Lichtensteig is a municipality in the Wahlkreis (constituency) of Toggenburg in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.
29-423: Lichtensteig was founded by the counts of Toggenburg in the early 13th century, first mentioned in 1228 as Liehtunsteige . A market is mentioned in 1374, and the right to hold markets is confirmed in 1400. A letter of privileges issued by the lords of Raron 1439 confirms the existence of a council of twelve burghers, and the joint appointment of judges by the burghers and the land lords. The mayor ( Schultheiss )
58-522: A Swiss heritage site of national significance . The entire village of Lichtensteig is designated as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites . As of 2007, Lichtensteig had an unemployment rate of 2.12%. As of 2005, there were 17 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 8 businesses involved in this sector. 340 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 32 businesses in this sector. 309 people are employed in
87-453: A couple with children. There were 94 (or 5.0%) people who lived in single parent home, while there are 4 persons who were adult children living with one or both parents, 22 who lived household made up of unrelated persons, and 43 who are either institutionalized or live in another type of collective housing. In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SVP which received 28.1% of
116-639: A few cantons, a second round of the elections to the Council of States was held on 11 November, 18 November, and 25 November 2007. For the 48th legislative term of the federal parliament (2007–2011), voters in 26 cantons elected all 200 members of the National Council as well as 43 out of 46 members of the Council of States . The other three members of the Council of States for that term of service were elected at an earlier date. On 12 December 2007,
145-594: A letter L or . The script typeface used for the letter is taken from a seal of the 16th century, preserved on a document dated 1722. The municipality is located in the Toggenburg (the upper Thur basin), on the right side of the Thur. It is downstream of Wattwil , and upstream of Dietfurt (Bütschwil municipality) , and on the western site of the Wasserfluh Pass . The ruins of Neu-Toggenburg castle are on
174-534: A population (as of 31 December 2020) of 1,879. As of 2007, about 19.1% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Of the foreign population, (as of 2000), 31 are from Germany, 82 are from Italy, 113 are from ex- Yugoslavia , 13 are from Austria, 43 are from Turkey, and 91 are from another country. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -5.4%. Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks German (89.6%), with Italian being second most common ( 2.7%) and Serbo-Croatian being third ( 2.0%). Of
203-497: A rocky outcropping above the village. Lichtensteig is the smallest municipality in Toggenburg in terms of area, with only 2.8 km (1.1 sq mi). It is 35.7% of the area used for agricultural purposes, 44.6% is forested, and 18.2% is built up, the remainder (1.4%) being accounted for by bodies of water. The highest point is at 1,146 m ( Köbelisberg ), the lowst at 591 m ( untere Platten ). Lichtensteig has
232-482: Is 176 people or 9.3% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 140 people or 7.4% are between 70 and 79, there are 62 people or 3.3% who are between 80 and 89, and there are 9 people or 0.5% who are between 90 and 99. In 2000 there were 371 persons (or 19.6% of the population) who were living alone in a private dwelling. There were 433 (or 22.9%) persons who were part of a couple (married or otherwise committed) without children, and 926 (or 48.9%) who were part of
261-513: Is notable as the first black Swiss national councillor. 23 incumbents did not get re-elected and lost their mandate, among them Zürich right wing politician Ulrich Schlüer (SVP). The turnout of the election was 48,9% a rise of 3,7% from the previous elections in 2003. Contrary to the developments in the National Council, the Council of States remains dominated by the traditional centrist parties FDP and CVP. Robert Cramer (Geneva)
290-642: The Old Zurich War over the succession. Friedrich VII was later buried in a chapel, the so-called Toggenburger Kapelle ( capella nova in latere monasterii de novo construxit ) given by his noble wife, Elisabeth Countess of Toggenburg , née von Mätsch. Elisabeth spent her last days in the Rüti Abbey, writing on 20 June 1442 that she had retreated there ( unser wesen gentzlich in dasselbe gotzhus got zuo dienende gezogen habe ) and desired her tomb to be with her husband's. On 11 June 1443 marauding troops of
319-402: The Toggenburg region of today's canton of St. Gallen , Switzerland , and adjacent areas during the 13th to 15th centuries. A baronial family of Toggenburg is mentioned in the 11th and 12th centuries, but their genealogical connection to the comital family is unclear. They are named for their ancestral seat, now known as Alt-Toggenburg , near Kirchberg, St. Gallen . The castle was built in
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#1732793556871348-419: The tertiary sector , with 88 businesses in this sector. As of October 2009 the average unemployment rate was 4.6%. There were 120 businesses in the municipality of which 34 were involved in the secondary sector of the economy while 82 were involved in the third. As of 2000 there were 350 residents who worked in the municipality, while 704 residents worked outside Lichtensteig and 521 people commuted into
377-462: The 10th or 11th century, and was destroyed in 1085 in a conflict with the Abbot of St. Gallen , later rebuilt and in 1226 given to St. Gallen Abbey by count Diethelm of Toggenburg. The family is attested from the early 13th century, as Toccanburg , later Tochimburc . Diethelm I (possible mention 1176, died 1205 or 1207) was followed by Diethelm II (possible mention 1210, died c. 1230). Either of these
406-441: The 1190s, and a fratricide by one Diethelm ( fl. 1209–36) of his brother Rudolf in 1226. On 23 April 1398 Count Donat von Toggenburg donated the church of Elsow as benefice for the new Allerheiligenaltar at the grave of the Toggenburg family , for the "salvation of the soul of his daughter Menta von Toggenburg" who had died shortly before. Count Fridrich von Toggenburg, Herr zu Brettengow und Tafas donated to "his own and
435-583: The Old Swiss Confederacy devastated the monastery and desecrated the bodies of the nobles, including Count Friedrich VII whom they held responsible for the war with Zürich. 14 members of the family were buried in the Toggenburg vault in the church of the Rüti Abbey. 2007 Swiss federal election Elections to the Swiss Federal Assembly , the federal parliament of Switzerland , were held on Sunday, 21 October 2007. In
