Rathaus Rapperswil

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Coordinates: 47°13′35″N 8°48′59″E / 47.22639°N 8.81639°E / 47.22639; 8.81639

As seen from the west (October 2009)
Rathaus Rapperswil and Hauptplatz (main square) as seen from nearby Rapperswil Castle (February 2009)
Eis-zwei-Geissebei celebrated on Shrove Tuesday (February 2010)
Coat of arms on the eastern side

The Rathaus Rapperswil is the former Rathaus in the city of Rapperswil, Canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.

History

The Rathaus is located within the Altstadt of Rapperswil at the Hauptplatz, the main square of the medieval town. The building replaced an earlier fortified tower probably built in early 13th century as part of the former town wall. A town hall respectively a city council is first mentioned in 1419 and 1433.

The building in its present form was built around 1470; renewals were made in 1866 and 1895. It served as the seat of the government respectively Rat (council) and latter of the Mayor ending on December 31, 2006, when the former independent cities of Jona and Rapperswil merged to form the municipality of Rapperswil-Jona. Since January 1, 2007, the Stadthaus Rapperswil-Jona situated in Jona is the Town hall of the municipality.

The Rathaus building belongs to the Ortsbürgergemeinde Rapperswil (citizens association). It hosts a Restaurant, the city archives, and on Wednesdays the Bezirksgericht See-Gaster (district tribunal) in the so-called "Richterstübli".

Sights

The late Gothic portal to the council chamber was made from a single oak tree. In the entrance hall on the first floor, there is shown the Julisbanner of 1512[1] and the former supraporta (also as a fresco on the eastern wall) of the Schloss Rapperswil. The small exposition includes a gold and silver treasure, the circular council table (1618), paintings by the Swiss artists Felix Maria Diogg and Johann Michael Hunger and stained glass windows.

Culture

After the traditional "Herrenessen" (dinner of the council members) and cabaret program with distinguished guests, hundreds of children gather in the main square on Shrove Tuesday to celebrate the Carnival festival Eis-zwei-Geissebei.

In Rapperswil there are several sites situated that are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance: Schloss Rapperswil with the Polish Museum including the Polish national archive, the medieval Rathaus and the Seedamm region including Heilig Hüsli and the remains of the prehistoric wooden bridges respectively the neolithic stilt house settlements located there.[2]


Literature

Notes

  1. ↑ Pope Julius II succeeded in the so-called "Grosser Pavierfeldzug" in 1512 in the Lombardy against the French Empire, grace to his Swiss Landsknecht's, among them citizens of Rapperswil. On June 24, 1512, Cardinal Schiner gave a golden banner to the city of Rapperswil.
  2. ↑ Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance

External links

Media related to Rathaus Rapperswil at Wikimedia Commons

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