Canton Aargau: uncharted waters: almost anyone who crosses Switzerland passes through Aargau to get from one part of the country to another. So why not pause for a moment in this uncharted canton?[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With optimal connections to nearby foreign countries, Aargau also lies within an hour's drive of hubs like Zurich, Basel, Bern and Lucerne Lucerne (l  sûrn`), Ger. Luzern (ltsĕrn`), canton (1993 pop. . More locally, it is known in many ways: as the canton of
indulgence, the canton of water and the Wasserschloss of
Switzerland--due to the convergence of three important rivers, the Aare,
Reuss and Limmat.
Rural recreation areas, highly developed industrial centres, historical cities and new culture in the making--all are here in Aargau, highly prized by people and companies alike. One thing is clear: Aargau is a place where you can live and enjoy, work and invest, or simply take an excursion or a holiday. It is a canton to be discovered. Among the fastest growing areas in Switzerland, with an area of 1,400 [km.sup.2] and some 600,000 inhabitants
The game is based loosely on the concepts from SameGame. , it is Switzerland's fourth largest canton in terms of its economic output and population. Fourth largest hub Rivers and lakes in the 'canton of water' have played significant roles in its evolution: they quickly fostered transit routes, and were the foundation of a market for electricity--still successful today--which has made Aargau a leading research and technology location. The establishments of ABB n. 1. Among weavers, yarn for the warp. Hence, Noun 1. ABB - an urban hit squad and guerrilla group of the Communist Party in the Philippines; formed in the 1980s , Alstom and Axpo in Aargau testify to the canton's prominence as an energy generator and distributor. And Aargau has the largest industrial sector of all the Swiss cantons by population, with 34 per cent of all workers in industry, compared with a Swiss average of 24 per cent. The most important are plastics and materials technology, machines and life sciences. And the regions of Baden, Brugg and Fricktal are among the most productive in Switzerland. On one hand, global players such as ABB, Alstom, Roche, Novartis and Johnson & Johnson make Aargau's industrial landscape prominent. But on the other, the canton's 30,500 companies, totalling 260,000 employees, comprise mainly small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs). This connection between the research institutes of multinationals such as ABB Corporate Research in Dattwil, and the innovation performance of SMEs increases the location's attractiveness enormously. In the area of company start-ups Aargau occupies one of the top spots in Switzerland. This is in no small part due to synergies between educational and research institutes. The Paul Scherrer Institute The Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is a multi-disciplinary research institute which belongs to the Swiss ETH-Komplex covering also the ETH Zurich and EPFL. It was established in 1988 by merging in 1960 established EIR (Eidgenössisches Institut für R (PSI) in Villigen is one of the biggest national research institutes for natural and engineering sciences in terms of employee base, and its name is recognised internationally. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It employs 1,200 people in the areas of materials sciences (including nanotechnology), solid state and particle physics particle physics or high-energy physics Study of the fundamental subatomic particles, including both matter (and antimatter) and the carrier particles of the fundamental interactions as described by quantum field theory. , biology and medicine. And the PSI operates the first radiation therapy facility for the treatment of tumours with proton radiation. The canton promotes company innovation, as evidenced in the founding of Technopark Aargau in Windisch, and in the ongoing transfer of knowledge and technology between area businesses and institutes of higher learning higher learning n. Education or academic accomplishment at the college or university level. . The canton invests in its future through a quality educational system. The University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland is one of the strongest venues of research in Switzerland, and the proximity to universities in Zurich, Basel and Bern and to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology may refer to one of two institutes of higher education in Switzerland:
