Näfels facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Näfels
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 Näfels
Location in Switzerland
Näfels
Location in Canton of Glarus
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Glarus | |
| District | n.a. | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 36.93 km2 (14.26 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 437 m (1,434 ft) | |
| Highest elevation
(Rautispitz)
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2,283 m (7,490 ft) | |
| Population
(December 2020)
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| • Total | 4,021 | |
| • Density | 108.882/km2 (282.00/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
8752
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| Surrounded by | Glarus, Innerthal (SZ), Mollis, Netstal, Oberurnen | |
| Twin towns | Bad Säckingen (Germany) | |
Näfels was once a separate town, or municipality, in the canton of Glarus in Switzerland. On January 1, 2011, Näfels joined with other towns to become part of a new, larger municipality called Glarus Nord.
Contents
History of Näfels
Näfels was first mentioned in old records way back in 1240. It was called Nevels then.
The Battle of Näfels
A very important event in Näfels' history happened in 1388. This was the Battle of Näfels. In this battle, the Swiss Confederates fought against the Habsburgs. The Habsburgs were a powerful royal family from Austria.
The Swiss won this battle. It was a big victory that helped end many fights between the Swiss and the Austrians during the 1300s. A peace treaty was signed in Vienna in 1389. The Habsburgs lost many more soldiers than the Swiss. About 2,500 Austrian soldiers were killed, while only 54 Swiss soldiers died.
To remember the soldiers who died, a special chapel called the Slachtkapelle was built in Näfels. Every April since the battle, people go on a special trip called the Näfelser Fahrt. This is a pilgrimage to the place where the battle happened.
Geography of Näfels
Näfels covers an area of about 36.9 square kilometers (about 14.2 square miles). A large part of this land, about 35.9%, is used for farming. Forests cover another big part, about 37.6% of the area.
About 4.4% of the land has buildings or roads. The rest, about 22.1%, is made up of things like rivers, glaciers, or mountains. These parts are not used for farming or building.
Näfels is located in a part of the Glarus valley called the Glarner Unterland. It sits on the left side of the valley, across from the town of Mollis. Näfels includes the main village and smaller scattered homes in the Näfelser Berg and the Oberseetal areas.
People of Näfels
In 2010, Näfels had a population of 4,021 people. About 19.3% of the people living there in 2007 were from other countries. Over the last 10 years, the number of people living in Näfels has gone down a little bit.
Most people in Näfels speak German, about 86.9% of them. Italian is the second most common language, spoken by 5.2% of the people. Albanian is the third most common, spoken by 2.9%.
Education and Jobs
Many adults in Näfels, about 64% of those aged 25 to 64, have finished high school or gone on to higher education. This includes university or a special college called a Fachhochschule.
Näfels has a low unemployment rate, which means most people who want jobs can find them. About 1.59% of people are unemployed.
In 2005, many people worked in different types of jobs:
- Primary sector: 94 people worked in jobs like farming. There were about 39 businesses in this area.
- Secondary sector: 1,399 people worked in factories or construction. There were 62 businesses in this area.
- Tertiary sector: 918 people worked in service jobs, like shops, offices, or tourism. There were 140 businesses in this area.
Transportation
The Näfels-Mollis railway station is on the train line that goes from Weesen to Linthal. You can catch two different train services here:
- The Zürich S-Bahn service S25 travels between Linthal and Zürich.
- The St. Gallen S-Bahn service S6 travels between Rapperswil and Schwanden.
Both of these trains run once every hour. This means that between Ziegelbrücke and Schwanden, you can usually find two trains per hour.
Famous People from Näfels
Some notable people have come from Näfels:
- Niklaus Franz von Bachmann (1740–1831) was a Swiss general who fought in the wars during the time of Napoleon.
- Karl Josef von Bachmann (1734–1792) was a commander of the Swiss Guard for King Louis XVI of France. He was executed during the French Revolution.
- Friedrich Schröder (1910—1972) was a German composer who was born in Näfels.
Gallery
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Church
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Battle memorial
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St. Hilarius Parish Church
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Franciscan abbey
See also
In Spanish: Näfels para niños
