Rapperswil-Jona, Swiss football away days 6.

My next Swiss football trip brought me to the small medieval town of Rapperswil-Jona.

Rapperswil-Jona is a German speaking municipality, with a population of about 27,000, in the canton of St. Gallen in eastern Switzerland. Rapperswil and Jona, were actually separate municipalities until 2006, when they decided to come together in a bid to become more important in politics and society. The town is located on the shores of the beautiful Lake Zurich.

So the town is well known for its wooden pedestrian bridge between itself and the nearby village of Hurden. Built in 2001, crossing the Lake Zürich, the bridge symbolizes the fact that over the centuries locals have crossed between Lake Zurich and Obersee, mostly on boats, but also on a wooden bridge that was constructed by Count Rudolf IV the Wise and Duke of Austria. In 1358 this structure was a handy little earner as there was a toll set up on the bridge, that’s why he was considered a wise man! It is also important to acknowledge that there were other bridges from prehistory, and in the Roman times, so this crossing was and is of an important cultural and historical significance to the local area.

The wooden bridge linked the two shores for over 500 years, it was renovated for the last time in 1847. Due to other means of transport and alternative routes the idea of the toll fell away. In 1873 the Swiss federal parliament approved the construction of a stone dam with railway tracks and a road and construction began two years later. This bridge is adjacent to the wooden bridge that we see today, so there are two bridges side by side. In 2001 the old wooden bridge was replaced with a more safer and more enjoyable pedestrian oak built bridge. So what we have today is the longest wooden bridge in Switzerland at 841 metres long. (2,759 ft), and is listed as a heritage site of national significance.

To get to the town is easy as it is well linked to Zurich by rail, with many trains to the city every hour, a 35 minute journey. If not in a rush, one can also get a boat from Zurich that stops in the town regularly throughout the day.

I found the town to be pretty pleasant, nice to walk around the Old Town on an early Sunday morning. Not too far from the train station, is the historic wooden bridge that got my attention and is stated as the number one thing to do in the town re TripAdvisor, to which I walked along to the end and back. There is a nature reserve around the bridge where one can see some birds and other wildlife. The views of the lake and the Alps in the distance are lovely, and the walk is nice enough, but to be honest it wasn’t anything particularly extraordinary.

Went up to the castle walls to have a wander. The second thing recommend to do in Rapperswil from TripAdvisor! Didn’t go in, as I went to the castle in Thun and to be honest see one small castle you have seen them all, at least Swiss Castles, this isn’t Wales! So I ventured around the grounds. Built in the 13th Century by Count Rudolf II and his son Rudolf III von Rapperswil. The castle also has a Polish museum inside it which isn’t particularly clear to me why, but its there nevertheless! Ok I know that a Polish émigré, Count Wladyslaw Broel-Plater who purchased the Castle in 1870 and refurbished it, set up the museum, but why? To the south of the Castle is an old Vineyard, and to the north a small deer park. There is also a nice rose garden near the grounds. Either way the Castle, perched on a hill, is where you can get some decent views of the town and of Lake Zurich.

Funny thing about Rapperswil is that, according to media tabloids, the place is heaving with Nazi’s, and that the town is where a group of neo-boys have settled in. A local tattoo parlour and the Boomerang bar, which I visited, is owned by a Neo Nazi. Can read it here. To be perfectly frank I couldn’t give a flying…….I dont care much for a persons politics when I sit down for a pint. Not that I am apolitical but it seems some people like to play a game where you have to choose from one bunch of cunts on the left to another bunch of cunts on the right, both equally statist. Well they can play that game, and the media, but as long as they serve me a cold one and don’t bother me, then jog on.

Pub watch

Nautical Pub

Address: Seequai 1, Rapperswil 8640

http://www.seerestaurant-steinbock.ch/Nautic-Pub/

Arriving early to the town, it was good to see at least one bar open on the promenade. Nice looking bar from the outside, ventured in to a very small bar. A few people came in, looked like they were in town for some sort of sporting gig, so the small bar, with an interesting wooden and nautical themed decor, was actually quite busy. Ordered a Falken bier (from Schaffhausen), poured well and not too bad to drink for the first beer of the day.

