Bremgarten, Switzerland

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For another place with the same name, see Bremgarten bei Bern

Bremgarten

Canton	Aargau
District	Bremgarten
Coordinates	47°21′N 8°20′E
Population	5,853 (2003)
Area	8.02 km²
Elevation	386 m
Postal code	5620
Website	www.bremgarten.ch
Bremgarten

Bremgarten is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Aargau. It serves as seat of the district of Bremgarten.

1 History
2 Economics
3 Transportation
4 External links

[edit] History

In 1230, a settlement was founded near the present location of Bremgarten. In 1258, it was granted city right by Rudolf I of Habsburg. Bremgarten's population grew rapidly, and it became an important market town with an outstanding Latin school.

In 1379, a courthouse was built in Bremgarten. This courthouse served as center of a new legal district, including the following villages:

Berikon joined in 1374. Later, in 1410, Unterlunkhofen, Oberlunkhofen, Jonen and Arni joined. Oberwil-Lieli joined in 1429, Rudolfstetten-Friedlisberg in 1430, and finally Huserhof in 1482. Two districts were created: a "high" one for Ober- and Unterlunkhofen, Arni, Islisberg, Jonen, Werd and Huserhof and a "lower" one for the remaining village.

In 1415, Aargau was conquered by Switzerland. Bremgarten remained relatively independent and was allowed to keep its own legal district. When Bremgarten refused the offer to join the Swiss Confederation freely, it became involved in the 1443 Old Zürich War: it was besieged and captured.

Bremgarten has played an important role in the Reformation. An important Swiss reformer called Heinrich Bullinger was born there. As early as 1529, the official religion of the city changed. However, Catholicism was reintroduced by force in 1531 after the Battle of Kappel. Bullinger was forced into exile and moved to Zürich, where he became the successor of Ulrich Zwingli, after Zwingli had died in battle.

Catholicism lost its influence after the second Villmerger War of 1712. Bremgarten became part of the area of Zürich, Bern and Glarus. During the French Revolution, it became for a short time host to Louis-Philippe, who sought refuge from the revolutionaries. Marshal André Masséna moved into Bremgarten, along with his headquarters, before the his troops defeated those of Russia and Austria near Zürich. During the time of the Helvetic Republic, Bremgarten became part of the short-lived Canton of Baden. In 1803 finally, it joined the canton of Aargau, in which it still resides today.

The city flourished during the Industrial Revolution. Because of the growth, the city wall was taken down, and it was connected to the Swiss railway system in 1876. Only since 1912 has the city been connected with Dietikon and Wohlen by rail.

Like everywhere in Europe, the era after World War II marked a vast increase in motorised traffic. Bremgarten is located at the main road connecting Lenzburg to Zürich. Before the highway was opened, it was one of the busiest roads in Switzerland. This was a big problem, because all the traffic needed to pass a small wooden bridge in the middle of the old part of the town. The opening of the highway did not solve this problem. Only in 1994, when a bypass was constructed, the old part of the town has finally been quiet again. It is now closed to motorised traffic.

[edit] Economics

Bremgarten has a large variety of small and medium-sized businesses. As everywhere else, industry is slowly but surely being replaced by the service sector. The best known company located here is probably the online grocer Leshop, which has a large distribution center here.

[edit] Transportation

Bremgarten is located at the Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn railway. The administration and the depot of the company are located here. The connections to Aarau and Zürich are very good: two trains per hour stop at the local station. It is also a bus terminal.