Herisau facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Herisau
Coat of arms
Herisau Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Herisau Location in Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden Show map of Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Appenzell Ausserrhoden
District	n.a.
Area
• Total	25.2 km2 (9.7 sq mi)
Elevation	771 m (2,530 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	15,649
• Density	621.0/km2 (1,608/sq mi)
Postal code	9100
Surrounded by	Degersheim (SG), Flawil (SG), Gossau (SG), Hundwil, St. Gallen (SG), Schwellbrunn, Stein, Waldstatt

Herisau is a town in Switzerland. It is the capital of the canton (like a state) called Appenzell Ausserrhoden. Herisau is where the canton's government and parliament meet. The courts are in a nearby town called Trogen.

Many old buildings in Herisau are very important. These include the main village area, the Protestant church from 1580, and some old houses like Wetter and zur Rose. The government building and its archives are also important historical sites.

Herisau is part of a group called the Alpine Town of the Year Association. This group helps towns in the Alps grow in a way that protects the environment. Herisau was even named 'Alpine Town of the Year' in 2003!

History of Herisau

An aerial view of Herisau from 1920.

Herisau was first written about in the year 837. Its church was mentioned in the year 907. In 1084, Herisau was destroyed during fights around the monastery in St. Gallen. The town was destroyed again in 1248 and 1249 by the monastery. This was to make sure the town stayed loyal to them.

In 1401, Herisau joined an alliance with other places in Appenzell. This was part of the Appenzell Wars. Between 1517 and 1518, Herisau was able to buy its freedom from the monastery. The town hall was built in 1601. In 1606, a big fire destroyed much of the town.

In 1648, Schwellbrunn became its own separate village. Until 1720, Waldstatt was also part of Herisau. Between 1798 and 1803, Herisau was the capital of the canton called Säntis.

Geography of Herisau

Herisau covers an area of about 25.2 square kilometers (9.7 square miles). More than half of this land (56.8%) is used for farming. About 27.1% is covered by forests. The rest of the land (15.5%) has buildings or roads. A small part (0.6%) is made up of rivers or mountains.

The town is located where two main roads meet. One road goes from St. Gallen to Toggenburg. The other goes from Gossau to Appenzell. Herisau is the capital of its half-canton. About one-third of all the people in the half-canton live in Herisau. It includes the main village and many smaller communities. It also has areas for homes and industries.

Population and People of Herisau

Herisau has a population of about 15,527 people (as of 2008). About 17.9% of these people are from other countries. Over the last 10 years, the population has gone down a little. Most people in Herisau (87.0%) speak German. Serbo-Croatian is the second most common language (3.8%). Italian is the third most common (3.4%).

In 2000, about 49.6% of the population was male and 50.4% was female.

• 7.5% of people were between 0 and 6 years old.
• 11.2% were between 6 and 15 years old.
• 5.3% were between 16 and 19 years old.
• 6.0% were between 20 and 24 years old.
• 30.0% were between 25 and 44 years old.
• 24.1% were between 45 and 64 years old.
• 10.7% were between 65 and 79 years old.
• 5.3% were over 80 years old.

Most people in Switzerland are well educated. In Herisau, about 66.2% of adults (aged 25-64) have finished high school or gone on to higher education. This could be a university or a special college.

Historical Population Trends

The table below shows how Herisau's population has changed over time.

Weather in Herisau

Herisau gets rain about 154 days each year. On average, it receives about 1413 mm (55.6 inches) of rain. July is the wettest month, with about 167 mm (6.6 inches) of rain. It rains for about 13.9 days in July. May has the most rainy days, with an average of 15.3 days. However, it gets less rain in May, about 142 mm (5.6 inches). February is the driest month, with about 82 mm (3.2 inches) of rain over 13.9 days.

Economy and Jobs in Herisau

Herisau is located in the middle of eastern Switzerland. It became an important center for trade and business as early as 1537.

Herisau has a low unemployment rate of 2.01%. As of 2005, many people worked in different types of jobs:

• 340 people worked in farming and related businesses. There were about 115 such businesses.
• 2,959 people worked in manufacturing and industry. There were 189 businesses in this area.
• 4,505 people worked in services, like shops, offices, and healthcare. There were 651 businesses in this sector.

Transportation in Herisau

The town has three train stations:

• Herisau
• Schachen (Herisau)
• Wilen

Sports in Herisau

The local ice hockey team, SC Herisau, plays in the Swiss 1. Liga. This is a high level of ice hockey in Switzerland.

Famous People from Herisau

Many notable people have lived in or were born in Herisau.

Johannes Zollikofer, 1691

Markus Zuercher, 2009

• Johannes Zollikofer (1633–1692), a priest who lived in Herisau.
• Santiago Roth (1850–1924), a paleontologist (someone who studies fossils).
• Jakob Heierli (1853–1912), an archaeologist (someone who studies old cultures).
• Johannes Baumann (1874–1953), a member of the Swiss Federal Council (a top government position).
• Hermann Rorschach (1884–1922), a famous psychologist.
• Robert Walser (1878–1956), a well-known Swiss writer.
• Hans-Rudolf Merz (born 1942), also a member of the Swiss Federal Council.
• Markus Zürcher (1946–2013), a visual artist known for conceptual art.
• Paul Giger (born 1952), a violinist and composer.
• Annette Gigon (born 1959), a Swiss architect.

Sports Stars from Herisau

• Fredy Lienhard, Sr. (born 1947), a Swiss racing car driver.
• Jörg Eberle (born 1962), a Swiss ice hockey player.
• Mathias Rusterholz (born 1971), a Swiss athlete who holds the Swiss 400-meter record.
• Jonas Hiller (born 1982), a Swiss ice hockey goalie who played for EHC Biel.
• Beat Forster (born 1983), a Swiss ice hockey player who also plays for EHC Biel.
• Timo Meier (born 1996), a Swiss ice hockey player who plays for the New Jersey Devils.

See also

In Spanish: Herisau para niños