Kaiseraugst

{{short description| Municipality in Rheinfelden, Aargau, Switzerland}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}} {{Infobox Swiss town | subject_name = Kaiseraugst | municipality_type = municipality | image_photo = Kaiseraugst Zentrum.jpg | image_caption = Kaiseraugst village center | imagepath_coa = Wappen Kaiseraugst AG.svg | imagepath_flag = CHE Kaiseraugst Flag.svg | canton = Aargau | iso-code-region = CH-AG | district = Rheinfelden |coordinates = {{coord|47|32|17|N|7|43|46|E|display=inline,title}} | postal_code = 4303 | municipality_code = 4252 | area = 4.91 | elevation = 269|elevation_description= | population = 4849|populationof = December 2005 | popofyear = 2005 | website = www.kaiseraugst.ch | mayor = |mayor_asof=|mayor_party= | mayor_title = |list_of_mayors = | places = | demonym = | neighboring_municipalities= Augst (BL), Giebenach (BL), Grenzach-Wyhlen (DE-BW), Olsberg, Rheinfelden (DE-BW), Rheinfelden | twintowns = |}}

'''Kaiseraugst''' (Swiss German: ''Chhäiseraugscht'') is a municipality in the district of Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. Located on the High Rhine, it is part of the Basel metropolitan region and borders Germany and the canton of Basel-Landschaft. It is named after the Ancient Roman city of Augusta Raurica whose ruins are nearby. The prefix ''Kaiser-'' ("imperial") refers to the fact that from medieval times the town formed part of the Habsburg territory of Further Austria, as opposed to the neighbouring village of Augst, which was part of the Canton of Basel in the Old Swiss Confederacy.<ref name="hls">{{Cite web |last1=Hartmann |first1=Martin |last2=Sauerländer |first2=Dominik |title=Kaiseraugst |url=https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/fr/articles/001797/2014-11-26/ |website=Historical Encyclopedia of Switzerland |access-date=2025-06-11}}</ref>

Founded as a Roman fort, Castrum Rauracense, around AD 300, Kaiseraugst has a rich history tied to its strategic position along the Rhine. Today, it is one of the fastest-growing residential and industrial centers in the region, hosting major companies like Hoffmann-La Roche.<ref name="dewiki">{{Cite web |title=Kaiseraugst |url=https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiseraugst |website=Wikipedia (German) |access-date=2025-06-11}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=September 2025}} The municipality is also known for the abandoned Kaiseraugst Nuclear Power Plant project, which sparked significant environmental protests in the 1970s.<ref name="npp">{{Cite web |title=Kaiseraugst Nuclear Power Plant |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiseraugst_Nuclear_Power_Plant |website=Wikipedia (English) |access-date=2025-06-11}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=September 2025}}

==History== === Roman Era === thumb|left|Reconstruction of a bath at Augusta Raurica Kaiseraugst’s origins trace to the Roman city of Augusta Raurica, established around 45 BC by the Raurici tribe and Roman authorities, making it Switzerland’s oldest Roman settlement.<ref name="augusta">{{Cite web |title=Augusta Raurica: Experience - Preservation |url=https://www.augustaraurica.ch |website=Augusta Raurica |access-date=2025-06-11}}</ref>

Around AD 100, a lower town developed on the Rhine, within modern Kaiseraugst, featuring a river port, artisan quarters, and commercial facilities.

After the Alamanni destroyed Augusta Raurica’s upper town around 273–274, and the loss of the Limes Germanicus and the right bank of the Rhine, the Roman army built Castrum Rauracense, a fort in the lower town, around AD 300 to protect a ford over the Rhine and serve as headquarters of the ''legio I Martia''.<ref name="hls"/> During the 4th century, the fort grew in importance because it commanded a bridge that lay along the road from Gaul to the Danube, and sometime around 337 and 341 AD, an amphitheatre, likely the youngest known Roman amphitheatre, was constructed. Emperors Constantius II and Julian assembled their armies at the Castrum Rauracense before marching to battle against the Alemanni.<ref name="HLS Rome">{{HDS|1797<!--Section 1-1-->|Kaiseraugst in Roman Times}}</ref>

Following the collapse of the Roman Empire the fort remained occupied as local Germanic tribes moved in. The fort and neighboring church became the seat of a bishop during the 4th century, with the bishop first being mentioned in 346.<ref name="HLS Rome"/> In the 7th century the bishop moved to Basel and the settlement declined in importance.

