Rankweil facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rankweil
Coat of arms
Location in the district
Rankweil Location in Austria
Country	Austria
State	Vorarlberg
District	Feldkirch
Area
• Total	21.87 km2 (8.44 sq mi)
Elevation	468 m (1,535 ft)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	6830
Area code	05522
Vehicle registration	FK
Website	www.rankweil.at

Rankweil is a cool town in Vorarlberg, which is a state in western Austria. It's the second biggest town in the Feldkirch district and the eighth largest in all of Vorarlberg.

Where is Rankweil?

Rankweil is located in the southern Rhine Valley. The biggest river here is the Frutz. A smaller channel called the Mühlbach was dug from the Frutz. It flows through the town and powers ten small hydroelectric plants.

The town has two main parts: Brederis and Rankweil itself. It shares borders with several other towns. These include Koblach, Röthis, Sulz, Zwischenwasser, Laterns, Übersaxen, Satteins, Göfis, Feldkirch, and Meiningen.

A Look at Rankweil's Past

From Roman Times to Today

Long ago, during the Roman Empire, Rankweil was known as "Vinomna." It was a very important place for travel. Many stone-paved Roman roads met here, including a main road from Chur to Augsburg. Rankweil was first officially mentioned in the year 842.

In 1375, the Counts of Montfort sold the area of Feldkirch, which included Rankweil, to the Habsburgs. The Habsburgs were a powerful royal family. In 1618, Rankweil was given "market rights." This meant it could hold its own markets. Since 1918, Rankweil has been part of the Austrian state of Vorarlberg.

How Many People Live Here?

Rankweil is known as a “family plus”-community. This is a special award from the state of Vorarlberg. It means the community is very friendly and supportive for families.

Cool Places to See in Rankweil

Rankweil is famous as a place where people go on pilgrimages. A pilgrimage is a special journey to a holy place. The town is especially known for its beautiful Basilica.

Pilgrimage Church: Our Dear Lady Mary Visitation

This church is also called the Basilica Rankweil. It started as a fortress church around the year 700. Since the 9th century, it has been the main church for a large area. A big fire in 1445 damaged the church badly.

• Renovation and Art: From 1470 onwards, the church was fixed up and made bigger. The most important artwork is a wooden sculpture of Mary and her child. It was made by Johannes Rueland in 1470. Since 1757, this sculpture has been part of a fancy, gold-plated altar.
• Special Title: In 1985, the church got the special title of a Minor Basilica. It is also located on an Austrian part of the Camino de Santiago, a famous walking route. You can even see this church on Rankweil's coat of arms!

St. Peter's Church

St. Peter's Church was first mentioned in the year 817. It is located in the old part of Rankweil. In 1627, it was changed to the Baroque style, which is a very decorative art style.

Open-Air Museum “Villa Rustica”

The Villa Rustica was a large farm built by Roman settlers. It had several buildings and was built in the first century AD. In 1954, people found the remains of a building with a curved end and a floor heating system. More parts of the main building and a Roman bathhouse were dug up between 2002 and 2007.

Sigmund Nachbauer Memorial

This monument was put up in 1910. It remembers Josef Sigmund Nachbauer. He led the local soldiers, called the Rankweiler Schützen, during the Napoleonic wars. He led an uprising against Bavaria in 1809. Sadly, he was captured in 1813 and died in a fortress that same year.

The Town Hall

The current town hall still has old cellar vaults from a building built before 1500. The community of Rankweil has owned it since 1822. Over the years, it has been used for many things. It was a court, a school, a bank, and even homes for teachers and doctors. Since it was renovated in 1998, it has been used as the town hall again.

Wine Production at Liebfrauenberg

Wine was first mentioned as being made at the Liebfrauenberg in 842. Wine making was very successful in the 14th and 15th centuries. However, bad harvests and plant diseases caused it to stop. Also, the new Arlberg railway brought cheaper wines from Italy. Wine production started again in 1983.

Museum of Printmaking

The Museum of Printmaking opened in 2004. It has a fully working print shop inside! The museum's main goal is to show and keep alive the old ways of printmaking.

Natalie Beer Museum

This museum is dedicated to Natalie Beer, a poet and writer. She lived in Rankweil for many years until she passed away in 1987. The museum displays her personal items and many of her writings.

Culture and Fun in Rankweil

Rankweil has 125 different clubs! These clubs are involved in sports, culture, music, religion, and family activities. The Altes Kino club is famous for organizing concerts. They have hosted many national and international musicians. Some famous names include Zucchero, Bryan Adams, Gianna Nannini, Amy Macdonald, Dave Brubeck, and Hubert von Goisern.

Events in Rankweil

• Autumn Market: A yearly market in the fall.
• Annual Fair: Another yearly fair with lots of fun.
• Rankweil Sommer: A special holiday program during the summer. It offers more than 40 different events for everyone to enjoy.
• Carnival Parade: Every two years, a colorful carnival parade takes place in Rankweil.

Sports in Rankweil

Rankweil has great places for sports! You can find soccer fields, tennis courts, and golf courses. There's also a skate park, a place for sports shooters, an ice rink, and a fitness trail.

Sports Clubs

• FC Rot-Weiß Rankweil (soccer)
• HC Rankweil (ice hockey)
• Team Vorarlberg (cycling)

Economy and Businesses

Rankweil has many taverns, which are like old inns or pubs. This is because it has been a pilgrimage site for a long time. About 47 percent of the town's land is used for farming.

Companies from Rankweil

• Rauch
• Hirschmann Automotive
• Kunert Textile Technology
• Mahle König

Getting Around Rankweil

Rankweil railway station is a train stop on the Vorarlberg railway line. It is served by local trains called S1 and R5. There is also a faster regional train called REX 1.

Famous People from Rankweil

Many talented people have come from Rankweil:

• Mario Reiter (*1970) – An alpine skier and Olympic champion.
• Klaus Bodenmüller (*1962) – An athlete and European champion.
• Wolfgang Linder (*1961) – A writer and comedian.
• Günter Dietrich (*1941) – A politician who was a member of the Vorarlberg State Parliament and the National Council of Austria.
• Mario He (*1993) – A billiards player.
• Herbert Keßler (*1925) – A former governor of Vorarlberg.
• Egmont Jenny (1924-2010) – A doctor, politician, and writer.
• Mathias Jenny (1865-1939) – A local council member and a member of the National Council of Austria.

Images for kids

• 

  A view of Rankweil's business park.

• 

  The coat of arms of Rankweil.

• 

  A map showing Rankweil's location in the district.

See also

In Spanish: Rankweil para niños