grown over time:

Transportation in Flawil

Bahnhofstrasse (Station Street) in Flawil

Flawil has its own train station. Trains run every half hour towards Zürich and St.Gallen. A train ride to Zurich takes about one hour. Getting to St.Gallen takes about 15 minutes. There are also local commuter trains for shorter trips.

If you travel by car, the closest entrances to the A1 national motorway are in the nearby towns of Gossau and Uzwil.

Important Heritage Sites

Flawil has some important historical buildings. The Old Town Council building, known as Altes Rathaus, is in Burgau. The Hotel-Restaurant Hirschen (Gasthof Hirschen) in Oberglatt is also very old. These two buildings are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance. This means they are very important cultural landmarks for the country.

The small villages of Burgau, Raaschberg, and Oberglatt are also recognized as important Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.

Economy and Jobs

Flawil's economy used to rely heavily on factories and manufacturing. While this has changed a bit, the town is still famous for making Swiss chocolate. Well-known brands like Maestrani, Munz, and Minor are produced here. Other companies in Flawil make cotton products and bandages (FLAWA AG). Some specialize in metal parts (SFS intec AG) or laboratory equipment (BÜCHI Laboratory Equipment).

In 2005, about 113 people worked in farming. Around 1,705 people worked in manufacturing and industry. The largest number of people, 1,896, worked in the service sector. This includes jobs in shops, offices, and healthcare.

Many people who live in Flawil also work in the town. However, many residents travel to other towns for work. Also, many people from outside Flawil come into the town to work.

Healthcare Services

Flawil has a cantonal hospital. This means it is a hospital supported by the canton (state) of St. Gallen. It provides important healthcare services for the community.

Religion in Flawil

The main religious groups in Flawil are Roman-Catholic and Protestant (Swiss Reformed Church). There are also smaller churches, like a Methodist community.

According to a 2000 census, about 46.1% of the people were Roman Catholic. Around 29.6% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. Other groups included the Orthodox Church and other Christian churches. There was also a notable number of people who were Islamic. Some people belonged to no church or did not answer the question.

Weather in Flawil

Flawil experiences about 146.8 days of rain or snow each year. On average, it receives about 1280 millimeters (50 inches) of precipitation annually.

The wettest month is usually August. During this month, Flawil gets about 149 millimeters (5.9 inches) of rain or snow. It rains or snows for about 13.3 days in August. May has the most days with precipitation, averaging 14.2 days, but with slightly less total rain. The driest month of the year is October, with about 76 millimeters (3 inches) of precipitation.

Notable People from Flawil

Belinda Bencic, a professional tennis player born in Flawil

Flawil has been home to several well-known individuals:

• Anton Weibel (born 1941), a former Swiss football player who played for the national team.
• Jost Gross (1946–2005), a lawyer and Swiss politician. He was a member of the Swiss National Council.
• Balthasar Bickel (born 1965), a Swiss linguist who studies different languages.
• Mathias Seger (born 1977), a former professional ice hockey player from Switzerland.
• Manuela Zehnder (born 1983), a former professional squash player who lives in Flawil.
• Thomas Schmid (born 1995), a Swiss rally car driver.
• Gino Mäder (1997–2023), a talented road and track cyclist.
• Belinda Bencic (born 1997 in Flawil), a Swiss professional tennis player.

See also

In Spanish: Flawil para niños