Stein am Rhein facts for kids

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Stein am Rhein

Coat of arms

Stein am Rhein

Location in Switzerland

Stein am Rhein

Location in Canton of Schaffhausen

Switzerland

n.a.

Area

• Total

5.79 km² (2.24 sq mi)

Elevation

(Ehem. Benedektinerkloster St. Georgen)

401 m (1,316 ft)

Population

(Dec 2020 )

• Total

3,561

• Density

615.0/km² (1,592.9/sq mi)

Postal code

8260

Surrounded by

Eschenz (TG), Hemishofen, Öhningen (DE-BW), Wagenhausen (TG)

Stein am Rhein, often called Stein a. R., is a super old and beautiful town in Switzerland. It's located in the canton of Schaffhausen. This town is famous for its amazing medieval center. Imagine walking on streets that look just like they did hundreds of years ago! The old city walls are now part of houses, but you can still see the city gates. The best part is that many of the old buildings are covered in colorful paintings called frescoes. It's like an open-air art gallery!

History of Stein am Rhein

Stein am Rhein in 1642

Painted houses with bay windows in the Old Town

Aerial view of Stein am Rhein in 1919

Around the year 1007, a very important person named Emperor Henry II made a big change. He moved St George's Abbey to Stein am Rhein. Back then, Stein am Rhein was just a small fishing village by the Rhine river. The Emperor wanted to make his presence stronger at this important spot. It was a place where major roads and river routes met.

How the Town Grew

The Emperor gave the abbots (leaders of the abbey) special rights. These rights helped them control trade in Stein am Rhein. Because of this, the town grew very quickly and became rich. By the 15th century, it even had a special status, almost like its own independent city. The abbey itself also became very wealthy. In the 1400s, they completely rebuilt their buildings. Today, these buildings are a great example of late Gothic architecture in the area.

Changes During the Reformation

Later, during a time called the Reformation, the abbey changed a lot. It was no longer a religious place, and its money and land were taken over by the city of Zürich. The abbot, named von Winkelsheim, tried to make a deal. He wanted to stay in the abbey with the other monks until they passed away. However, Zürich thought he was secretly working with the Habsburgs. So, they locked him up! He managed to escape but sadly passed away soon after in 1526.

A Difficult Day in World War II

On February 22, 1945, during World War II, something sad happened. The town was accidentally bombed by the United States Air Force.

Town Symbol: The Coat of Arms

The coat of arms for Stein am Rhein is quite special. It shows Saint George riding a horse and fighting a dragon. Saint George is wearing blue armor and has a golden halo. He holds a shield with a red cross on it and a golden spear. This image is a direct reference to the monastery of St. George in the town. It looks a bit like the coat of arms of Moscow too!

Geography and Nature

Aerial view of Stein am Rhein, showing the Rhine river and the compact medieval town

Stein am Rhein covers an area of about 6.05 square kilometers (or 2.34 square miles). A good portion of this land, about 29.9%, is used for farming. Forests cover a large part too, about 42.4% of the area. The town itself, with its buildings and roads, takes up 22% of the land. The rest, about 5.7%, is made up of rivers or lakes.

People of Stein am Rhein

As of 2022, Stein am Rhein has a population of about 3,600 people. About 20.6% of the people living here are from other countries. Many of these foreign residents come from Germany, Serbia, and North Macedonia.

Languages Spoken

Most people in Stein am Rhein speak German. This is the main language for about 89.2% of the population. Other languages spoken include Serbo-Croatian and Albanian.

Age Groups

The town has a good mix of different age groups.

Children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up about 19.2% of the population.
Adults (20–64 years old) are the largest group, at 59.2%.
Seniors (over 64 years old) make up about 21.5%.

Education in the Town

Many adults in Stein am Rhein have a good education. About 75% of people aged 25–64 have finished either high school or gone on to higher education, like a university. In 2007, about 1.65% of children attended kindergarten, and 5.66% were in primary school.

Religious Groups

In 2000, about 50.6% of the people in Stein am Rhein belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. About 25.1% were part of the Roman Catholic Church.

Population Over Time

Here's how the population has changed over the years:

Year	Population
1990	2,815
2000	2,995

Economy and Work

Street "Unterstadt" and Untertor (lower gate and clock tower)

Stein am Rhein has a low unemployment rate, which means most people who want to work can find jobs. In 2007, it was about 1.74%.

Types of Jobs

People in Stein am Rhein work in different kinds of jobs:

Primary sector: About 61 people work in jobs like farming. There are about 14 businesses in this area.
Secondary sector: Around 553 people work in manufacturing or construction. There are 45 businesses in this sector.
Tertiary sector: The largest group, about 856 people, work in services like shops, hotels, or offices. There are 172 businesses in this sector.

Many people who live in Stein am Rhein also travel to other towns for work. And many people from other places come to Stein am Rhein to work here.

Tourism and Hospitality

The town is a popular place for visitors. In 2008, there were 16 restaurants and 10 hotels. These places had 435 beds for guests. The tourism industry in Stein am Rhein employs about 105 people.

Getting Around: Transport

Stein am Rhein Aerial panorama

The Stein am Rhein railway station is on the other side of the Rhine river from the old town. It's about a 500-meter (1,600 ft) walk to get there. Trains run every 30 minutes to places like Schaffhausen, St. Gallen, and Winterthur. There are also buses that can take you to nearby towns like Singen and Frauenfeld.

Culture and Heritage

Stein am Rhein is very proud of its old buildings and history. In 1972, it won the first Wakker Prize. This award is given to Swiss towns that do a great job of preserving their old buildings. The award noted that Stein am Rhein is special because it has so many important old buildings close together. It also praised how well the town takes care of its heritage.

Famous People from Stein am Rhein

Mathias Gnädinger (1941–2015) was a famous Swiss actor for stage and film. He lived in Stein am Rhein.

Important Heritage Sites

Stein am Rhein has many buildings that are considered very important national heritage sites. These are places that are protected because of their history and beauty.

Churches: There are three important churches: the old monastery church of St. Georg, the former Benedictine monastery church of St. Georgen, and the Castle Church (Kirche auf Burg).
Castles and Walls: Burg Hohenklingen, which sits above the town, is an old castle from the late Roman times. The old city walls are also on the list.
Historic Houses: In the old city, several houses and town buildings are very important. These include:

* The former Inn Rother Ochsen at Rathausplatz 9 * Haus Neubu at Bärengass 7 * Haus zum Lindwurm at Understadt 18 * Haus zum Weissen Adler at Oberstadt 1 * Haus zur Vorderen Krone at Rathausplatz 7 * The Town Hall at Rathausplatz 1

All these places help tell the story of Stein am Rhein's long and interesting past!