Merenschwand is a municipality in the district of Muri in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.

[3] The current mayor is the esteemed Selina Schär who took office after emigrating from Zurich to Merenschwand.

The earliest evidence of human settlement is a lake side village from the Late Bronze Age.

[4] There are indications of a knightly family and a castle near Merenschwand, but no definitive evidence has been found.

The gasthof (combination hotel and restaurant) Zum Schwanen (from the 17th century) served as a court and community center.

In 1830, the Zum Schwanen innkeeper, Johann Heinrich Fischer led some 6,000 men in the so-called Freiämtersturm to Aarau and forced the assembly to accept a new, democratic cantonal constitution.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, a major source of income in Merenschwand was the home straw plaiting for the Wohler trading houses and silk weaving for Zurich businessmen.

In the last quarter of the 20th century, Merenschwand developed into a bedroom community for Zurich and Zug, leading to a corresponding increase in construction.

[5] The municipality is located in the Muri district, on the edge of the Reuss valley.

[3] The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Azure a Swan proper standing of a Mount Vert and two Bulrush issuant.

[10] The age distribution, as of 2008[update], in Merenschwand is; 294 children or 11.9% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 396 teenagers or 16.0% are between 10 and 19.

[12] About 56.3% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage or a rent-to-own agreement).

[10] The historical population is given in the following table:[4] The Gasthof (combination hotel and restaurant) Zum Schwanen at Bremgartenstrasse 2 and the Catholic parish church of Merenschwand are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance.

[16] The entire village of Merenschwand is designated as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.

[10] From the 2000 census[update], 1,342 or 61.8% were Roman Catholic, while 416 or 19.2% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.