Rheinau | ||
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Coordinates: 47°39′N 8°36′E / 47.650°N 8.600°ECoordinates: 47°39′N 8°36′E / 47.650°N 8.600°E | ||
Country | Switzerland | |
Canton | Zurich | |
District | Andelfingen | |
Area | ||
• Total | 8.92 km2 (3.44 sq mi) | |
Elevation | 400 m (1,300 ft) | |
Population (Dec 2016) | ||
• Total | 1,301 | |
• Density | 150/km2 (380/sq mi) | |
Postal code | 8462 | |
SFOS number | 0038 | |
Surrounded by | Benken, Dachsen, Jestetten (DE-BW), Lottstetten (DE-BW), Marthalen | |
Website |
www SFSO statistics |
Rheinau is a municipality in the district of Andelfingen in the Canton of Zürich in Switzerland. It is located at a bend of the Rhine River which forms the Swiss-German border in this area. A bridge links Rheinau to Altenburg, in Jestetten municipality, Baden-Württemberg state.
Rheinau has an area of 8.9 km2 (3.4 sq mi). Of this area, 26.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 54.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 11.3% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (7.2%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).
Rheinau Abbey was founded in 778 and grew until it was abandoned during the Protestant Reformation in 1529. It was re-established in 1532 and was a center of the Counter-reformation. In 1862 the cantonal council decreed the dissolution of the abbey. Following the dissolution of the abbey, in 1867 a cantonal hospital and nursing home were set up in the buildings. Later, a cantonal psychiatric clinic that developed here was closed in 2000, since when the buildings have stood empty.
Rheinau has a population (as of 31 December 2016) of 1,301. As of 2007[update], 16.7% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 4%. Most of the population (as of 2000[update]) speaks German (91.2%), with Serbo-Croatian being second most common ( 2.4%) and French being third ( 0.8%).
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP which received 28.4% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SPS (25.6%), the CVP (13%) and the Green Party (12.6%).