Wädenswil (locally often called Wättischwiil, Wädischwiil or Wädi) is a municipality located in the district of Horgen in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland. The population, as of 2013[update], was about 21,000.[3] On 1 January 2019 the former municipalities of Hütten and Schönenberg were merged into the municipality of Wädenswil.
Geography
Aerial view from 200 m by Walter Mittelholzer (1919)Wädenswil as seen from Lake Zürich (June 2009)Wädenswil and Lake Zürich (1794)
Before the 2019 merger, Wädenswil had an area of 17.4 km2 (6.7 sq mi). Of this area, 59.3% is used for agricultural purposes, 9.6% is forested, 29.8% is settled (buildings or roads), and the remainder (1.3%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).[4] In 1996[update] housing and buildings made up 20.8% of the total area, while transportation infrastructure made up the rest (9%).[5] Of the total unproductive area, water (streams and lakes) made up 0.4% of the area. As of 2007[update] 24.5% of the total municipal area was undergoing some type of construction.[5]
Demographics
Wädenswil has a population (as of 31 December 2020) of 24,832.[6] As of 2007[update], 20.5% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. As of 2008[update] the gender distribution of the population was 48.6% male and 51.4% female. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 2.1%. Most of the population (as of 2000[update]) speaks German (85.0%), with Italian being second most common ( 3.9%) and Serbo-Croatian being third ( 1.9%).
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP which received 35.2% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SPS (17.6%), the FDP (13%) and the CSP (11.3%).
The age distribution of the population (as of 2000[update]) is 22% children and teenagers (0–19 years old), while adults (20–64 years old) make up 64.2% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 13.9%. In Wädenswil about 76.7% of the population (between age 25–64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule). There are 8796 households in Wädenswil.[5]
Wädenswil has an unemployment rate of 2.94%. As of 2005[update], there were 268 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 84 businesses involved in this sector. 2020 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 195 businesses in this sector. 5169 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 725 businesses in this sector.[4] As of 2007[update] 44.8% of the working population were employed full-time, and 55.2% were employed part-time.[5]
As of 2008[update] there were 6128 Catholics and 7507 Protestants in Wädenswil. In the 2000 census, religion was broken down into several smaller categories. From the census[update], 43.5% were some type of Protestant, with 40.5% belonging to the Swiss Reformed Church and 3% belonging to other Protestant churches. 32.2% of the population were Catholic. Of the rest of the population, 5% were Muslim, 7.5% belonged to another religion (not listed), 4% did not give a religion, and 11.9% were atheist or agnostic.[5]
The Wädenswil brewery in the Swiss canton of Zurich was a brewery from 1833 until 1990. The building of the former brewery was partially demolished in 2003. However, the tradition of Wädenswiler beer brewing continues since 1992 with the "Wadi-Brau-Huus AG».
Since the early 1500s, Wädenswil and nearby Richterswil have been home to groups of Anabaptists,[10] many of whom emigrated to Pennsylvania in the 1700s. Many of the last names common to the area are still found plentifully in the southeastern area of that state.[11]
Transportation
Motor ship Glärnisch serving as Restaurant at Wädenswil harbourLake of Zürich as seen from the pier at Wädenswil
In summer, Wädenswil is served by regular ship services between Zürich and Rapperswil, run by the Zürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft (ZSG) and calling at various lake side towns. A passenger ferry, operated on an hourly basis throughout the year by the same company, links Wädenswil with both Männedorf and Stäfa on the opposite shore of the lake. The ZSG's motor ship Wädenswil is named after the town.[13][14]
Education
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2015)
Public schools
The public Primarschule is supervised by the commune's Schulpflege. The board consists of nine elected members.[15]
Stiftung Bühl - Zentrum für Heilpädagogik und berufliche Eingliederung[37]
Universities
ZHAW Wädenswil - Kompetenzzentrum für Life Sciences und Facility Management[38]
Private, publicly subsidized schools
Other private schools
The Zürich International School, an international school with an American curriculum, has its Lower School and Early ZIS campus (for early childhood and primary school) in Wädenswil.[39] ZIS' Kindergarten and primary school is approved by the bureau for elementary school (Volksschulamt) of the canton of Zürich. However, it does not approve ZIS for its lower and upper secondary education (Sekundarstufe I aka Sekundarschule, and Sekundarstufe II aka Mittelschule). Therefore, its upper secondary school is not approved by the Swiss Federation, neither.[40][41]
Weather
Between 1991 and 2020 Wädenswil had an average of 136.0 days of rain per year and on average received 1,362 mm (53.6 in) of precipitation. The wettest month was August during which time Wädenswil received an average of 163 mm (6.4 in) of precipitation. During the wettest month, there was precipitation for an average of 12.3 days. The month with the most precipitation days was June, with an average of 13.3 days.[42]
Climate data for Wädenswil, elevation 485 m (1,591 ft), (1991–2020)
^"Kantonsliste A-Objekte:ZH". KGS Inventar (in German). Federal Office of Civil Protection. 2009. Archived from the original on 2 September 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
^"Kantonsliste B-Objekte". KGS Inventar (in German). Federal Office of Civil Protection. 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
^"Öffentliches Register Privateschulen" [Public Directory for Private Schools] (PDF) (in German). Zürich, Switzerland: Volkschulamt, Bildungsdirektion, Kanton Zürich. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
^"Kantonale Mittelschulen" (in German). Mittelschul- und Berufsbildungsamt, Kanton Zürich. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
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