n. Variant of edh. ) is attractive not only for students but also for enterprises. Albert Einstein, himself, attended the Cantonal School in Aargau--a harbinger of the continuing dedication to learning. Fine living, less taxing In 2006 voters in Aargau approved a comprehensive tax reduction package making the fourth largest canton more fiscally attractive than all other midland cantons--including Zurich and Bern. It offers deductions in corporate taxation, low taxation of property and a family-friendly taxation system with balanced-income taxation and high deductions for children. Contrary to Zurich, Basel and Bern, Canton Aargau shows an above average proportion of home ownership. This is due to affordable land that is not as readily available in more densely populated cantons. A 2005 ranking by the Swiss Graduate School of Public Administration (IDHEAP) listed Aarau and Baden among the top 12 Swiss cities in quality of life. A long-term factor for the excellent living conditions living conditions npl → condiciones fpl de vida living conditions npl → conditions fpl de vie living conditions living is prudent management of natural resources. For a long time, Aargau has played a leading role as regards its agricultural policy Agricultural policy describes a set of laws relating to domestic agriculture and imports of foreign agricultural products. Governments usually implement agricultural policies with the goal of achieving a specific outcome in the domestic agricultural product markets. . [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Two nationally important organisations are represented by the Research Institute for Organic Land Use (FIBL FIBL Forschungsinstitut für Biologischen Landbau (German: Research Institute of Organic Agriculture) FIBL FORCEnet Implementation Baseline FIBL Focused Ion Beam Lithography FIBL Filipino-Indian Basketball League )--located in Frick since 1973 and engaged in extensive research and development of organic land use on an international level--and the Biopartner AG (the most important partner of organic produce traders). Spa city There are countless picturesque places and unique cultural institutions, which warrant discovery in Aargau. A trip through Aargau leads you back to the first century before Christ before Christ adv. Abbr. B.C. or b.c. In a specified year of the pre-Christian era. Adv. 1. : excavations inform about life in the Roman colony Augusta Raurica Augusta Raurica is a large Roman archaeological site in Switzerland. Located about 20 km east of Basel near the village of Kaiseraugst, it is the oldest known Roman colony on the Rhine. in 44 B.C. in Kaiseraugst. In Windisch you will see the Roman legion's camp Vindonissa, which was the Empire's most important military base in Switzerland. A recently excavated officers' kitchen illustrates culinary practices of the day. Following the Roman tracks will lead visitors further east of Aargau. Even today thermal springs can be enjoyed in the spa city of Baden. Alongside Baden are health resorts in the communities of Bad Zurzach Bad Zurzach is a municipality in the district of Zurzach in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. It is the seat of the district. , Rheinfelden and Schinznach. The revitalising thermal waters entice some two million visitors per year. Romans and Habsburgs--the cradle of our cultural identity Of historical interest are the 12 medieval cities from Aarau to Bremgarten, Laufenburg to Zofingen. Each is worth a visit. A pearly chain of historical castles and monasteries runs through the canton: from Habsburg (sometimes written Hapsburg in English translations), Hallwyl, Lenzburg to Wildegg, not to mention the monastery churches Konigsfelden, Muri, Fahr and Wettingen. The stained glass stained glass, in general, windows made of colored glass. To a large extent, the name is a misnomer, for staining is only one of the methods of coloring employed, and the best medieval glass made little use of it. series in the monastery church Konigsfelden in Windisch is considered Aargau's most significant cultural artefact See artifact. of European rank. