Rorschach - Encyclopedia
RORSCHACH, a busy commercial town in the Swiss canton of St Gall, situated on the south-west shore of the Lake of Constance, and by rail 62 m. N.E. of Zurich, 10 m. S.E. of Romanshorn and 57 m. N. of Coire. In 1900 its population was 9140, mostly German-speaking, while there were 5935 Romanists to 3 1 39 Protestants. From 1408 to 1798 it belonged to the abbot of St Gall, and then to the canton Santis (named canton of St Gall in 1803) of the Helvetic Republic. It has always been a great commercial centre, though now superseded by Romanshorn as regards the corn trade. It has many industrial establishments, of which the chief is one for the manufacture of lace and muslin. Above the town is the old convent of Mariaberg, originally built in the 15th century as a refuge for the monks of St Gall against the turbulent citizens of that town, but now a seminary for teachers. From Rorschach a cogwheel railway runs south-east in 44 m. up to Heiden, a village in the canton of Appenzell well known for its goats' whey cure. (W. A. B. C.)
