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LEUGGERN
Leuggern is in the Zurzach District of the Canton Aargau in Switzerland. The remains of a Roman era Rhine fortifications watchtower have been discovered in Felsenau. The modern municipality of Leuggern is first mentioned in 1231 as Lutgern. In the 13th Century it was part of the Habsburgs Waldshut district. Starting in the 14th Century, it was a district under the Habsburg Vogt of Baden. After the conquest of the Aargau in 1415 it was part of the Swiss Confederation controlled County of Baden. The major landholders were the Freiherr of Böttstein and the Freiherr of Bernau. The Freiherr of Bernau granted the Knights Hospitaller extensive property, which became the Commandry of Leuggern in 1248. The village church is first mentioned in 1231 when it was in the possession of the knights. They also possessed other properties that; they, Count Rudolf von Habsburg and, after 1239, Ulrich of Klingen were unsuccessfully fighting over. Initially their Commandry was based on Bubikon but began moving to Leuggern in 1248. By 1251, a monastery had been built. In 1257 seven monks are mentioned as living there. In 1268 the Commander moved his seat from Klingnau and managed both Commandry together until 1415 from there. It had extensive landholdings was was one of the best endowed Commandry in Upper Germany. The Grand Master merged the two Commandry together into a single unit, though each house had its own prior. The house at Leuggern was located in the diocese of Basel, while Klingnau was in the diocese of Constance. The conquest of Aargau in 1415 brought the two religious houses under the vogt of the Acht Orte of the Swiss Confederation. Among the important priors in Leuggern was Franz von Sonnenberg of Lucerne, who's 1678 coat of arms adorns the gatehouse. Leuggern remained in the possession of the Order until 1806. At that time the Commandry building and property went to the Canton of Aargau. The building came into private hands in 1819 and in 1895 it served as a hospital for the elderly and sick. It was a forerunner of the District Hospital which opened in 1897. |
