Gränichen

Gränichen
Coat of arms
Gränichen Show map of Switzerland Gränichen Show map of Canton of Aargau
Location of Gränichen
Coordinates: 47°21′N 8°06′E / 47.350°N 8.100°E / 47.350; 8.100Coordinates: 47°21′N 8°06′E / 47.350°N 8.100°E / 47.350; 8.100
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Aargau
District	Aarau
Government
• Mayor	Rolf Arber
Area
• Total	17.24 km2 (6.66 sq mi)
Elevation	410 m (1,350 ft)
Highest elevation (Pfendel)	615 m (2,018 ft)
Lowest elevation (Wyna)	402 m (1,319 ft)
Population (Dec 2015)
• Total	7,432
• Density	430/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Postal code	5722
SFOS number	4006
Localities	Gränichen, Rütihof, Bleien, Refental
Surrounded by	Hunzenschwil, Muhen, Oberentfelden, Schafisheim, Seon, Suhr, Teufenthal, Unterkulm
Website	www.graenichen.ch SFSO statistics

Gränichen is a municipality in the district of Aarau of the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.

The river Wyna flows north at first and heads northwest thereafter. The valley has an average width of about 500 m (1,600 ft). On both sides of the valley there are steep hills with tributary valleys and small high plateaus. The landscape is not dissimilar to that of the Tafeljura, even though - geographically and geologically speaking - Gränichen lies in the Midland of Switzerland.

The hills on the left side of the valley are (from north to south): Manzenberg ( 524 m (1,719 ft) ), Wällenen (524 m (1,719 ft)559 m), Moosberg (524 m (1,719 ft)550 m), Heidberg (566 m (1,857 ft)) and Pfendel (615 m (2,018 ft)). These are foothills of the Schornig (596 m (1,955 ft)), which marks the transition to the valley of the river Suhre. The hills on the right side of the valley are called Fuden (570 m (1,870 ft)), Räckholderen (566 m (1,857 ft)), Breitenberg (551 m (1,808 ft)) and Surberg (607 m (1,991 ft)). In front of the Breitenberg is the Schulthess (513 m (1,683 ft)) which has almost the shape of an ellipsis. The Dossen (532 m (1,745 ft)) und the high plateau of the Liebegg are foothills of the Surberg.

Near the southern border, at an average distance of two kilometers, there are three hamlets, which also belong to the municipality of Gränichen: Rütihof (585 m (1,919 ft)) on Moorbergs, Bleien (430 m (1,410 ft)) and Refental (490 m (1,610 ft)) between Breitenberg, Dossen and Surberg.

Gränichen has an area, as of 2006^[update], of 17.3 km² (6.7 sq mi). Of this area, 30.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while 56.7% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 13.1% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.1%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes). The highest point is at 615 m (2,018 ft) above main sea level on the 'Pfendel', the lowest point is at 402 m (1,319 ft) where the river wyna leaves the village.

The seven neighbouring villages are Suhr in the nordwest, Hunzenschwil in the north, Schafisheim in the northeast, Seon in the east, Teufenthal in the south, Unterkulm in the south, Muhen in the southwest and Hirschthal in the west.