Biel-Benken

Biel- Benken (Basel German: Biel- Bängge ) is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel -Country in Switzerland.

Geography

Biel- Benken located in Leimental to 317 m above sea level. M. at the inlet of Birsigs on Swiss territory. It borders with the municipalities of France Leymen or Neuwiller, to the canton of Solothurn with Bättwil and Witterswil and to its Basel- Scenic neighboring communities Oberwil and Therwil. The area of the municipality is 4.12 km ², of which 58% are agricultural areas, 20 % forest, 21 % settlements and 1% unproductive area.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of Biel- Benken has five silver wake on a red background. This was also the former coat of arms of Benken and the family crest of the bivalves. Biel had until 1971 the same coat of arms, but with inverted colors.

History

The municipality was formerly made up the two Alemannic settlements Biel ( Benken minor) and Benken ( Benken maior, also Benchon ) and were in possession of the Basel knight family of bivalves since the 13th century. In 1526 they were sold to the city of Basel. After the Reformation in 1529, and Biel Benken merged to form a single parish and village instead of the two chapels were built in 1621 in Benken a new church. During the Thirty Years' War was it for the two villages not better, as almost all the surrounding communities, they were looted and set on fire. At the outbreak of the French Revolution, the village was a haven for Jews from neighboring Sundgau.

On January 1, 1972, the two communities Biel and Benken merged and have since a municipality.

Population

48 % of the population are reformed and 25 % Roman Catholic. The proportion of foreigners is 11.3 %.

Policy

Mayor Peter Burch (2010 ).

Attractions

  • Village core
  • Parish Church of St. Anthony from 1621
  • Oser monument in memory of the poet - priest Friedrich Oser

Sports

Football player Alexander Frei comes from Biel- Benken. Since 2003, he is the namesake and patron of the annual junior soccer tournament Alex Frei Cup.

Personalities

  • Hans von Flachslanden (1412-1476), politician
  • Samuel Preiswerk (1799-1871), theologian
  • Emanuel Loew (1834-1908), politician
  • Hiltbrunner Hermann (1893-1961), writer
  • Aymo Brunetti ( b. 1963 ), economist
  • Dani of Wattenwyl (born 1972 ), radio and television presenter
  • Sébastien Loeb ( born 1974 ), rally driver
Arlesheim District Oberwil, Basel-Landschaft Protestant Reformation Aesch, Basel-Landschaft Allschwil Binningen, Switzerland Birsfelden Bottmingen Ettingen Muttenz Pfeffingen Municipalities of the canton of Basel-Landschaft
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