464-820: The Social Democrats, 20 of the Green party, and the Christian-left Christian Social Party and the far-left Labour Party with a single seat each. The centrist parties won 71 seats, with the CVP and the centre-right FDP each having won 31 seats, and the remaining 9 seats won by minor parties: Liberals, 4 seats; Green Liberals, 3 seats; Evangelical People's Party, 2 seats. 59 of 200 seats (29.5%) were won by women, as compared to 50 in 2003. Ricardo Lumengo (Social Democrats, born in Angola )
493-702: The Swiss national languages (as of 2000), 1,697 speak German , 5 people speak French , 52 people speak Italian , and 1 person speaks Romansh . The age distribution, as of 2000, in Lichtensteig is; 188 children or 9.9% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 247 teenagers or 13.0% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 268 people or 14.2% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 328 people or 17.3% are between 30 and 39, 261 people or 13.8% are between 40 and 49, and 214 people or 11.3% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution
522-676: The election as the strongest party, rising another 2.3% to 29.0% of the popular vote. Among the left-wing parties, support of the Social Democrats eroded to the benefit of the Green and Green Liberal parties. The right-wing parties won 64 seats made up of the SVP with 62 seats and a single seat of the Christian right Federal Democratic Union and the regional Ticino League respectively. The left-wing parties won 65 seats, with 43 of
551-401: The highest education level completed by 433 people (22.9% of the population) was Primary , while 739 (39.0%) have completed their secondary education, 207 (10.9%) have attended a Tertiary school, and 83 (4.4%) are not in school. The remainder did not answer this question. The historical population is given in the following table: The Old Town Council building at Hintergasse 22 is listed as
580-531: The husband defenestrated his innocent wife on suspicion of adultery. She survived and lived as an anchoress in Fischingen. Her veneration there is attested for 1410. The early counts were in competition with St. Gallen Abbey , the bishops of Constance and the counts of Kyburg . The inheritance disputes motivated the donation of religious establishments in Bubikon , Rüti , Oberbollingen and Wurmsbach in
609-683: The municipality for work. From the 2000 census, 984 or 52.0% are Roman Catholic , while 555 or 29.3% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church . Of the rest of the population, there is 1 individual who belongs to the Christian Catholic faith, there are 46 individuals (or about 2.43% of the population) who belong to the Orthodox Church, and there are 21 individuals (or about 1.11% of the population) who belong to another Christian church. There are 95 (or about 5.02% of
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#1732793556871638-566: The newly elected legislature elected the Swiss federal government, the Swiss Federal Council , for a four-year-term. The results reflected yet another rise in support for the strongest party, the right-wing populist Swiss People's Party , at 29% of the popular vote, and the growth of the Green and Green Liberal parties at the expense of the Social Democrats . The Swiss People's Party successfully came out of
667-421: The population) who are Islamic . There are 32 individuals (or about 1.69% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), 109 (or about 5.76% of the population) belong to no church, are agnostic or atheist , and 50 individuals (or about 2.64% of the population) did not answer the question. Counts of Toggenburg The counts of Toggenburg ( Grafen von Toggenburg ) ruled
696-554: The salvation of his ancestors who were buried" (at the Rüti church ) "and where he also expects to be buried," the church, rights and lands ( Kirchwidem and Kirchensatz ) in Wangen in der March to the Rüti Abbey, sealed by Fridrich and the knights Herman von Landenberg, Johans von Bonstetten from Ustra and Herman von der Hochenlandenberg on 21 January 1407. In 1436, the death of the last count, Frederick VII, Count of Toggenburg , led to
725-580: The vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP (22.4%), the FDP (19.5%) and the SP (14.6%). The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Lichtensteig about 69.2% of the population (between age 25 and 64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule ). Out of the total population in Lichtensteig, as of 2000,
754-400: Was adopted in the 16th century, later changed to Per pale, gules and sable . A town seal with the letter L on the left (dexter) side and a branch ornament on the right (sinister) was in use in the 17th and 18th centuries. A flag dated 1767 shows the letter L in a red field. These elements were combined into the modern municipal coat of arms in 1946, blazoned Per pale gules and sable, overall
783-616: Was appointed by the land lord from a list of candidates compiled by the burghers. After the acquisition of the Toggenburg by the Abbey of St. Gallen in 1468, Lichtensteig became the seat of the abbot's reeve . Abbot Ulrich Rösch in 1469 confirmed the existing privileges of Lichtensteig. The council declared support of the Reformation in 1528. Lichtensteig church from this time was used both by Reformed and Catholics, while schools were separated by confession (until 1868). A neo-Gothic church
812-577: Was built in 1868, still used by both confessions, until the construction of two new churches in 1967 and 1970. Lichtensteig's importance as market town increased in the 19th century with the development of the textile home working industry in the Toggenburg. In the early 20th century, there were six yearly markets and a weekly livestock market. Connection to the railway dates to 1870. In 1874, the settlements of Blatten, Hof and Loretto, formerly Oberhelfenschwil municipality, were incorporated into Lichtensteig. A municipal coat of arms of Per pale, or and sable
841-409: Was the beneficiary of the inheritance of a number of local noble families (among these Alt-Rapperswil ) in c. 1200 and adopted the title of comes (count) from 1209. In 1187, one Werner of Toggenburg became abbot of Einsiedeln . The legend of a Saint Ida of Toggenburg is recorded in 1481, making her the wife of a count of Toggenburg, possibly either Diethelm, or one Heinrich. According to the legend,
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