Weinfelden Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Weinfelden

Coat of arms

Weinfelden

Location in Switzerland

Weinfelden

Location in Canton of Thurgau

Switzerland

Area

• Total

15.48 km² (5.98 sq mi)

Elevation

432 m (1,417 ft)

Population

(Dec 2020 )

• Total

11,629

• Density

751.23/km² (1,945.7/sq mi)

Postal code

8570

Surrounded by

Amlikon-Bissegg, Berg, Bürglen, Bussnang, Kemmental, Märstetten

Weinfelden is a town in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland. It is the main town of its district.

Weinfelden is an old town. During Roman times, it was known as Quivelda, which means "Winis Feld." Today, Weinfelden is well-known in Switzerland for its hockey team, HC Thurgau, which plays in the Swiss League.

History of Weinfelden
Geography of Weinfelden
People and Population
Important Buildings and Sites
Economy and Jobs
Religion in Weinfelden
Weather in Weinfelden
Education
Transport
Notable People from Weinfelden
Images for kids
See also

History of Weinfelden

Weinfelden Castle, a privately owned building.

An aerial view of Weinfelden from 1919.

Weinfelden has a long history. As early as 124 AD, the Romans had built a bridge over the Thur River here. The name Weinfelden was first written down in a document from the year 838.

For a long time, Weinfelden was the biggest town in the canton of Thurgau. In 1798, a leader named Paul Reinhart and his group helped the area gain freedom from the control of the Eidgenossen (the old Swiss Confederacy). In 1803, with help from Napoleon, Thurgau became its own independent canton, and Frauenfeld became its capital.

In 1830, a man named Thomas Bornhauser gave a speech in Weinfelden to a large crowd. He asked for a new, more modern set of rules (a liberal constitution) for the canton. This was one of the first times such a demand was made.

Today, you can see pictures of both Paul Reinhart and Thomas Bornhauser in the Rathaus, which is the town hall. Because Weinfelden is in the middle of the canton, some of the canton's government offices are located here, including the Thurgau cantonal bank. The main council of the canton also meets in Weinfelden during the winter.

Geography of Weinfelden

Weinfelden covers an area of about 15.5 square kilometers (about 6 square miles). A big part of this land, about 51.5%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 22.5% of the area. The rest of the land, about 25.2%, has buildings or roads. A small part, about 1.2%, is made up of rivers or lakes.

Most of the built-up areas are industrial buildings. There are also many homes and roads. Parks and sports fields make up about 5.5% of the town's developed land. Most of the forests are dense, and some areas have orchards or small groups of trees. All the water in Weinfelden is flowing water, like rivers.

People and Population

Weinfelden has a population of about 9,977 people. Around 19.9% of the people living here are from other countries. Most people in Weinfelden, about 86.7%, speak German. The next most common languages are Italian (3.2%) and Albanian (2.4%).

The population of Weinfelden has grown over the years. Here's how it has changed:

year	population
1950	6,085
1960	7,213
1980	9,007
1990	9,299
2000	9,456

Important Buildings and Sites

Several buildings and areas in Weinfelden are considered very important Swiss heritage sites. These include:

The Gasthaus Zum Trauben (an old inn).
Bachtobel Castle with its old wine press.
The Rathaus (Town Hall).
The Reformed Church.

The village of Weinfelden itself and the Ottenberg Südhang area are also part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites, which means they are special places to protect.

Economy and Jobs

In Weinfelden, many people have jobs. In 2005, about 164 people worked in farming. Around 1,908 people worked in manufacturing and industry. The largest number of people, about 4,380, worked in the service sector (like shops, banks, and offices).

Many people who live in Weinfelden also work in the town. About 35.2% of the people who live in Weinfelden work outside the town, while many people from other places come to Weinfelden for work. About 12.3% of workers use public transport to get to their jobs, and 40.1% use a private car.

Religion in Weinfelden

The Catholic Church in Weinfelden.

Based on a census from 2000, about 32.6% of the people in Weinfelden were Roman Catholic, and about 45.2% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. Other groups included people who belonged to the Orthodox Church and other Christian churches. There were also people who followed Islam. Some people did not belong to any church or religion.

Weather in Weinfelden

Weinfelden usually has about 130.7 days of rain or snow each year. On average, it gets about 929 millimeters (36.6 inches) of precipitation. The wettest month is June, with about 109 millimeters (4.3 inches) of rain or snow over about 12.1 days. May has the most days with precipitation (about 12.9 days), but with less rain or snow overall. March is the driest month, with about 57 millimeters (2.2 inches) of precipitation over 12.1 days.

Education

Many adults in Weinfelden have completed higher education. About 67.6% of people aged 25-64 have finished either upper secondary education (like high school) or even higher education, such as university. Weinfelden also has its own library, called the Regionalbibliothek Weinfelden.

Transport

Local trains of Thurbo at Weinfelden railway station.

Weinfelden railway station is a very important train hub in the Canton of Thurgau. It's a main stop for the Zürich S-Bahn train lines S24 and S30. Because of its location, you can catch trains from Weinfelden to many places across the canton, including Frauenfeld (and on to Zürich), Kreuzlingen (and on to Konstanz in Germany), Romanshorn, and Wil.

Notable People from Weinfelden

Weinfelden has been home to several important people:

Johann Otto von Gemmingen (1545–1598) was a Bishop of Augsburg. He grew up in Weinfelden Castle.
Heinrich Häberlin (1868–1947) was a Swiss politician and judge who served on the Swiss Federal Council.
Heinz Rutishauser (1918–1970) was a Swiss mathematician who helped create modern numerical mathematics and computer science.
August von Finck Jr. (born 1930) is a billionaire businessman who lives in Weinfelden Castle.
Peter Stamm (born 1963) is a Swiss writer known for his simple style. He grew up in Weinfelden.
Brenda Mäder (born 1986) is a young Swiss politician who also grew up in Weinfelden.