Cultural heritage Parts of the town archives in Rapperswil-Jona are now under protection
For the first time, the canton of St. Gallen has placed parts of the holdings of a municipal archive under protection. The "Old Archive of the Town of Rapperswil" in Rapperswil-Jona is one of the most valuable archive holdings in the canton, according to the Department of Cultural Heritage. The oldest document in it dates back to 1229.
05.07.2024, 11:59
SDA
The "Old Archive of the Town of Rapperswil" documents the history of the town of Rapperswil with thousands of documents, files and books from the Middle Ages (1229-1523) to the early modern period and the Helvetic period (1533-1803), as announced by the Cultural Heritage Office of the Canton of St. Gallen on Friday.
The collection thus ranges from the first documentary mention of the town in 1229 to minutes relating to the founding of the canton in 1803. The archival documents are almost exclusively handwritten and therefore unique, the press release continued.
"The collection is of great historical significance, especially for the political, technical, religious and social history of the canton, and is characterized by a special cultural testimonial value for the canton and the See-Gaster region in particular," said the Department of Culture, explaining the reasons for the protection. The communiqué went on to say that damaging or destroying the building would mean a great loss.
An agreement between the local municipality of Rapperswil-Jona and the Department of Home Affairs of the Canton of St. Gallen to place the site under protection was signed back in March. The local municipality and the canton are thus committed to preserving, maintaining and mediating the holdings.
