Gächlingen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gächlingen
Coat of arms
Gächlingen Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Gächlingen Location in Canton of Schaffhausen Show map of Canton of Schaffhausen
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Schaffhausen
District	n.a.
Area
• Total	7.13 km2 (2.75 sq mi)
Elevation	460 m (1,510 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	903
• Density	126.65/km2 (328.0/sq mi)
Postal code	8214
Surrounded by	Neunkirch, Oberhallau, Schleitheim, Siblingen

Gächlingen is a small town, also called a municipality, in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland. It's a place with a long history and beautiful natural surroundings.

History of Gächlingen

An aerial view of Gächlingen from 1923, taken by Walter Mittelholzer.

The area near Gächlingen holds a special place in Swiss history. It was home to the very first long-term farming community in what is now Switzerland. This early settlement, known as the Linear Band Ceramic culture, began around 6000 BC. These people were farmers, not just hunter-gatherers, and they built homes and workshops.

Gächlingen was first mentioned in an old document from the 10th century, where it was called Câhtelinga. Later, in 1049, it was referred to as Gehtelinga.

Geography and Landscape

Gächlingen covers an area of about 7.3 square kilometers (about 2.8 square miles). A large part of this land, about 75%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 17.6% of the area. The rest of the land, around 7%, has buildings and roads. Only a tiny bit, 0.3%, is made up of rivers or lakes.

The town is located in the Oberklettgau district. It is known as a wine-producing village. You can find it on the southern side of the Randen mountain.

Important Heritage Sites

Goldäcker: Switzerland's First Farm Settlement

The Goldäcker site in Gächlingen is very important. It's a Neolithic settlement, meaning it dates back to the New Stone Age. This site is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance. This means it's a very important historical place for the whole country.

Before Goldäcker, people in Switzerland were mostly nomadic hunter-gatherers. But around 6000 BC, a group of early farmers, from the Linear Band Ceramic Culture, moved into the area. They settled in a small village on the western edge of modern Gächlingen. Their settlement had houses and buildings where they made things. This makes Goldäcker the first long-term farming community in Switzerland.

Gächlingen Village: A Protected Site

Besides Goldäcker, the entire village of Gächlingen is also special. It's part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. This means the whole village is recognized for its historical and cultural importance.

Gächlingen's Coat of Arms

The blazon (or official description) of Gächlingen's coat of arms tells us about its design. It shows a red background with a silver sickle and a silver plowshare. The sickle has a gold ring, and its handle looks natural. These symbols likely represent the town's farming history and its connection to the land.

Population and People

Who Lives in Gächlingen?

As of 2008, Gächlingen had a population of 764 people. About 5.5% of these residents were from other countries. Over the last 10 years, the population has gone down a little, by about 5.5%.

Most people in Gächlingen, about 96.1%, speak German. Albanian is the second most common language, spoken by 1.0% of the population. Italian is third, spoken by 0.7%.

Age Groups in Gächlingen

Looking at the age of the people in Gächlingen (as of 2008):

• Children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 18.8% of the population.
• Adults (20–64 years old) make up 61.5%.
• Seniors (over 64 years old) make up 19.6%.

Politics and Education

In the 2007 national election, the most popular political group was the SVP. They received 47.4% of the votes. The next two popular parties were the SP (29.6%) and the FDP (23.1%). These are all major political parties in Switzerland.

Many adults in Gächlingen have completed further education after basic school. About 74.6% of people aged 25–64 have finished either advanced secondary education or higher education like university or a specialized college (a Fachhochschule).

In terms of schooling (as of 2007):

• About 0.77% of children attend kindergarten or pre-school.
• 7.35% attend Primary School.
• 2.96% attend a lower level Secondary School.
• 4.77% attend a higher level Secondary School.

Religious Beliefs

As of 2000, about 11.5% of the people in Gächlingen belonged to the Roman Catholic Church. A larger group, 74.3%, belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.

Population Over Time

Here's how Gächlingen's population has changed over the years:

Economy and Jobs

Gächlingen has a low unemployment rate, meaning most people who want jobs can find them. The rate was 1.03%.

The jobs in Gächlingen can be divided into three main types:

• Primary sector: This includes jobs related to natural resources, like farming. In 2005, 84 people worked in this area, with about 30 businesses.
• Secondary sector: This involves manufacturing and making things. There were 46 people working in this sector, with 10 businesses.
• Tertiary sector: This covers service jobs, like shops, offices, and restaurants. 48 people worked here, with 18 businesses.

As of 2008, the average unemployment rate was even lower, at 0.5%. Many people who live in Gächlingen also work there. However, 277 residents travel outside Gächlingen for work. At the same time, 93 people come into Gächlingen to work.

The town also has a restaurant, which employed 1 person as of 2008.

Images for kids

• 

  A view of the Klettgau region, where Gächlingen is located.

• 

  The coat of arms of Gächlingen.

See also

In Spanish: Gächlingen para niños