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Also located in the canton is this country's family seat of the Habsburgs, whose dynasty was first documented some 900 years ago. In 2008, special events will mark the auspicious history of this once mighty aristocracy, which lost an important monarch with the assassination Assassination See also Murder. assassins Fanatical Moslem sect that smoked hashish and murdered Crusaders (11th—12th centuries). [Islamic Hist.: Brewer Note-Book, 52] Brutus conspirator and assassin of Julius Caesar. [Br. of King Albrecht I, in K6nigsfelden, 700 years ago. You can still sense the chivalry chivalry (shĭv`əlrē), system of ethical ideals that arose from feudalism and had its highest development in the 12th and 13th cent. and romance of those bygone days in Aargau's castles, some of which offer their banquet halls and restaurants for celebrations. Among the best are the Lenzburg Castle, where poet Frank Wedekind Benjamin Franklin Wedekind (Hannover July 24, 1864 – Munich March 9, 1918), usually known as Frank Wedekind, was a German playwright. His work, which often criticizes bourgeois attitudes (particularly towards sex), is considered to anticipate expressionism, and he was a major spent his youth, and Hallwyl Castle, which is surrounded by a picturesque moat. And, in some 70 museums, Aargau offers multifaceted worlds of discovery for every age group and taste. The highlights are the Aargauer Kunsthaus in Aarau, which contains the most significant collection of Swiss art, and was recently expanded according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the design of star architects Herzog & de Meuron. In addition, the Naturama Aarau natural museum contributes to the sustainable development Sustainable development is a socio-ecological process characterized by the fulfilment of human needs while maintaining the quality of the natural environment indefinitely. The linkage between environment and development was globally recognized in 1980, when the International Union of the canton through its internationally recognised exhibitions, research and referral activities. Stapferhaus Lenzburg stands among the most innovative museums in the Germanspeaking world; their next exhibit shows how we become children of our time, how we dream of existing outside of time, and how time is always moving faster. Bygone eras have a new spin The Langmatt Museum in Baden houses masterpieces of impressionism impressionism, in painting impressionism, in painting, late-19th-century French school that was generally characterized by the attempt to depict transitory visual impressions, often painted directly from nature, and by the use of pure, broken color to ; here visitors can book a unique 'picnic-in-the-park' offering. The museum is found in the former villa of Sidney and Jenny Brown, the founding generation of BBC BBC in full British Broadcasting Corp. Publicly financed broadcasting system in Britain. A private company at its founding in 1922, it was replaced by a public corporation under royal charter in 1927. , today known as ABB. Also worth seeing is the Villa Boveri in Baden where concerts and literary events are held; it can also be rented for celebrations and parties. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The spectrum of museums extends to such rarities as the Straw Museum in Wohlen, which documents the significance of the community of Freiamt in the world of straw crafts like boater hats, bonnet ornaments and horsehair horse·hair n. 1. The hair of a horse, especially from the mane or tail. 2. Cloth made of the hair of horses. horsehair Noun bobbin bobbin, implement on which thread is wound, used in sewing, spinning, weaving, and lace making. Sometimes the wooden spools of sewing thread are called bobbins. laces at the turn of the 19th century. The Kindermuseum (Children's Museum Children's museums are institutions that provide exhibits and programs that stimulate informal learning experiences for children. In contrast with traditional museums that typically have a hands-off policy regarding exhibits, children's museums feature interactive exhibits that are ) in Baden shows the development of children's lives and toys, while letting visitors play and experiment in its 20 rooms. The Musee Bizarre in Rieden near Baden houses the mysterious story of Professor Pilzbarth as well as the whimsical Mouse Museum. Fortress Museum Reuenthal exhibits original armaments and equipment from the time of the Second World War, and the Military Museum Full displays tanks and defence artillery. And don't forget the Bruno Weber Bruno Weber (born April 10, 1931 in Dietikon, Switzerland) is a Swiss artist and architect of fantastic realism. Life Bruno Weber was born 1931 in Dietikon, Switzerland. sculpture park, the largest art park in Switzerland exhibiting larger-than-life figures and accessible sculptures in a surrealist style on 20,000 [m.sup.2]. Untouched landscapes and Jurassic discoveries Our canton is not graced with a Matterhorn, but the Jura has fantastic fossils and a complete skeleton of a Plateosaurus in the Dinosaur Museum in Frick. Hiking trails lead past floodplain floodplain, level land along the course of a river formed by the deposition of sediment during periodic floods. Floodplains