The Village Appenzell and Canton Appenzell Innerrhoden

28 July 2021

Appenzell (population 5800) is the capital of the smallest Swiss canton. It is the political, economic and cultural centre of the canton of Appenzell-Innerrhoden.

The parish of Appenzell was founded in 1071. The church of St. Mauritius was already built in 1069. It was a church of the monastery of St. Gallen. Around 1300 it was rebuilt in the late Romanesque style and 1488-1513 in the late Gothic style.

In 1597, the Kirckhöri in Appenzell and the Ausser-Rhoden decided on a peaceful division (Landteilungsbrief) of the land into the Catholic Innerrhoden and the reformed Ausserrhoden.

With the introduction of the Federal Constitution in 1848, all reformed Swiss were allowed to settle in Innerrhoden. Around 1900, 373 Protestants were counted, about 3.5% of the population, and shortly afterwards, the first Reformed church was built. Today, this church has 1255 members in the Catholic canton.