Ganterschwil facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ganterschwil
Former municipality of Switzerland
Coat of arms
Ganterschwil Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Ganterschwil Location in Canton of St. Gallen Show map of Canton of St. Gallen
Country	Switzerland
Canton	St. Gallen
District	Toggenburg
Area
• Total	8.01 km2 (3.09 sq mi)
Elevation	606 m (1,988 ft)
Population  (Dec 2011)
• Total	1,196
• Density	149.31/km2 (386.7/sq mi)
Postal code	9608
Surrounded by	Bütschwil, Lütisburg, Mogelsberg, Oberhelfschwil

Ganterschwil was once a small town, or municipality, in Switzerland. It was part of the Toggenburg area in the St. Gallen canton.

On January 1, 2013, Ganterschwil joined with the nearby town of Bütschwil. They formed a new, larger municipality called Bütschwil-Ganterschwil.

History of Ganterschwil

Ganterschwil has a long history. The town was first mentioned in official records in the year 779. Back then, its name was written as Cantrichesuilare.

Geography and Landscape

Ganterschwil covered an area of about 8.1 square kilometers (about 3.1 square miles). A large part of this land, about 63.8%, was used for farming. Forests covered about 26.2% of the area.

About 7% of the land had buildings or roads. The rest, about 3%, was made up of rivers or lakes.

Location and Hamlets

Ganterschwil was located on a high plateau. This area is between two rivers, the Thur and the Neckar.

The municipality included the main village of Ganterschwil. It also had several smaller settlements called hamlets. These hamlets were Äwil, Anzenwil, Bleiken, Ötschwil, and Tobel. There were also many scattered farmhouses.

Wooden bridge between Mogelsberg and Ganterschwil

Aerial view of Ganterschwil (1923)

Coat of Arms

The coat of arms for Ganterschwil has a special design. It shows a woodpecker standing on a green base. In the top left corner, there is a black star.

People and Population

In 2011, Ganterschwil had a population of 1,196 people. Most people in Ganterschwil speak German. This is one of Switzerland's national languages.

Education and Learning

People in Switzerland are generally well-educated. In Ganterschwil, many adults had completed higher education. This means they went to a university or a similar advanced school.

Population Changes Over Time

The number of people living in Ganterschwil has changed over the years. Here is a look at the population at different times:

Economy and Work

In 2005, many people in Ganterschwil worked in farming. This is called the primary economic sector. Others worked in manufacturing or construction, which is the secondary sector. Many more worked in services, like shops or offices. This is known as the tertiary sector.

Local Businesses

One important company in Ganterschwil was Berlinger & Co. AG. This family-owned company makes special equipment. They create devices to monitor temperatures for medicines and chemicals. They also make systems for doping control in sports. Their products were used for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Religion

In 2000, most people in Ganterschwil were Roman Catholic. Many others belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. A smaller number of people followed other Christian faiths or were Islamic. Some people did not belong to any church.

Village church of Ganterschwil

See also

In Spanish: Ganterschwil para niños