{{Infobox Swiss town | subject_name = Vitznau | image_photo = Prise de vue de Vitznau 01 - Bürgenstock.jpg | municipality_type = Municipality | imagepath_coa = CHE Vitznau COA.svg |pixel_coa= | canton = Lucerne | iso-code-region = CH-LU | district = [[Lucerne (Amt)|Lucerne]] |coordinates = {{coord|47|1|N|8|29|E|display=inline,title}} | postal_code = 6354 | municipality_code = 1068 | area = 11.76 | elevation = 438|elevation_description= | population = {{Swiss populations NC|CH-LU|1068}} | populationof = {{Swiss populations YM|CH-LU}} | popofyear = {{Swiss populations Y|CH-LU}} | website = www.vitznau.ch | mayor = |mayor_asof=|mayor_party= | mayor_title = |list_of_mayors = | places = | demonym = | neighboring_municipalities= [[Arth]] (SZ), [[Ennetbürgen]] (NW), [[Gersau]] (SZ), [[Weggis]] | twintowns = |}}
'''Vitznau''' is a [[Municipalities of Switzerland|municipality]] in the district of [[Lucerne (district)|Lucerne]] in the [[Cantons of Switzerland|canton]] of [[Lucerne (canton)|Lucerne]] in [[Switzerland]].
==History== [[File:Johann Heinrich Müller, 1825-1894 G02 Vitznau.JPG|thumb|left|Vitznau c. 1880, with [[rack railway]] (opened in 1871) and [[steamboat]]. Etching by [[commons:Category:Johann Heinrich Müller (1825-1894)|Heinrich Müller]]]] Vitznau was first mentioned in 998. In the 19th century, it became a popular destination for [[tourism]], especially from [[England]]; the imposing [[Park Hotel Vitznau]] west of the town dates from the 1900s. {{clear|left}}
==Geography== [[File:ETH-BIB-Vitznau-LBS H1-009925.tif|thumb|left|Aerial view (1947)]] The village occupies a narrow strip between the lake and the [[Rigi]] looming behind; one of the [[mountain railway]]s to the summit starts in Vitznau.
Vitznau has an area of {{convert|8.9|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. Of this area, 32.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 56.3% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 7.5% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (4%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).<ref name=SFSO/> {{as of|1997|alt=In the 1997 land survey}}, 56.28% of the total land area was forested. Of the agricultural land, 30.38% is used for farming or pastures, while 1.79% is used for orchards or vine crops. Of the settled areas, 4.71% is covered with buildings, 0.11% is industrial, 0.22% is classed as special developments, 0.56% is parks or greenbelts and 1.91% is transportation infrastructure. Of the unproductive areas, 0.11% is unproductive standing water (ponds or lakes), 0.11% is unproductive flowing water (rivers) and 3.81% is other unproductive land.<ref name=LUSTAT/>
==Demographics== [[File:Vitznau from lake.jpg|thumb|Vitznau seen from across [[Lake Lucerne]], nested under a shoulder of the Rigi.]] Vitznau has a population (as of {{Swiss populations date|CH-LU}}) of {{Swiss populations|CH-LU|1068}}.{{Swiss populations ref|CH-LU}} {{as of|2007}}, 22.0% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 11.7%. Most of the population ({{as of|2000|lc=on}}) speaks German (91.7%), with Albanian being second most common ( 3.1%) and Italian third ( 1.2%).
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the [[Swiss People's Party|SVP]] which received 29.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the [[Free Democratic Party of Switzerland|FDP]] (24.1%), the [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|CVP]] (23.7%) and the [[Green Party of Switzerland|Green Party]] (10.9%).
The age distribution in Vitznau is; 262 people or 20.3% of the population is 0–19 years old. 354 people or 27.5% are 20–39 years old, and 436 people or 33.8% are 40–64 years old. The senior population distribution is 176 people or 13.7% are 65–79 years old, 52 or 4% are 80–89 years old and 9 people or 0.7% of the population are 90+ years old.<ref name=LUSTAT>[http://www.lustat.ch/index/daten_online/gemeinden/gd_0003/gemeinde_uebersicht.htm LUSTAT Lucerne Cantonal Statistics] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127191523/http://www.lustat.ch/index/daten_online/gemeinden/gd_0003/gemeinde_uebersicht.htm |date=November 27, 2011 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 12 August 2009</ref>
In Vitznau about 70.8% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory [[Education in Switzerland#Secondary|upper secondary education]] or additional higher education (either university or a ''[[Fachhochschule]]'').
{{as of|2000}} there are 433 households, of which 149 households (or about 34.4%) contain only a single individual. 34 or about 7.9% are large households, with at least five members.<ref name=LUSTAT/> {{as of|2000}} there were 239 inhabited buildings in the municipality, of which 174 were built only as housing, and 65 were [[Mixed-use development|mixed use]] buildings. There were 88 single family homes, 32 double family homes, and 54 multi-family homes in the municipality. Most homes were either two (61) or three (79) story structures. There were only 4 single story buildings and 30 four or more story buildings.<ref name=LUSTAT/>
Vitznau has an unemployment rate of 1.96%. {{as of|2005}}, there were 77 people employed in the [[Primary sector of the economy|primary economic sector]] and about 26 businesses involved in this sector. 52 people are employed in the [[Secondary sector of the economy|secondary sector]] and there are 14 businesses in this sector. 358 people are employed in the [[Tertiary sector of the economy|tertiary sector]], with 45 businesses in this sector.<ref name=SFSO>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office] accessed 20-Aug-2009</ref> {{as of|2000}} 51.6% of the population of the municipality were employed in some capacity. At the same time, females made up 42% of the workforce.
{{as of|2000|alt=In the 2000 census}} the religious membership of Vitznau was; 771 (74.2%) were Roman Catholic, and 132 (12.7%) were Protestant, with an additional 8 (0.77%) that were of some other Christian faith. There are 23 individuals (2.21% of the population) who are Muslim. Of the rest; there were 4 (0.38%) individuals who belong to another religion, 71 (6.83%) who do not belong to any organized religion, 30 (2.89%) who did not answer the question.<ref name=LUSTAT/>
==Transport== The municipality has four railway stations: {{rws|Vitznau}}, {{rws|Freibergen}}, {{rws|Grubisbalm}}, and {{rws|Mittlerschwanden}}. All four are located on the [[Vitznau–Rigi line]] of [[Rigi Railways]], which ascends from the shore of [[Lake Lucerne]] to the top of the [[Rigi]]. Vitznau is also a ferry terminal with regular service by the [[Lake Lucerne Navigation Company]] to various destinations on the lake.
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Vitznau}} *[http://www.vitznau.ch/english/index_e.html Vitznau homepage]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
{{Municipalities of the district of Lucerne}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Municipalities of the canton of Lucerne]] [[Category:Populated places on Lake Lucerne]]