Kirchberg
Description
Kirchberg is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of Toggenburg in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.
History
Kirchberg is first mentioned in 1222 as Kilchberc.
Geography
Kirchberg has an area, as of 2006, of 42.6 km2 (16.4 sq mi). Of this area, 59.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 30.9% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 9% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.6%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes).
The municipality is located in the Toggenburg Wahlkreis. It is the most north-western municipality in the Wahlkreis and in bordered in the west by canton Thurgau and in the east by the Thur river. It consists of the village of Kirchberg on a high plateau in the center of the municipality, the village of Gähwil south of Kirchberg and the linear village of Bazenheid on a terrace above the Thur. Additionally, scattered around the municipality, there are the hamlets of Müselbach, Dietschwil, Ötwil, Nuetenwil, Rupperswil, Bräägg, Schalkhusen, Wolfikon, Lütenriet, Buomberg, Bäbikon and Husen.
Coat of arms
The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Per pall Or a Lion rampant Gules crowned Argent and Or a Semi Eagle displayed issuant Azure langued Gules and crowned Argent.
Heritage sites of national significance
The catholic parish and pilgrimage church of St. Peter and Paul is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance. The hamlet of Bäbikon is designated as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.
Religion
From the 2000 census, 4,820 or 61.0% are Roman Catholic, while 1,370 or 17.3% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. Of the rest of the population, there are 13 individuals (or about 0.16% of the population) who belong to the Christian Catholic faith, there are 243 individuals (or about 3.07% of the population) who belong to the Orthodox Church, and there are 87 individuals (or about 1.10% of the population) who belong to another Christian church. There are 2 individuals (or about 0.03% of the population) who are Jewish, and 802 (or about 10.15% of the population) who are Islamic. There are 31 individuals (or about 0.39% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), 304 (or about 3.85% of the population) belong to no church, are agnostic or atheist, and 232 individuals (or about 2.94% of the population) did not answer the question.