=== Medieval and Early Modern Periods === In 752 a village called ''Augusta'' was first mentioned, however it was not until 1442 that the village of Augst split into Augst and Kaiseraugst.<ref name=HDS/>

In 894 the East Francian King Arnulf granted the church in Kaiseraugst to his vassal Anno. The church was then granted to the Abbey of St Gall and then later to the Basel Münster. The original church, built in AD 400, was replaced with a new building in 1749. Following the Act of Mediation in 1803 the church was granted to the new canton of Aargau. In 1878 the majority of the community became Christian Catholic and took over the church. In 1900/01 the Roman Catholic church was built and the original church's property was divided.<ref name="HLS Modern">{{HDS|1797<!--Section 1-2-->|Kaiseraugst-Middle Ages to today}}</ref> === Modern Era === In the early 1960s, the Kaiseraugst nuclear power plant construction project was met with strong opposition from the population, who occupied the site in 1975. After the Chernobyl disaster, the Swiss government and Kaiseraugst Nuclear Energy AG agreed to abandon the project.<ref name=HDS/>

== Geography == thumb|left|Aerial view (1963) Kaiseraugst has an area, {{as of|2009|lc=on}}, of {{convert|4.91|km2|sqmi|sp=us}}. Of this area, {{convert|0.99|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} or 20.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while {{convert|1.58|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} or 32.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, {{convert|2.01|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} or 40.9% is settled (buildings or roads), {{convert|0.32|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} or 6.5% is either rivers or lakes and {{convert|0.02|km2|acre|abbr=on}} or 0.4% is unproductive land.<ref name=BFS_land>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/02/03/blank/data/gemeindedaten.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office-Land Use Statistics] 2009 data {{in lang|de}} accessed March 25, 2010</ref>

Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 7.5% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 11.8% and transportation infrastructure made up 14.7%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 4.3% of the area while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 2.6%. Out of the forested land, 30.8% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.4% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 13.6% is used for growing crops and 4.1% is pastures, while 2.4% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.<ref name=BFS_land/>

The municipality is located in the Rheinfelden district, along the Rhine river.

==Coat of arms== The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is ''Gules a Watch Tower Argent.''<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20051117115709/http://www.fotw.us/flags/ch-ag178.html Flags of the World.com]}} accessed May 27, 2010</ref>

==Demographics== Kaiseraugst has a population ({{as of|{{Swiss populations YM|CH-AG}}|lc=on}}) of {{Swiss populations|CH-AG|4252}}{{Swiss populations ref|CH-AG}} {{as of|2009|June}}, 24.7% of the population are foreign nationals.<ref name=AG_pop>[http://www.ag.ch/staag/ Statistical Department of Canton Aargau -Bereich 01 -Bevölkerung] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222045014/http://www.ag.ch/staag/ |date=February 22, 2012 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed January 20, 2010</ref> Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of 33.8%. Most of the population ({{as of|2000|lc=on}}) speaks German(88.2%), with Italian being second most common ( 2.2%) and French being third ( 1.8%).<ref name=SFSO>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105172441/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html |date=January 5, 2016 }} accessed May 27, 2010</ref>

The age distribution, {{as of|2008|lc=on}}, in Kaiseraugst is; 584 children or 11.3% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 538 teenagers or 10.4% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 613 people or 11.8% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 793 people or 15.3% are between 30 and 39, 908 people or 17.5% are between 40 and 49, and 695 people or 13.4% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 558 people or 10.8% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 311 people or 6.0% are between 70 and 79, there are 163 people or 3.1% who are between 80 and 89, and there are 18 people or 0.3% who are 90 and older.<ref name=structure>[http://www.ag.ch/staag/ Statistical Department of Canton Aargau -Bevölkerungsdaten für den Kanton Aargau und die Gemeinden (Archiv)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222045014/http://www.ag.ch/staag/ |date=February 22, 2012 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed January 20, 2010</ref>

{{as of|2000}} the average number of residents per living room was 0.59 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.57 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least {{convert|4|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics.<ref>{{cite book|author=Eurostat |title=Urban Audit Glossary |section=Housing (SA1) |version=2007 |url=http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/international/22/lexi.Document.116365.pdf |page=18 |access-date=February 12, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091114023016/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/international/22/lexi.Document.116365.pdf |archive-date=November 14, 2009 }}</ref> About 28.1% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage or a rent-to-own agreement).<ref>Urban Audit Glossary pg 17</ref>

{{as of|2000}}, there were 217 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 1,119 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 352 homes with 5 or more persons in the household.<ref name=zahlen/> {{as of|2000}}, there were 1,708 private households (homes and apartments) in the municipality, and an average of 2.2 persons per household.<ref name=SFSO/> {{as of|2008|alt=In 2008}} there were 488 single family homes (or 21.8% of the total) out of a total of 2,237 homes and apartments.<ref name=AG_data>[http://www.ag.ch/staag/ Statistical Department of Canton Aargau] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222045014/http://www.ag.ch/staag/ |date=February 22, 2012 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed January 20, 2010</ref> There were a total of 13 empty apartments for a 0.6% vacancy rate.<ref name="AG_data"/> {{as of|2007}}, the construction rate of new housing units was 2.3 new units per 1000 residents.<ref name=SFSO/>

