Canton of Oberland
Encyclopedia
Oberland was the name of a canton
of the Helvetic Republic
(1798–1803), corresponding to the area of the Bernese Oberland
, with its capital at Thun
.
After the Napoleonic invasion of Switzerland in 1798, the old Bernese order was broken up and the Oberland separated from the rest of the canton. As there had been no previous separatist feeling amongst the conservative population, there was little enthusiasm for the new order.
The 1801 Malmaison Constitution proposed reuniting the Oberland with Berne, but it was not until the Act of Mediation
, two years later, with the abolition of the Helvetic Republic and the partial restoration of the ancien régime, that the two cantons were reunited.
During its short-lived existence, the canton was administered in ten districts
, each named for the district seat, except where shown:
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of the Helvetic Republic
Helvetic Republic
In Swiss history, the Helvetic Republic represented an early attempt to impose a central authority over Switzerland, which until then consisted mainly of self-governing cantons united by a loose military alliance, and conquered territories such as Vaud...
(1798–1803), corresponding to the area of the Bernese Oberland
Bernese Oberland
The Bernese Oberland is the higher part of the canton of Bern, Switzerland, in the southern end of the canton: The area around Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and the valleys of the Bernese Alps .The flag of the Bernese Oberland consists of a black eagle in a gold field The Bernese Oberland (Bernese...
, with its capital at Thun
Thun
Thun is a municipality in the administrative district of Thun in the canton of Bern in Switzerland with about 42,136 inhabitants , as of 1 January 2006....
.
After the Napoleonic invasion of Switzerland in 1798, the old Bernese order was broken up and the Oberland separated from the rest of the canton. As there had been no previous separatist feeling amongst the conservative population, there was little enthusiasm for the new order.
The 1801 Malmaison Constitution proposed reuniting the Oberland with Berne, but it was not until the Act of Mediation
Act of Mediation
The Act of Mediation was issued by Napoleon Bonaparte on 19 February 1803 establishing the Swiss Confederation. The act also abolished the previous Helvetic Republic, which had existed since the invasion of Switzerland by French troops in 1798. After the withdrawal of French troops in July 1802,...
, two years later, with the abolition of the Helvetic Republic and the partial restoration of the ancien régime, that the two cantons were reunited.
During its short-lived existence, the canton was administered in ten districts
Districts of Switzerland
In contrast to centrally organised states, in the federally constituted Switzerland each canton iscompletely free to decide its own internal organisation. Therefore there exists a variety of structures and terminology for the subnational entities between canton and municipality, loosely termed...
, each named for the district seat, except where shown:
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AeschiAeschi bei SpiezAeschi bei Spiez is a municipality in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.Views of the 17.5 km long Lake Thun are obtained from a little above Aeschi... -
BrienzBrienzBrienz is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.The village lies on the north bank of Lake Brienz in the Bernese Oberland at the foot of the Brienzer Rothorn mountain.-History:... -
FrutigenFrutigenFrutigen is a municipality in the Bernese Oberland in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is the capital of the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district.-History:... -
InterlakenInterlakenInterlaken is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the Canton of Bern in Switzerland, a well-known tourist destination in the Bernese Oberland.-History:...
(district seat: WilderswilWilderswilWilderswil is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.It is situated at the southern border of the Bödeli watershed, where the Saxetenbach joins the Lütschine, south of Interlaken. The village is situated at the foot of the mountains...
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Oberhasli (MeiringenMeiringen-References:...
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SaanenSaanenSaanen is a municipality in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is the capital of the Obersimmental-Saanen administrative district.-Geography:Saanen has an area of . Of this area, 52.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 33.6% is forested... -
Upper Simmental (ZweisimmenZweisimmenZweisimmen is a municipality in the Obersimmental-Saanen administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-Geography:Zweisimmen has an area of . Of this area, 56.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 32.9% is forested...
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Lower Simmental (ErlenbachErlenbach im SimmentalErlenbach im Simmental is a municipality in the district of Niedersimmental in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-Geography:Erlenbach im Simmental has an area, , of . Of this area, or 50.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 37.9% is forested...
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ThunThunThun is a municipality in the administrative district of Thun in the canton of Bern in Switzerland with about 42,136 inhabitants , as of 1 January 2006.... -
UnterseenUnterseenUnterseen is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.It is the highest town on the Aare, in the Bödeli watershed, between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz...