Trachselwald
Encyclopedia
Trachselwald is a municipality
in the administrative district of Emmental
in the Swiss
canton
of Bern.
first belonged to the baron
s of Trachselwald, then to the barons of Rüti bei Lyssach
, and then finally to the barons of Sumiswald
until the sovereignty over the village was sold to the city of Bern in 1408. The castle became the sheriff
hood.
In 1574 the village was destroyed by a fire
. During the Swiss Peasants' War, on April 3, 1653, there was a gathering in the inn Tanne, which became the first public appearance of the peasants' leader Niklaus Leuenberger
, who was executed in Trachselwald Castle on August 27 of the same year.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 3.0% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.4%. 34.1% of the total land area is heavily forested and 4.2% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 7.9% is used for growing crops and 46.8% is pastures, while 1.7% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP
which received 50.7% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the Green Party
(12.2%), the local small left-wing parties (10.4%) and the SPS
(8.7%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 30.5% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 54.5% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 15%. In Trachselwald about 71.6% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Trachselwald has an unemployment rate of 0.9%. , there were 210 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 81 businesses involved in this sector. 47 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 16 businesses in this sector. 112 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 20 businesses in this sector.
church in the village was designed by Abraham Dünz in 1685. The oldest parts of the castle were built in the 12th century; nowadays it is the governor's seat of the district of Trachselwald. A Zither
culture museum, which was founded in 1999 and first located in Konolfingen
has been in Trachselwald since March 2003.
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
in the administrative district of Emmental
Emmental (administrative district)
Emmental District in the Canton of Bern was created on 1 January 2010. It is part of the Emmental-Oberaargau administrative region. It contains 42 municipalities with an area of and a population of 93,082....
in the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
canton
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 Bern.
History
The name of this municipality means "Drechsler-Wald" ("Woodturner-Forest) and was first mentioned in 1131. The village around Trachselwald CastleTrachselwald Castle
Trachselwald Castle is a castle in the municipality of Trachselwald in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance....
first belonged to the baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
s of Trachselwald, then to the barons of Rüti bei Lyssach
Rüti bei Lyssach
Rüti bei Lyssach is a municipality in the administrative district of Emmental in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-Geography:Rüti bei Lyssach is located at above sea level, as the crow flies west of the district capital Burgdorf. Rüti bei Lyssach has an area, , of . Of this area, or 84.5% is...
, and then finally to the barons of Sumiswald
Sumiswald
Sumiswald is a municipality in the district of the Emmental administrative district in the canton of Bern, Switzerland.-Geography:Sumiswald has an area, , of . Of this area, or 47.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 46.3% is forested...
until the sovereignty over the village was sold to the city of Bern in 1408. The castle became the sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
hood.
In 1574 the village was destroyed by a fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
. During the Swiss Peasants' War, on April 3, 1653, there was a gathering in the inn Tanne, which became the first public appearance of the peasants' leader Niklaus Leuenberger
Niklaus Leuenberger
thumbNiklaus Leuenberger was a leader of the Swiss peasant war of 1653.He signed the Treaty of Mellingen along with Christian Schybi on June 4, 1653....
, who was executed in Trachselwald Castle on August 27 of the same year.
Geography
Trachselwald has an area, , of 15.97 km² (6.2 sq mi). Of this area, 9.03 km² (3.5 sq mi) or 56.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 6.12 km² (2.4 sq mi) or 38.3% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.73 km² (0.281854575772551 sq mi) or 4.6% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.06 km² (14.8 acre) or 0.4% is either rivers or lakes and 0.03 km² (7.4 acre) or 0.2% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 3.0% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.4%. 34.1% of the total land area is heavily forested and 4.2% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 7.9% is used for growing crops and 46.8% is pastures, while 1.7% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
Demographics
Trachselwald has a population (as of ) of . , 2.6% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -4.5%. Most of the population speaks German (98.7%), with French being second most common ( 0.2%) and Italian being third ( 0.2%).In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP
Swiss People's Party
The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...
which received 50.7% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the Green Party
Green Party of Switzerland
The Green Party of Switzerland is the fifth-largest party in the National Council of Switzerland, and the largest party that is not represented on the Federal Council.-History:...
(12.2%), the local small left-wing parties (10.4%) and the SPS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(8.7%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 30.5% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 54.5% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 15%. In Trachselwald about 71.6% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
Fachhochschule
A Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
).
Trachselwald has an unemployment rate of 0.9%. , there were 210 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 81 businesses involved in this sector. 47 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 16 businesses in this sector. 112 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 20 businesses in this sector.
Attractions
The baroqueBaroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
church in the village was designed by Abraham Dünz in 1685. The oldest parts of the castle were built in the 12th century; nowadays it is the governor's seat of the district of Trachselwald. A Zither
Zither
The zither is a musical string instrument, most commonly found in Slovenia, Austria, Hungary citera, northwestern Croatia, the southern regions of Germany, alpine Europe and East Asian cultures, including China...
culture museum, which was founded in 1999 and first located in Konolfingen
Konolfingen
Konolfingen is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-History:Konolfingen is first mentioned in 1148 as Chonolfingen. It is a relatively new municipality, having been formed from the union of Gysenstein and Stalden in...
has been in Trachselwald since March 2003.