In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SVP which received 32% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP (25.1%), the CVP (14.1%) and the FDP (12.9%).<ref name=SFSO/>

The historical population is given in the following table:<ref name=HDS>{{HDS|1797|Kaiseraugst}}</ref> {{Historical populations |align=left | 1758 | 215 | 1850 | 405 | 1900 | 595 | 1950 | 842 | 1970 | 1311 | 2000 | 3917 | 2018 | 5555 }}

==Heritage sites of national significance== The Roman city of Augusta Raurica with the ''Castrum Rauracense'' fort is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.<ref>[http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/de/home/themen/kgs/kgs_inventar.html Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501142322/http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/de/home/themen/kgs/kgs_inventar.html |date=May 1, 2009 }} November 21, 2008 version, {{in lang|de}} accessed May 27, 2010</ref> The entire village of Kaiseraugst is designated as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.<ref>[http://www.isos.ch/en/nationale/index.asp ISOS site] accessed May 27, 2010</ref> In December 2021, a Roman amphitheater was discovered during construction works in Kaiseraugst. Likely built in the 4th century CE, it is the newest known Roman amphitheater.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/ueberraschender-fund-aus-antike-roemisches-amphitheater-in-kaiseraugst-zufaellig-entdeckt|title = Überraschender Fund aus Antike - Römisches Amphitheater in Kaiseraugst zufällig entdeckt|date = January 19, 2022}}</ref>

<gallery> File:Augusta Raurica Museum.jpg|Augusta Raurica Museum File:Achillesplatte.jpg|Silver Achilles plate from Augusta Raurica File:Hypocaust.jpg|Hypocaust at Augusta Raurica </gallery>

==Economy== {{as of|2007|In 2007}}, Kaiseraugst had an unemployment rate of 3.18%. {{as of|2005}}, there were 12 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 4 businesses involved in this sector. 2,629 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 36 businesses in this sector. 814 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 125 businesses in this sector.<ref name=SFSO/>

{{as of|2000|alt=In 2000}} there were 2,048 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 1,619 or about 79.1% of the residents worked outside Kaiseraugst while 1,530 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 1,959 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality.<ref>[http://www.ag.ch/staag/ Statistical Department of Canton Aargau-Bereich 11 Verkehr und Nachrichtenwesen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222045014/http://www.ag.ch/staag/ |date=February 22, 2012 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed January 21, 2010</ref> Of the working population, 24.3% used public transportation to get to work, and 46.8% used a private car.<ref name=SFSO/>

==Religion== thumb|upright|Gallus Church, Christian Catholic Church in Kaiseraugst From the {{as of|2000|alt=2000 census}}, 1,210 or 30.9% were Roman Catholic, while 1,401 or 35.8% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. Of the rest of the population, there were 78 individuals (or about 1.99% of the population) who belonged to the Christian Catholic faith.<ref name=zahlen>[http://www.ag.ch/staag/ Statistical Department of Canton Aargau – Aargauer Zahlen 2009] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222045014/http://www.ag.ch/staag/ |date=February 22, 2012 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed January 20, 2010</ref>

==Transport== Kaiseraugst sits on the Bözberg railway line and is served by the Basel S-Bahn at Kaiseraugst.

==Education== The entire Swiss population is generally well educated.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20260118070006/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/switzerland/ CIA – The World Factbook – Switzerland]</ref> In Kaiseraugst about 76.4% of the population (between age 25–64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a ''Fachhochschule'').<ref name=SFSO/> Of the school age population ({{as of|2009|alt=in the 2008/2009 school year}}), there are 395 students attending primary school, there are 123 students attending secondary school, and there are 14 students who are seeking a job after school in the municipality.<ref name=zahlen/>

Kaiseraugst is home to the ''Gemeindebibliothek Violahof'' (municipal library of Kaiseraugst). The library has ({{as of|2008|lc=on}}) 7,167 books or other media, and loaned out 15,774 items in the same year. It was open a total of 143 days with average of 7 hours per week during that year.<ref>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/16/02/02/data.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office, list of libraries] {{in lang|de}} accessed May 14, 2010</ref>

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} *{{HDS|1797|Kaiseraugst}}

{{Municipalities of the district of Rheinfelden}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Municipalities of Aargau Category:Swiss sites worth protecting