Meltingen

Meltingen

Meltingen is a municipality in the district of Thierstein in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland.

Geography

Meltingen is located on 586 m above sea level. M., 8 km east-southeast of the town of Laufen (air line). The village is located in a valley in the headwaters of Ibachs, chambered in the landscape of Gilgenbergerstrasse country, the Jura folds of the black boys country.

The area of ​​5.8 km ² large municipality area includes a portion of the northern Jura. The northern part of the municipality is occupied by the valley of Meltingen, bounded on the west by Mette Berg ( 813 m above sea level. M. ), in the south of you ( 924 m above sea level. M. ), Horüti and rain mountain ( 871 m above sea level. M. ), in East is surrounded by the hills of the Hollen ( 655 m above sea level. M. ). The basin is drained by the Ibach north to the Birs. In the north, the border is within the narrow valley at Meltingerbrücke between the heights of Mettenberg and Chilchberg. To the south of the municipality of soil over the chain of Meltingerbergs extends into the catchment area of ​​Lüssel. A narrow strip of the municipality ban extends to the southeast across the hills of Dürr mountain ( 976 m above sea level. M. ) and Chastenchöpfli (906 m above sea level. M. ) to the Hirnichopf on which to 1,024 m above sea level. M. the highest point of Meltingen is achieved. From the municipality surface 1997 6 % came from settlements, 54 % of forest and woody plants and 40 % to agriculture.

To Meltingen include various individual farms. Neighboring communities of Meltingen are Zullwil, Nunningen, Beinwil (SO), Erschwil, Büsserach and Fehren.

Population

With 618 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) Meltingen one of the smaller municipalities in the canton of Solothurn. Of the residents 97.4 % are German, 0.8 % French-speaking and 0.7 % speak Italian ( as of 2000). The population of Meltingen amounted in 1850 to 411 residents in 1900 to 363 inhabitants. During the 20th century, the population rose to 1970 on 591 people. Since then, low population fluctuations were only recorded.

Policy

Mayor

The municipality of President for the term 2009 to 2013 Sibylle Jeger ( FdP ) was chosen. As a result of her resignation in 2011, it has since been through the Vice President Regina Jeger - Borell ( FdP ) ad interim represented, while the vacant seat on the council by Thomas Spaar - Maini is occupied. For the next term 2013-2016 Gérard Zufferey, who was chosen but did not get an absolute majority.

Parish council

The executive takes over the council with 6 seats, which are mainly represented by the FDP and the CVP for years. Since then, the Independent inhabitants took a seat at the expense of the CVP in 2005, the allocation of seats has remained unchanged for three terms of office.

Economy

Meltingen was until the second half of the 20th century, mainly coined by farming village. Even today, the dairy and livestock and the growing of fruit ( mostly cherry trees ) have a certain role in the occupational structure of the population. More jobs are in small local manufacturing and services available. In Meltingen today operations of transportation, carpentry, mechanical workshops and a laboratory for Ecotoxicology resident. On the border of Meltingen and Zullwil is the county school March. In recent decades, the village has developed into a residential community. Many workers are therefore commuters who work mainly in the region running -Breitenbach and in the Basel area.

Traffic

The community is located off of the larger passage axes, but is easily accessible from the main road of Breitenbach after Nunningen. By Postbus course, which serves the route from Laufen to Nunningen, Meltingen is connected to the public transport network.

History

Meltingen was first documented in 1302, but was inhabited since prehistoric times, such as, inter alia, the discovery of a probable megalithic stone bowl 1990 shows. The name goes back to the Old High German personal name Malto and thus means for the people / the family of the malto.

Since the Middle Ages Meltingen was under the rule Gilgen mountain, which was in the hands of the Barons of Ramstein. By buying the village came with the rule in 1527 to Solothurn and the new Bailiwick Gilgen mountain has been assigned. After the collapse of the Ancien Régime (1798 ) Meltingen belonged during the Helvetic Republic to Dornach district and from 1803 to the district of Thierstein.

The village was known for its mineral springs since the 15th century as a spa. 1915 they started the bottling of mineral water, 1928, the mineral and medicinal springs AG founded. The Meltinger bottled water was distributed to 1988; Soft drinks under the name Meltina until 1990.

Attractions

On the Chilchberg, a hill overlooking the village, the already mentioned 1375 Sanctuary of Mary is at the Hag. Choir and tower of the parish church are held in late Gothic style and date from the 15th century, the ship was built in 1730. In a renovation in 1968 fragments of wall paintings from the period were discovered in 1460. The church also has significant glass paintings from the 15th century and a rich interior. In the center rows of houses with characteristic farmhouses from the 17th to 19th centuries have been preserved.

Coat of arms

Blazon