Stans

Infobox Swiss town
subject_name = Stans
municipality_name = Stans
municipality_type = municipality
imagepath_coa = Stans-coat of arms.svg|pixel_coa=

---

languages = German
canton = Nidwalden
iso-code-region = CH-NW
district = n.a.
lat_d=46|lat_m=57|lat_NS=N|long_d=8|long_m=21|long_EW=E
postal_code = 6370
municipality_code = 1509
area = 11.08
elevation = 452|elevation_description=
population = 7353|populationof = December 2003 | popofyear = 2003
website = www.stans.ch
mayor = |mayor_asof=|mayor_party=
mayor_title = |list_of_mayors =
places =
demonym =
neighboring_municipalities= Buochs, Dallenwil, Ennetbürgen, Ennetmoos, Oberdorf, Stansstad
twintowns = |

Stans is the capital of the canton of Nidwalden (Nidwald) in Switzerland. It has a population of 7300, 12% of which is of foreign nationality (2002). The area of Stans is 11 km².

History

Stans was first mentioned in 1172. In 1798 it was stormed by French troops, followed the decision of Nidwalden not to adapt a new constitution. Children orphaned by this event were gathered by the educator Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi for his first school. The open-air assembly ("Landsgemeinde") was held in Stans annually until its abolition in 1997.

Stans can also refer to a species of shimp in the "larval" form that were first ordained on the beaches of Groton Long Point, Connecticut, USA in August of 2006. They were originally discovered by two teenage girls who were swimming along the coast when they noticed the tiny, black shrimp in the water and being washed up on to the shore.

Industry

There are 650 local businesses which employ 6900 people. 2% of these are in the agricultural sector, 37% in trade and industry, 61% in services.

ights

The main sights of Stans are: the "Stanserhorn" (1900m) mountain and tourist resort, accessible via one of the oldest mountain railways in Switzerland, the "Stanserhornbahn" (1893), and by cable car; the main square ("Dorfplatz"); the parish church, "St. Peter und Paul" (built 1641 - 1647) with a Romanesque tower; the monastery "St. Klara"; a monument for the local hero Arnold von Winkelried and his birth place ("Winkelriedhaus"); a Capucin monastery; a salt storage house and an old alleyway ("Schmiedgasse").

External links

* [http://www.stans.ch/ Official Page] de icon
* [http://www.stanserhorn.ch/default_eng.htm Stanserhorn]