Alt St. Johann

Alt St. Johann ( in local dialect [a ( ː ) ɬt sa̞ŋkχt / San ˑ t ˌ Johan ( ˑ ) ]; French Saint -Jean -le- Vieux ) is a village in the valley of Toggenburg in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.

The former as an independent municipality of Alt St. Johann and belonging to him underwater village and the hamlet Starkenbach were combined with the municipality wild house on 1 January 2010 the new congregation wild house - Alt St. Johann.

Geography

Alt St. Johann was the second -highest municipality in the Toggenburg. The villages of Alt St. Johann and underwater located in the upper Thur. Within the area are the Churfirsten and parts of Alpsteins, as well as the Köbelishöhle and Wildenmannlisloch where presumably a time of Seluner lived.

The highest point in the area of the former municipality is the Hinterrugg with 2306 m above sea level. M. and the deepest point is 868 m that place where the Thur leaves the municipality. The neighboring communities or villages are wild house Nesslau -Krummenau, Stein SG, Amden, fourths, whales city and tomb.

History

In an alpine karst cave in the Toggenburg, the Wildenmannlisloch, Palaeolithic finds were made.

1152 an abbot monasterii sancti Johannis Baptiste (meaning the Convent of St. John ) mentioned. The monastery was founded by Benedictine monks founded also the place name.

By 1200, the location between stone and Starkenbach castle Starkenstein was built. She was owned by the Counts of Montfort or of becoming mountain. Since 1396 the Bailiwick screen was taken over by the Counts of Toggenburg. The castle passed in 1414 to the Toggenburg and later to the monastery of St. Johann.

The municipality of Sant Johann 1439 is mentioned for the first time. It was subordinate to the monastery or the screen Bailiwick Starkenstein. 1468 acquired the Abbey of St. Gall, the county Toggenburg and thus also the country's domination over the monastery and church of St. John. 1559 St. John received the same rights as the other Toggenburg towns. The monastery of St. John was from 1626 fires and mysterious deaths down the valley to Sidwald at Nesslau relocated ( Neu St. Johann ). For the village, the term Old naturalized a St. Johann.

1803 was created after the founding of the canton of St. Gallen modern municipality of Alt St. Johann to the to 1833 Stein SG also belonged.

1934, the funicular underwater Iltios that Iltiosbahn was built. It was the first mountain railway in Toggenburg. In 1938 the carriage funicular Iltios - Stöfeli, 1946, the chairlift Alt St. Johann - Alp Selamatt and 1972 the cable car Iltios - Chäserrugg to the top of Chäserrugg it. Today the tracks are part of the area Obertoggenburg.

1950 and in 1954/55 rescue excavations at the now dilapidated ruins to Starkenstein were made. The largest part of the castle is now destroyed by a quarry. Only parts of the keep are obtained.

2010, the municipalities Alt St. Johann and wild house were merged.

Tourism

Alt St. Johann and underwater look back on a long tradition in tourism, so already the funicular to Iltios built in 1934, which has since followed by numerous other transport facilities. Today Alt St. Johann with wild house and underwater part of the ski Obertoggenburg, which unites 60 km ski slopes at Churchill ridges and reached on the Chäserrugg a height of 2262 m. In summer and winter, it is the starting point for hikes and ski tours to Santis as well as to the Churfirsten.

Underwater is the residence of the ski jumper and four time Olympic champion of 2002 and 2010 Simon Ammann.

Through the municipal area of the 60 -kilometer Thurweg, a hiking trail that leads along the Thur from Wil to wild house runs.

Attractions

In July 2011, the Klangschmiede was opened as the seat of the Sound World of Toggenburg in the former Untermühle. Here is the traditional bells and dulcimer production be maintained and made ​​available to the public as a show craft exhibitions.

Horn sledge race

Since 1988, the well-known far beyond the Toggenburg addition horn sled race held each February. In peak years, took up to 200 sled part. The last race was held in 2013.

Gallery

Iltios station and mountain restaurant

Convent of St. John in 1152 and mentioned Evangelical Church (right)

Under old mill, mentioned in 1536, serves as a new sound forge sound Toggenburg

Horn sledge race February 17, 2008