Neunkirch

Neunkirch is a small, historic town and a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland. It is set in the south of the Lange Rande, part of the mountains range Randen.The nameThe first documentary record of Neunkirch is in 850; the town is called Niuchilchun. It is Old High German and means new church. This name varies several times during the ages. Versions are known such as Nuinchilchen, Niuchilchen and Nüwenkilch. Some 17th-century documents mention Nükilch or Nünkilch.The name was finally fixed as Neunkirch because it belonged to the Bishopric of Constance, whose diocese already included a town called Niuchilchun or Neukirch. To avoid confusion with this town, the names were made different.HistoryNeunkirch was mentioned first in a deed of gift to the Rheinau Abbey on a Sunday 21 September in the reign of Louis the German. An exact year is not mentioned. Researches show, that 21 September was a Sunday only in 850, 861, 867 and 872. A commission decided in 1901, that the first year, 850, should officially be taken as the first date Neunkirch was mentioned in.The document itself doesn't exist anymore, but there is a copy in the public record office of Zürich.