District Thal

Thal

Basic data
Country:	Switzerland Switzerland
Canton :	Canton of Solothurn Solothurn (SO)
Main town :	Balsthal
FSO number :	1102
Area :	139.39 km²
Height range :	471–1330 m above sea level M.
Residents:	14,712 (December 31, 2018)
Population density :	106 inhabitants per km²
map

The Thal district is a district in the canton of Solothurn . The main town is Balsthal . Name 1841–1987: District Balsthal-Thal.

In 2009 the Thal district was recognized as the second region in Switzerland (after the Entlebuch Biosphere) as a Regional Nature Park of National Importance. The basis of the park activities is the existing potential in the field of nature tourism, especially hiking tourism along the ridges of the Thaler Jura.

Together with the district of Gäu , it forms the Amtei Thal-Gäu .

coat of arms

In red on a silver jagged three-mountain silver, right-looking falcon with spread wings

history

The valley was used by the Germanic peoples in the 7th / 8th centuries. Settled in the 17th century AD. The main reason why the settlers came to this rather remote valley (with the possible exception of Balsthal) was probably above all the hunting competition with the inhabitants and the southern foot of the Jura , who were already in the region earlier. Of course, larger streams such as today's Dünnern made settlement easier. In order to be able to operate their modest agriculture, the new settlers first had to cut down the dense forest, but the valley remained much more densely forested in the flat areas until the 19th century compared to today. The valley was probably evangelized relatively early, as the Moutier-Grandval monastery had existed since the 7th century . The first known documentary mention of a Thaler community exists for Balsthal , Laupersdorf and Matzendorf , each from the 10th century. The valley became an administrative district, at that time still called Vogtei , under the Ancien Régime around the 16th century. For further historical events: see under the individual parish names.

Municipalities

west of Gänsbunnen, looking down the valley to the east

coat of arms	Name of the parish	Population (December 31, 2018)	Area in km²	Inhabitants per km²
	Aedermannsdorf	570	12.92	44
	Balsthal	6121	15.71	390
	Goose fountain	85	11.45	7th
	Herbetswil	539	16.30	33
	Holderbank (SO)	696	7.75	90
	Laupersdorf	1813	15.50	117
	Matzendorf	1332	11.27	118
	Mümliswil-Ramiswil	2441	35.48	69
	Welschenrohr	1115	13.01	86
Total (9)		14,712	139.39	106