Eglisau, Switzerland

Eglisau, Switzerland
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eglisau_-_Rhein_2011-09-21_12-15-56.jpg
Author: Roland zh


Eglisau is a small Swiss village on the bank of the river Rhine, in Zürich canton, Switzerland. It straddes the Rhine close to the border with Germany, with much of the Old Town on the northern bank.

Eglisau covers 9.07 sq km (3.5 sq mi) and has a population of 4,200 people (2011 estimate). The people of Eglisau mostly speak German (90.3%) as their mother tongue, with a smaller percentage speaking Italian (3%).

The history of Eglisau goes back to AD 892 when it was established as a cluster of farm houses. Its original name was Ouwa. Over the centuries, it evolved into a market town. There was a bridge built across the Rhine at Eglisau during the Middle Ages.

Eglisau's original Old Town is now lost due to the construction of a hydroelectric dam. Also making wa for the dam was its old bridge. The present Old Town was on a higher elevation, and its houses now sit right at water's edge. The buildings here are worth a visit. You can find a good number of beautiful half-timbered houses with steeply pitched roofs and ornamented windows and lintels.

Visiting Eglisau

Take the 51 expressway (Unterlandautobahn) from Zürich heading north, then continue on Route 4 until you reach Eglisau.

Eglisau in autumn
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EglisauLittleVillageAlongTheRhine.jpg
Author: Raymondlafourchette


Market day in Eglisau
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eglisau_Untergass_by_Raymond_Lafourchette.jpg
Author: Raymondlafourchette

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