Gossau, St. Gallen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gossau
Coat of arms
Gossau Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Gossau Location in Canton of St. Gallen Show map of Canton of St. Gallen
Country	Switzerland
Canton	St. Gallen
District	St. Gallen
Area
• Total	27.51 km2 (10.62 sq mi)
Elevation	638 m (2,093 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	17,990
• Density	653.94/km2 (1,693.7/sq mi)
Postal code	9200
Localities	Oberdorf, Mettendorf, Mooswies, Gerbhof
Surrounded by	Andwil, Flawil, Gaiserwald, Herisau (AR), Niederbüren, Oberbüren, St. Gallen, Waldkirch

Gossau is a town in Switzerland. It's located in the canton of St. Gallen, which is like a state or region. Gossau is part of the St. Gallen area, known as a Wahlkreis or constituency.

A Look Back in Time

Gossau has a long history! It was first mentioned in old records way back in the year 824. Back then, it was called Cozesaua.

Where is Gossau?

Aerial view by Walter Mittelholzer (1920)

Aerial view above Gossau

Gossau covers an area of about 27.5 square kilometers (about 10.6 square miles). A big part of this land, about 63%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 16.3% of the area. The rest of the land, about 20.1%, has buildings and roads. Only a tiny bit (0.6%) is made up of rivers or lakes.

Gossau is the biggest town in the valley between the Glatt Valley and the Sitter River. It's an important meeting point for roads connecting St. Gallen to Zürich, and Thurgau to Appenzell. The town includes the main village of Gossau and smaller areas like Mettendorf and Oberdorf. It also has several tiny villages called hamlets.

What's on the Coat of Arms?

The official symbol of Gossau, its coat of arms, is quite unique. It shows a red cross with three-leafed ends. This cross comes out of the mouth of a green dragon-like creature called a Wyvern. In the top left corner, there's a black bear standing on its hind legs.

People and Languages

Gossau has a population of about 18,000 people. Many different people live here. About 18.4% of the people are from other countries. Most people in Gossau speak German, which is about 88.4% of the population. Other languages spoken include Serbo-Croatian and Italian.

Age Groups in Gossau

The town has a mix of all ages. In 2000, about 11.9% of the population were children under 10 years old. Teenagers (10-19 years old) made up about 12.8%. Adults between 20 and 59 years old made up a large part of the population. Older adults, 60 years and above, made up about 14.8% of the population.

Education in Gossau

People in Switzerland are generally well-educated. In Gossau, many adults (aged 25–64) have finished high school or gone on to higher education. This could be a university or a specialized college.

How Gossau's Population Grew

The number of people living in Gossau has changed a lot over time. Here's a quick look:

Important Historical Places

Gossau Industrial sector

Gossau has some important historical sites. One of them is the old Rubberband Factory at Stadtbühlstrasse 12. This building is considered a very important heritage site in Switzerland. Also, the village of Gossau itself and a nearby cultural area are recognized as important Swiss heritage sites.

What to See in Gossau

Castle Oberberg in Gossau

Gossau has some interesting buildings to visit.

• The Catholic Church of St. Andreas was built in 1732. It's a beautiful church with a unique oval dome.
• The Reformed church of Gossau was built later, between 1899 and 1900.
• Castle Oberberg is located east of Gossau. It was built in the 13th century. It was damaged during the Appenzell Wars (1401–1429) but was rebuilt in the 15th century. It's a late Gothic style castle.

How Gossau Works (Economy)

Gossau has a strong economy. Many people work in different areas.

• Some people work in the primary sector, which means farming or getting raw materials.
• A lot of people work in the secondary sector. This involves making things in factories.
• The biggest number of jobs are in the tertiary sector. This includes services like shops, offices, and healthcare.

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

Sports in Gossau

Gossau has its own football (soccer) team called FC Gossau.

Beliefs and Religions

In Gossau, many people are Roman Catholic, making up about 57.2% of the population. About 23.4% belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. There are also people who follow the Orthodox Church and other Christian faiths. Some people are Islamic, and a small number follow other religions. About 4.78% of the population do not belong to any church.

Famous People from Gossau

• Giulia Steingruber (born in 1994 in Gossau) is a well-known Swiss artistic gymnast. She won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Giulia Steingruber, 2015

See also

In Spanish: Gossau (San Galo) para niños