Colombier, Neuchâtel

Colombier ( [ kɔlɔbje ], in the local Provençal dialect [ kolɔbiə ] ) was a municipality in the district of Boudry in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. On January 1, 2013, it merged with the municipalities Auvernier and Bôle the new community Milvignes.

Geography

Colombier is located at 457 m above sea level. M., 6 km west-southwest of the capital of the canton of Neuchâtel (air line). The village is located in a depression in the foot of the Jura, near the shores of Lake Neuchâtel; The old town center is slightly elevated on a tertiary sandstone.

The area of ​​4.5 km ² large municipality area comprises a narrow section on the north shore of Lake Neuchâtel. The communal land ranges from the shoreline that forms the northernmost part of the flood plain of the Areuse, to the northwest over the trough of Colombier and about 50 m higher than the lake plateau of Planeyse the Jura south slope up and also includes the forest of Cottendart. The highest point of Colombier is 660 m above sea level. M. reaches below the Forêt de lady Othenette. From the municipality surface 1997 38 % came from settlements, 20 % of forest and shrubs, 41% to agriculture and slightly less than 1% was unproductive land.

To Colombier include the settlements Cottendart (570 m above sea level. M. ) and Le Villaret (600 m above sea level. M. ) on the Jura south slope. Neighboring communities of Colombier are Boudry, Bôle, Rochefort, Corcelles -Cormondrèche and Auvernier.

Population

With 5547 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) Colombier is one of the major municipalities of the canton of Neuchâtel. Of the 86.4% inhabitants are French-speaking, German-speaking 4.5 % and 2.7 % Italian-speaking (as of 2000). Colombier had in 1900 already 2051 inhabitants, a further significant increase in population has occurred since about 1950, with particularly large growth rates were recorded during the 1960s.

Economy

Colombier has long been a mainly agricultural center. Nowadays it is mainly still the wine to the optimal exposed to the sun lower Jurasüdhängen has meaning. From the mid-18th century, many villagers worked in the Indienne - factories on the lower Areuse. During the 19th century, some companies in the watch industry were added. In recent decades, Colombier has developed into a residential community, pursue from the many workers in Neuchâtel their work. The village has relatively little industry. Among the important sources of income include the supply of the barracks. In other Colombier is the site of a municipal solid waste incinerator ( at Cottendart ). In 1969 was inaugurated secondary school center of Colombier students are taught from the communities of the lower Areuse.

Traffic

The community is conveniently moderately well developed. It lies on the main road 5 of Neuchâtel to Yverdon. With the opening of the motorway section of the A5 from Serrières to Boudry, in 1977 the village was relieved of through traffic. On 7 November 1859, the railway line was inaugurated in Yverdon- Neuchatel ( west of the village on the municipal boundary ) with a railway station in Colombier. 1892, the interurban 5 tram Neuchâtel was opened, it leads from Neuchâtel to Boudry, serving three stops in the municipality of Colombier. Is the airfield Neuchâtel Colombier Located in the outskirts to Boudry.

Railway accident that occurred on March 22, 1871

On March 22, 1871 joined, due to incorrect switch position, in Colombier station a Militärextrazug with members of the international alternating the Bourbaki army with a parked freight train of 22 coal cars and a baggage car together. A platoon leader and 22 internees died, 72 people were injured. These were about the second of three trains that would take interned in Solothurn soldiers to Les Verrières. The train left with man Solothurn 1025 by 17 clock and crashed at about 21 clock in Colombier. The soldiers were killed on March 24, 1871 buried in the cemetery of Colombier, where later a memorial was erected.

History

Colombier can look back on a very long urban tradition. Along the lakeshore remains were found of settlements from the Neolithic and the Bronze Age. Even during the Roman period the area was inhabited at the site of today's castle there was a large Roman villa, which was developed into a palatial mansion from the 1st to the 3rd century. From the time of the Merovingian comes a cemetery.

The first mention of Colombier under the name Columbier goes back to the year 1228. Since the Middle Ages Colombier formed a separate dominion, the settlement Areuse belonged to the (now part of Boudry ), as well as parts of Bôle and Bevaix and some land in more remote areas. The Lords of Colombier were vassals of the Counts of Neuchatel. Through marriage, the territory came in 1488 to the family de Chauvirey from the Franche-Comté and 1513 to Johann Jakob von Wattenwyl who introduced the Reformation. Only to 1564, the Counts of Neuchâtel -bought the rights of domination. Since 1648 Neuchâtel principality and 1707 was linked by personal union with the Kingdom of Prussia. 1806, the region was ceded to Napoleon I. and came in 1815 during the Congress of Vienna to the Swiss Confederation, the kings of Prussia until 1857 Neuchâtel trade also prince of Neuchâtel remained. Colombier was until 1832 the seat of a Mairie, after which it belonged until 1848 to the Mairie of La Côte and since then the district of Boudry.

Attractions

A first castle was probably built in the 11th to 13th centuries. The present castle complex shows building of different ages and styles. The oldest part is the south-eastern corner with buildings in the Gothic style shapes that were built in the 15th and 16th centuries. The entrance tower is from 1543. More redesigns it was in the 17th and 19th century, when the castle was used as a parade and parade ground. In the 18th century it served as the summer palace of George Keith. From 1824 barracks were set up in the castle and the surrounding buildings, which still exists today and the infantry officer school 1 and the infantry recruit school 5 houses. Today, the castle houses a military museum and a cotton museum.

The Reformed Church is a neo-classical building from 1828 to 1829. In the old town many houses from the 18th century are preserved. Le Pontet is a manor house, which was built in the 17th century. There lived in the 18th century, the writer Isabelle de Charrière. Among the other major country houses in the vicinity Vaudijon (1800-1807 built in the Empire style ), Le Bied, La Mairesse, Cottendart and Sombacour.

Pictures

Château

Temple

Chemin de Notre Dame

Stade

Tram no. 5

Personalities

• Isabelle de Charrière, writer of the Enlightenment, lived in Le Pontet in Colombier
• David de Chaillet, reformed pastor, promoter of Neuchâtel Enlightenment
• Jonas de Gélieu (1740-1827), Reformed pastor and beekeeper, died in Colombier
• Salomé de Gélieu (1742-1820), educator and teacher at European courts, died in Colombier
• Esther de Gélieu (1757-1817), teacher, school principal and educator, died in Colombier