Ruggell


Ruggell is the most northerly and low-lying of the Liechtenstein communities/municipalities, with population of 2,322 in 2019.

History

The name is said to be from the Latin for "clearing the land". Most known for conservation areas and the historic St. Fridolin's Parish Church.

Geography

While Liechtenstein is known as a largely mountainous country, Ruggell is largely flat and is situated along the Rhine River, where the international borders with Switzerland and Austria meet.

Flora and fauna

On the north side of the Eschnerberg mountain located about 90 hectares natural reserve :de:Liste der Schutzgebiete in Liechtenstein|Ruggeller Riet, rich in fauna and especially in flora. This bog was created after the melting of the Rhine Glacier about 16 500 years ago and the subsequent formation of the Lake Constance. The peat mining that had been significant probably since the 19th century started to declined after the Second World War. Of the original 100 peat huts, 12 were still standing in 1982.
The great biodiversity of the Ruggeller Riets includes peat moss, moor grass, :de:Kleinseggenried|Kleinseggenrieder and bogrush. At the end of May to June the siberian iris blooms in the large parts of the nature reserve. 736 plant and 1631 animal species occur in the Ruggeller Riet, among them the white stork and the eurasian curlew, which has disappeared as a breeding bird since 1997.
The Ruggeller are popularly called "Lättaknätter". The loamy soil that occurs here is called "Lätta". In the past peat was used to heat houses during cold season. This ancient tradition has increasingly disappeared in recent years.

Sport

Municipality is famous for FC Ruggell, one of the best teams in the country, although it plays in the sixth division of Switzerland. In other sporting areas cycling, field hockey, skiing and other winter sports stand out. In addition, the town of Ruggell has one of the four sports halls of Liechtestein: the others are in Schaan, Vaduz and Balzers.

Notable people