Aarau
The town of Aarau sits on a rocky outcrop at the southern foot of the Jura Mountains. It rests on the right bank of the Aare river, where the valley narrows significantly. This specific geography places it west of Zurich and south of Basel. The municipality borders directly on the canton of Solothurn to the west. Approximately nine-tenths of the city lies south of the Aare river. Only one tenth exists to the north side of the water. The lowest elevation reaches the banks of the Aar while the highest point is the Hungerberg on the border with Küttigen. Newer districts spread to the south and east of the original rocky outcrop. Forested areas cover 34% of the total land area within municipal boundaries.
Counts of Kyburg founded Aarau around AD 1240 in this region. The settlement first appeared in records as Arowe in 1248. By 1256 historians note the first mention of a city-sized community here. King Rudolf I von Habsburg granted official city rights in 1283 after acquiring lands from Agnes of Kyburg. The Rore tower served as the ruling center for centuries before becoming part of the modern city hall. A second defensive wall emerged during two expansion stages in the 14th century. A deep ditch separated the main city from its suburb. Today that location marks a wide street named Graben meaning Ditch. Bern invaded lower Aargau in 1415 forcing Aarau to swear allegiance to new rulers. Protestantism entered the town in March 1528 following pressure from Bernese authorities.
The last Tagsatzung of the Old Swiss Confederacy convened in Aarau on the 27th of December 1797. French troops occupied the city by mid-March 1798 after refusing to defend the Bernese border. On the 22nd of March 1798 officials declared Aarau the capital of the Helvetic Republic. This designation made it the first capital of a unified Switzerland. Parliament met inside the existing city hall building. The revolutionary atmosphere grew alongside high education levels and low political rights among citizens. Two weeks after the final Tagsatzung meeting, a French envoy continued fomenting revolutionary opinions within the population. By the 20th of September 1798 the capital moved to Lucerne ending this brief period as the national seat.
Textile industry established itself in Aarau during the early 18th century through German immigration. Cotton and silk factories arrived with these highly educated immigrants who also drove educational reform. Protectionist tariff policies caused the textile sector to break down around 1850. New industries emerged including mathematical instruments shoes and cement production. Electrical enterprises developed beginning in 1900. By the 1960s more citizens worked in service industries or for canton-level government than in manufacturing. Many industries left Aarau completely during the 1980s. Kern & Co founded in 1819 became an internationally known geodetic instrument manufacturer before closing in 1991. Today over 24,000 jobs exist across primary secondary and tertiary sectors drawing workers from surrounding communities.
The Canton School opened in 1802 as Switzerland's first non-parochial high school. Nobel Prize winners Albert Einstein Paul Karrer and Werner Arber studied there. Einstein served as a technical assistant at the Swiss Patent Office while living in Aarau. Maximilian Bircher-Benner lived here developing his nutrition theories that popularized muesli. The Cantonal Library contains a Bible annotated by Huldrych Zwingli plus manuscripts and incunabula. Beginning in 1820 Aarau became a refuge for political refugees. The population reached a peak of 17,045 around 1960 before declining slightly since then. About 74.2% of residents aged 25 to 64 completed upper secondary or higher education.
A Theatre and Concert Hall constructed in 1883 was renovated and expanded during 1995, 96. The Aargau Nature Museum opened its doors in 1922. An alternative culture center called KIFF emerged in a former animal fodder factory in 1974. Each May the city hosts the annual Jazzaar Festival attracting world-class jazz musicians. Heritage sites include three churches five government buildings and four gardens or parks on the national significance list. The Bally Shoe company maintains a unique shoe museum within the city limits. Every Saturday morning a vegetable market operates in the Graben at the old city edge. Regional companies sell products during the MAG Market of Aarauer Tradesmen event held in late September.
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Common questions
When was Aarau founded and by whom?
Counts of Kyburg founded Aarau around AD 1240. The settlement first appeared in records as Arowe in 1248.
What is the geography of Aarau relative to major Swiss cities?
Aarau sits on a rocky outcrop at the southern foot of the Jura Mountains west of Zurich and south of Basel. Approximately nine-tenths of the city lies south of the Aare river while only one tenth exists to the north side of the water.
Why did Aarau become the capital of the Helvetic Republic?
Officials declared Aarau the capital of the Helvetic Republic on the 22nd of March 1798 after French troops occupied the city by mid-March 1798. This designation made it the first capital of a unified Switzerland until the capital moved to Lucerne by the 20th of September 1798.
Which Nobel Prize winners studied at the Canton School in Aarau?
Nobel Prize winners Albert Einstein Paul Karrer and Werner Arber studied at the Canton School which opened in 1802 as Switzerland's first non-parochial high school. Einstein served as a technical assistant at the Swiss Patent Office while living in Aarau.
When was the last Tagsatzung of the Old Swiss Confederacy held in Aarau?
The last Tagsatzung of the Old Swiss Confederacy convened in Aarau on the 27th of December 1797. Two weeks after this final meeting a French envoy continued fomenting revolutionary opinions within the population.