Münchenstein
Münchenstein (Swiss German: Minggestai) is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland.
Historical records
Münchenstein is first mentioned in 1196 as Kekingen. In 1270, it was mentioned as Geckingen and in 1279 as Munchenstein.
1259: The hamlet and the mill, between "Neue Welt" and St. Jakob, are mentioned in a deed as being owned by the Basel Dompropstei (Provost's Church).
1270: The village is named in the Bishop of Basel diocese certificate as Geckingen.
1295: The mention of the name in the current form "Munchenstein", which means the "rock of the castle of the Münchs". The first part of the name refers to the builders of the castle, and the second part means stone and refers to the foundations of the castle.
1324: The Münchs were not able keep the village and castle for long as their own Property, they had to hand over ownership to the Graf von Pfirt, who then lent it to the Münchs in fief. Following the death of the last Graf on Pfirt, Ulrich III., in March 1324 the castle and the village of Münchenstein went as inheritance to the Herzog of Austria, as heiress Johanna von Pfirt (Jeanne de Ferrette) (1300–1351) married with Herzog Albrecht II. von Habsburg (1298–1358).
