Jump to content

Au Peninsula

Coordinates: 47°14′57″N 8°38′46″E / 47.24917°N 8.64611°E / 47.24917; 8.64611
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Roland zh (talk | contribs) at 23:46, 17 September 2015 (bit expanded, details). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Au Peninsula
Map
Geography
Locationpeninsula at Au, Zürich, on Zürichsee lake shore
Administration
Switzerland

The Au Peninsula (German: Halbinsel Au) is located on the Swiss Zürichsee lake shore in the municipality of Au, Canton of Zürich.

Geography

Halbinsel Au as seen from the Zimmerberg plateau towards the Etzel mountain

Au is a peninsula situated on the southwestern Zürichsee lake shore on the slope of the the Zimmerberg plateau. In its south, between the headland and the peninsula, a small lake respectively a reed landscape to the north is situated. The area i located in the municipality of Au between Wädenswil and Horgen.

History

The peninsula as seen from the north

Located on the Au peninsula, the Neolithic site named Wädenswil–Vorder Au was one of the numberous sites of Prehistoric pile dwellings around Zürichsee. At Au numerous pottery and textile finds from the transitional period between the Pfyn and Horgen were excavated, as well as relicts of the Bell Beaker culture.[1]

The roughly 0.5 square kilometres (0.19 sq mi) large peninsula is first mentioned in the year 1316 as «Owe» belonging to the commandry of the Knights Hospitaller in Bubikon. Its name may be derived from the German term Au, meaning an "inland island" because its southern small lake. Until 1835 it was a domain of the old city republic of Zürich. The farm Au was acquired by the Swiss General Hans Rudolf Werdmüller (1614–1677). The Au peninsula got further literary honor: The German poet Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724–1803) immortalized his 1750s visit in his „Ode an den Zürichsee“ (Ode to the Lake Zürich). Local industrials founded in 1911 the so-called Au-consortium, that bought the middle part of the Au-Hill, together with the guest house and prevented the idyllic peninsula to be overbuilt and preserved it for public use.[2]

Points of interest

Further highlights on Au peninsula include the spacious park of Schloss Au, the hiking trail around the peninsula and its protected area, picnic places and a small lido on Zürichsee lake shore, and the Wine museum and its vineyards. The peninsula has also a renowned restaurant (Landgasthof).

Schloss Au

Werdmüller estate (1673)
Schloss Au

In 1650 the lands were given by the city of Zürich to Hans Rudolf Werdmüller who built a villa in the "Venetian" style where he cultivated horticulture, agriculture, fisheries, and even a blacksmiths workshop. The Au lake and the vineyards on the south side were also part of the extensive estate which was sold by Werdmüller's son in 1678. The estate went over into the possession of Colonel Hans von Schulthess-Bodmer, who rebuilt it 1928/29 as a neo-baroque villa, constructed by architect Johann A. Freytag. Among the famous residents was the author Mentona Moser (1874–1971) who was born on the Au pensinsula: „Ich habe gelebt“ (I've lived, among others with Au-related descriptions) is one of her published books. Her mother was considered one of the richest women in Europe in the 19th century; in her residence „Belle au bois dormant“ she met poets, philosophers, scientists and people perverted from trade and industry. The estate and a little landside lake belongs since 1989 to the Canton of Zürich; in 1985 Eric Alex von Schulthess handed over the property to the canton and thus the public, as part of the comprehensive 26 hectares (64 acres) area. Though the buildings usually just partially are accessible to the public, the castle's spacious park is a further point of interest.[2]

  • Park of the Werdmüller estate (Schloss Au)
    Park of the Werdmüller estate (Schloss Au)

Wine museum and vineyard

In 1978 the Weinbaumuseum am Zürichsee was opened at the foot of the Au peninsula to allow a fascinating insight into the wine of the region from the beginning to the present. Situated in a converted barn on the edge of the new vineyard of the Zürich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), there is also a historic vineyard which is traditionally cultivated and planted with many formerly used varieties.[3]

Transport

Tourist boat trips, run by the Zürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft (ZSG), sail between Zürich-Bürkliplatz and Rapperswil.

Cultural heritage

Located on Zürichsee lake shore, Wädenswil–Vorder Au is part of the 56 Swiss sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps,[1] and the settlement is also listed in the Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance as a Class A object of national importance.[4] Because the lake has grown in size over time, the original piles are now around 4 metres (13 ft) to 7 metres (23 ft) under the water level of 406 metres (1,332 ft).

References

  1. ^ a b "Sites Switzerland: Wädenswil–Vorder Au (CH-ZH-07)". palafittes.org. Retrieved 2014-12-09.
  2. ^ a b "Die Halbinsel Au: Geschichte" (in German). halbinselau.ch. Retrieved 2015-09-17.
  3. ^ "Die Halbinsel Au: Geschichte" (in German). weinbaumuseum.ch. Retrieved 2015-09-17.
  4. ^ "A-Objekte KGS-Inventar" (PDF). Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft, Amt für Bevölkerungsschutz. 2015-01-01. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Au peninsula.

47°14′57″N 8°38′46″E / 47.24917°N 8.64611°E / 47.24917; 8.64611

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Au_Peninsula&oldid=681559563"