Appenzell

Appenzell (or Appenzellerland) is a region and historical canton in the northeast of Switzerland, entirely surrounded by the Canton of St. Gallen.

Appenzell became independent of the Abbey of St. Gallen in 1403 and entered a league with the Old Swiss Confederacy in 1411, becoming a full member in 1513. It has been divided since into Appenzell Innerrhoden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden since 1597 as a result of the Swiss Reformation.

The territory of Appenzell as a geographical entity is known as Appenzellerland or (erroneously) as das Appenzell. In political contexts, the two cantons are referred to as beide Appenzell ("both Appenzells").

History

Foundation

The name Appenzell derives from Latin: abbatis cella ("cell (i.e. estate) of the abbot"). This refers to the Abbey of St. Gall, which exerted a great influence on the area. By the middle of the 11th century the abbots of St Gall had established their power in the land later called Appenzell, which by that time was thoroughly Alemannic.

Appenzell (disambiguation)

Appenzell can refer to:

Appenzeller can refer to:

Appenzell District

Appenzell District is a district of the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden in Switzerland. It has a population of 5,750 (as of December 2014). The area of Appenzell is 16.88 km² (7 sq mi). The district of Appenzell consists of a part of the town Appenzell, as well as Rinkenbach, Kau and Meistersrüte.

History

Prehistoric Appenzell

While a single late Bronze Age site has been discovered in the forest outside Appenzell, there is no evidence of a prehistoric settlement. The region around Appenzell remained forested and very lightly settled until the end of the Early Middle Ages.

Under the Abbots of St. Gall

Under the authority of the abbots of the monastery of St. Gall settlers began to colonization of the Sitter river valley in the late 11th century. It is mentioned, in a deed granting rights to clear land, in 1071 as Abbacella. At the same time, the parish of St. Mauritius was established. By 1200, the parish included the area of the modern district as well as villages of Brenden, Lank, Lehn and Meistersrüte. The meager records before 1500 does not allow accurate reconstruction of the early residential development. It is likely that the first village houses were along the road between church and abbot's farm, which was built at what is now Reichsstrasse near the Gansbach stream. This gave the early village an east-west orientation. East of the church the Metzibrücke bridge was built over the Sitter river. This led to the extension of the village across the river. The eastern end of the village was a conglomerate of economic and administrative buildings.