contain such features as levees, backswamps, delta plains, and oxbow lakes. forests, over the hills and ridges of the Tafeljura, where a practiced eye can still find many an ammonite ammonite (ăm`ənīt), one of a type of extinct marine cephalopod mollusk, related to the nautilus and resembling it in having an elaborately coiled and chambered shell. or belemnite bel·em·nite n. A cone-shaped, fossilized internal shell of any of an extinct genus of cephalopods related to the cuttlefish. [New Latin belemn . The people of Aargau were the first in Switzerland to protect their floodplain landscapes, which today make up a good one per cent of the canton surface. A critical juncture, easily explored by canoe, is found at the Wasserschloss, where the Aare, Reuss and Limmat rivers flow together. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The canton's landscape encourages not only relaxation, but also a variety of sports activities. Whether bicycling on the banks of Aargau's rivers or mountain biking mountain biking Sports medicine A sport in which participants use specialized bicycles to navigate rough, steep trails covered with unforgiving rocks Injury risk Concussions, fractures, death. See Extreme sport, Novelty seeking behavior. in the Jura, cyclists get their fill thanks to the largest network of cycling trails in Switzerland. Sports fans will enjoy Cycle Sport Days in Gippingen, horse races Flat races Argentina
In fact, anything is possible, from playing a round of golf to sailing on Lake Hallwil or hopping a sightseeing flight from the small plane airport in Birrfeld. Night becomes day Entertainment variety is assured as well. Many small theatres such as the Theater Tuchlaube in Aarau, the Kellertheater in Bremgarten or the ThIK Theater in the Kornhaus in Baden put on exciting productions. As far as classical music goes, the Aargau Symphony Orchestra sets the tone. Opera fans should not miss the open-air opera at the Hallwyl Castle during the summer of 2009. Events take place year-round across Aargau. The city of Baden alone holds annual festivals, though in alternate years, in September, such as the animated film festival Fantoche (2007) and the Figura Theater Festival (2008). Top attractions include The Blues Festival in May and the summer open-air theatre. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Other festivals include the 'Heitere' in Zofingen, an open-air event with internationally renowned pop and rock bands. While the Boswil Summer Festival presents an intimate setting for chamber music lovers. Festivals also draw visitors to the monastery church Konigsfelden, the Cistercian Monastery Wettingen and the Monastery Muri. Faites vos jeux draws nightly crowds to the Grand Casino Baden, one of the seven casinos with an A-license in Switzerland. Beginners can also try their luck with the 'gamble & dine' package--an introduction to various games. Not to worry about driving, as the casino shuttle whisks players home late into the night. Aargau's restaurants are well represented in gastronomic gas·tro·nom·ic also gas·tro·nom·i·cal adj. Of or relating to gastronomy. gas  tro·nom guides, meaning that visitors will find more than traditional carrot
cake Carrot cake is a sweet spice cake with grated carrot mixed into the batter. The carrot softens in the cooking process, and the cake usually has a soft, dense texture. The carrots themselves enhance the flavour, texture and appearance of the cake. on the menu. Traditional country houses dish up dish upVerb to serve (food) Verb 1. dish up - provide (usually but not necessarily food); "We serve meals for the homeless"; "She dished out the soup at 8 P.M. Aargau specialities, small city restaurants prepare innovative cuisine, and castle restaurants dish up a wondrous atmosphere. The guidebook schlemmen.ch specialises in restaurant searches in the Aargau-Solothurn region. Fine dining includes fine wine, which is cultivated in various locations throughout Aargau on some 500 hectares. And you can learn more about the history of wine and its production at Aargau's Wine Museum in Tegerfelden. High-proof liquors and tobacco are native to Aargau, with fine schnapps schnapps n. pl. schnapps Any of various strong dry liquors, such as a strong Dutch gin. [German Schnaps, mouthful, schnapps, from Low German snaps, from distilled in Kaser's Castle (Kasers Schloss) by Ruedi Kaser in over 100 varieties, from 'simple' berry and fruit brandies to 'fir tip' schnapps and even chocolate or carrot schnapps. Tobacco cultivation and processing enjoyed a heyday in Aargau's Lake Valley before the end of the 19th century, as portrayed by an exhibit