Pfannenstiel (Zürich)

Seen Pfannenstiel chain from the opposite bank of Lake Zurich ( Etzel )

The panhandle is a hill in the Zurich canton between miles and Egg ZH. The highest elevation is 853 m above sea level. M..

Today, the panhandle is a popular recreation area in the Canton of Zurich. To the southeast is situated above the inn Hochwacht near the highest point of the Pfannenstiel a lookout, which was previously available on the Zurich Oberland Mount Bachtel. Northwest of the village of Forch is the Soldiers' Monument, popularly known as Forch Monument. In the winter, is created on the panhandle in good snow a cross-country ski trail.

Ridge

The term Pfannenstiel referred beside the hill many times throughout the mountain range between the right bank of Lake Zurich ( Hombrechtikon to Zurich ) and the Aabach, the left bank of Greifensee and smoothness to about Dübendorf. From southeast to northwest to south-eastern foothills, the Pfannenstiel in the true sense of the Wassberg Öschbrig ( 696 m), the Adlisberg (701 m) and the Zurich mountain ( 670 m) follow ( when Chapf 748 m ). The word Pfannenstiel is often used to designate the entire region southeast of the city of Zurich between the two lakes.

The result is the ridge by lateral deposits of Linth glacier - a so-called lateral moraine - during the last Ice Age in Central Europe.

Controversial Naming and spelling

According to the Zurich historian Leonhard von Muralt the name Pfannenstiel dates from the 17th century and refers to the pitch pan on the Hochwacht. This served to alert with fire and smoke signals. However, already in documents we find the name " panhandle " from the year 1333, when there were no high Wachten. The name was therefore probably inspired by the terrain, reminiscent of the wooden handle of an old pan pulled long and slightly curved.

Controversial was the spelling. By 1960, the Swiss Federal Office of Topography in a revised edition of the national map, the previous notation, " Pfannenstiel " in " pan style " changed. This decision was, however, already been reversed in the next revision in 1970. The authorities of the municipality miles on the west side of the panhandle had hastily but the new spelling " pan style " already implemented. Signs and street names ( Pfannenstielstrasse ) have been adjusted. Around 1975, these changes were gradually reversed.

In Switzerland, the spelling of names on the national map with a federal regulation is controlled. In this Regulation, an official Nomenclature Commission is responsible for the collection and the spelling of local names in each canton. The Regulation also stipulates that geographical names are written with less local importance in the local dialect (Article 7 The spelling of the names of smaller local importance, for in Articles 4 and 5, no special provision is provided is made in accordance to the usual local pronunciation according to the entha1tenen annexed to these instructions principles and spelling rules ). In a dialectal spelling the strain -ie the written language is not used for a long i. Accordingly, the panhandle would be written without ie. However, the panhandle has a larger than small, local significance and therefore should not be written in dialect. In Article 5 it is said also that names that are to be left as a result of their geographical, historical or literary significance of a general interest plays in the generally accepted spelling.

Pfannenstiel tower and Okenhöhe

The implemented as steel truss tower Pfannenstiel tower was built in 1893 on the Bachtel and placed in 1979 under monument protection. Since it was not enough as the antenna beam, it was dismantled in 1985 by the PTT and stored its parts. He was re- built on the Pfannenstiel above the restaurant Hochwacht 1992.

South of the restaurants Hochwacht is the Okenhöhe, a natural terrace overlooking the Glarus Alps. One of found nearby boulder was brought here and dedicated to the physician and naturalist Lorenz Oken.

The Pfannenstiel as a Literature Focus

The Zurich writers Albin Zollinger published in 1940 the novel Pfannenstiel - The story of a sculptor. In it, he describes the ridge as "a ridge of plain history, which sonderliche surprises could not really be trusted ." In the novel, a returned to Switzerland sculptor is disappointed by the political reality, refers to the panhandle back, where he built a house and finds an intact rural community.