Is beside the much larger restaurant Steinbock, which owns the small bar. It also has a terrace but the weather was not suitable to sit outside on this day.

A nice bar, cosy and very comfortable. Good friendly service, decent beer, and a nice start to the day.

Boomerang Bar

Address: Stampfstrasse 78 , 8645 Jona

http://www.boomerangbar.ch/boomerang-jona.html

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Not too far from the Rapperswil-Jona ground is an Australian style bar. Yeah sure why not!

I was very surprised to see it nestled in the middle of an industrial estate, this bar looks a little out of place. I was wondering if it was even open as the surroundings looked a bit dead.

Open it was, and it actually had a few punters in.

It is a bar that obviously caters for large parties and music events as it is quite spacious and looks like a decent place for a gig. Had a big area reserved for smokers as well, at the side.

Had all the typical Aussie paraphernalia one would expect and a crocodile hanging from the roof of the bar, yeah hats off to the interior designer as they really did a good job with getting the right mood for the bar.

Ordered a Coopers Pale Ale, a popular beer from Adelaide, and it went down well, nice and cold. Served with a smile and also got a complimentary basket of popcorn.

Was a nice place to relax before the big game, and happy to know that I didn’t have to walk to far to the match, with the ground just round the corner. Sweet.

FC Rapperswil-Jona

Arena/Stadium: Stadion Grünfeld

Location: Blaubrunnenstrasse, 8645 Rapperswil-Jona

Capacity: 2,500

Manager: Urs Meier

Founded: 1928

League: Challenge League

Club home page

sekretariat@fcrj.ch

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Founded in 1928 Fussball Club Rapperswil-Jona, the 2017/18 season sees the team play for the first time in the second highest league in Switzerland, the Challenge League, after winning promotion the year before in what was the clubs best achievement in its 90 year long history.

The club play in red out of the Grünfeld stadium, a small ground with a capacity of 2,500, which was opened in 2014.

To the game

FC Rapperswil-Jona 1 – 2 FC Vaduz

11.02.2018 • Stadion Grünfeld, Rapperswil-Jona

Mathys 27′ (Vaduz)
Konrad 47′ (Vaduz)
Elmer (FCRJ, Pen) 83′

Attendance: 780

Enjoyed my time at the match. Not a bad game, good atmosphere, beer and food was flowing, and the locals and staff were in fine spirits. The only thing that was a tad bit annoying was the weather! Game started of in decent, albeit wet, conditions, but by the second half snow was coming down heavy enough that by the end of the game I was well frozen.

Vaduz started the game much better and scored after about half an hour, a well worked goal deservedly putting them in the front. Devic squaring the ball lovely for Mathys to easily slot home.

After the break they got their second, and looked well in control of the game. Konrad close range.

FC Rapperswil-Jona did have their moments, but the Vaduz goalkeeper was in fine form, pulling off a few good saves to keep Vaduz 2 up.

But he couldn’t stop a penalty that was given to Rapperswil, for a hand ball. That resulted in the last few minutes with Vaduz hanging on, just about. Rapperswil had that golden chance to equalise but again the Vaduz goalkeeper,Peter Jehle, saved brilliantly to keep the three points for the visiting team.

Enjoyable game, and fair play to both teams for that as the conditions were not suitable for good football so well done there. The better team won too, Vaduz just having that bit more quality.

I also would like to say that everyone associated with Rapperswil, from the ticket sellers, to the stewards and the guys and gals selling the beer/hot food were all extremely friendly and a credit to themselves and their town. Really great time and would love to return again sometime in the future, but perhaps on a hot summers day!!!

Overall

Enjoyed my short time in Rapperswil-Jona, a nice little town with its own character. The match and the football ground hop was good fun, the food and the beer was tops, and I will definitely be back in the near future. Nice one little Rapperswil-Jona!