in Hallwyl Castle. Aargau Services: We advise, support and connect you Aargau Services, the official economic promotion organisation of Canton Aargau, supports enterprises and investors to help them realise their business projects swiftly and without bureaucracy. And Aargau Services offers a one-stop-shop as the central hub for economic and location enquiries as well as necessary contact information. Services include nurturing relations with enterprises in Aargau, and supporting local and foreign companies interested in establishing branches here. An important contribution to growth of the cantonal economy is the active promotion of new, local enterprises and the targeted acquisition of companies abroad. Information on site selection, questions of approvals, taxation and financing can be found at: www.aargauservices.ch www.aargauserviees.com Cultural sites: Aargauer Kunsthaus, Aarau, www.aargauerkunsthaus.ch: Collection of Swiss art, presented in a building enlarged by star architects Herzog & de Meuron. Naturama Aargau, www.naturama.ch: Travel through time from the world of dinosaurs and mammoths to the animals and plants of the local natural environment. Museum Aargau, Castle of Lenzburg www.ag.ch/lenzburg and Hallwyl Castle www.hallwyl.ch: The Castle of Lenzburg offers an overview of 600 years of culture and a splendid view of the Limmat Valley. Hallwyl Castle lies on Lake Hallwil, one of the prettiest excursion destinations in Canton Aargau. The exhibition in the castle presents the life of the Hallwyl family and their subjects from the Middle Ages to the modern period. Museum Langmatt, www.langmatt.ch: The industrial tycoon villa, built in 1900- 1901, houses a significant impressionist collection including works from Renoir, Cezanne und Monet. Kindermuseum Baden, www.kindermuseum.ch: The museum, showing 300 years of children's culture, is suitable for children and adults. Musee Bizarre in Rieden bei Baden, www.musee-bizarre.ch: This institution houses the Mouse Museum and the museum depicting the 'peculiar bathing cure' of Professor Pilzbarth. Bruno Weber Sculpture Park, www.bruno-weber.com: Nature meets art in this surreal park, where visitors can explore larger-than-life sculptures. Monastery Muri, www.murikultur.ch: The proud baroque structure is the religious and cultural centre of Freiamt, resting place of the last imperial Habsburg couple, Empress Zita and Emperor Karl I. Monastery church Konigsfelden, www.ag.ch/klosterkk/: Known for its 14th century glass windows, it is located near the seat of the Habsburg family amid Roman archaeological excavations of Vindonissa. Kaser's Castle (Kasers Schloss) of Brandy, www.kaesers-schloss.com: Showing more than 100 schnapps, the first whiskey in Switzerland, and first class cuisine. Thermal baths in Aargau: Health Resort Rheinfelden, www.kurzentrum.ch: with its salt-water bath 'sole uno', Finnish sauna and oriental hammam. Aquarena Bad Schinznach, www.aquarena.ch: wellness oasis in a floodplain park. Bad Zurzach, www.badzurzach.ch: with an SPA Medical Wellness Centre Baths in Baden: www.baden.ch, www.thermalbaden.ch, www.limmathof.ch, www.schweizerhofbaden.ch, www.blume-baden.ch, www.hamam-baden.ch Life in Aargau: www.ag.ch Entrepreneur's platform: www.start-net.ch Contact Aargau Services Dr. Walter Cadosch, Director Economic Promotion Annelise Alig Anderhalden, Dipl. Ing. ETH Project Leader Rain 47, Postfach, 5001 Aarau Telephone: +41 (0)62 835 24 40, Fax: +41 (0)62 835 24 19 aargau.services@ag.ch Cultural and tourist offerings: www.aargautourismus.ch, www.aarauinfo.ch Contact: AARGAU TOURISMUS c/o Aarau Information Office Esther Kuster Graben 42, Postbox 5001 Aarau Telephone: +41 (0)62 824 76 24 aargautourismus@aarauinfo.ch We acknowledge and thank the following firms and institutions for their friendly support: Gerry Thonen, Laufenburg (photo page 32) Aquarena Bad Schinznach (photo page 34) ABB Semiconductors AG, Lenzburg (photo page 36) Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, Villigen (photo page 36) Museum Aargau (photo page 37) Basic information: Canton Aargau [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Capital: Aarau Area: 1,404 [km.sup.2] Inhabitants: 579,489 Population density: 409 p/[km.sup.2] Entry to Swiss Federation: 1803 Abbreviation abbreviation, in writing, arbitrary shortening of a word, usually by cutting off letters from the end, as in U.S. and Gen. (General). Contraction serves the same purpose but is understood strictly to be the shortening of a word by cutting out letters in the middle, : AG Languages: German Website: www.ag.ch |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion