Lignières, Switzerland
Lignières, a view from the northeast
Lignières is a municipality in the district of Neuchâtel canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. The former German name Linieri is no longer used today.
Geography
Lignières is located on 802 m above sea level. Level, 14 km north-east of the capital of the canton of Neuchâtel (air line). The farming village extends south of the Chasseral on the southwestern edge of the plateau Montagne de Diesse: a scenic location high above Lake Biel and the plane of the Swiss Plateau.
The area of 12.5 km ² large municipality territory comprises the western portion of the pot flat in this area Plateau de Diesse. This is drained to the village of Lake Biel Lignières over the stream Ruisseau de Vaux. In the west, the area extends over the height of Serroue ( 1,055 m above sea level. M. ), the valley of Les Prés sur Lignières to the Chasseral Jura range. Here on the Chuffort with 1'478 m above sea level. M. reached the highest point of the municipality. From the municipality surface 1997 7 % was attributable to settlements, 32 % of forest and woody plants and 61% to agriculture.
To Lignières include the hamlet of Le Moulin, 815 meters above sea level. M. on the western edge of the Plateau de Diesse, and numerous individual farms. Neighboring communities of Lignières are Le Landeron, Pencil, and Val -de- Ruz in the canton of Neuchâtel and Nods, Prêles and La Neuveville in the Canton of Bern.
Population
With 962 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) Lignières one of the smaller municipalities in the canton of Neuchâtel. Of the 91.0% inhabitants are French-speaking, German-speaking 5.0 % and 1.0 % in English (as of 2000). The population has increased significantly, especially in recent decades.
Economy
Lignières was up to the early 1980s, a mainly agricultural village embossed, then it has developed into a residential community. In the village there are jobs in a cheese factory in the timber trade and the local small businesses. But many of the working commuters who do their work in Le Landeron or in the region of Neuchâtel. On the plateau there is a racetrack for automobiles and motorcycles.
Traffic
The community is located off the major thoroughfares to the Canton streets of Le Landeron or La Neuveville on the Plateau de Diesse. Lignières is by the Postbus course, which runs from Le Landeron to Nods, and tied another line to Saint -Blaise to the network of public transport.
History
Finds of grave mounds from the Hallstatt period point to a very early settlement of the area of Lignières. Furthermore, traces of a villa have been discovered from the Roman period. The first written mention of the village was carried out in 1178 under the name Linieres, already in 1246 appeared the present notation. At this time the chapter of Saint- Imier had land in Lignières.
Lignières belonged in the 13th century to the County of Neuchâtel. As of 1326, the Counts of Neuchâtel and the prince-bishops of Basel practiced together from their rights over the village, where there were disputes over again. In this period the emergence of the Franc- Alleu said zone goes back: When buying and selling of land had to be paid no change of ownership fee. This feature was only abolished in 1991.
Through a barter Lignières 1625 returned to Neuchâtel, while the Archbishopric and the city of Bern retained responsibility for military and ecclesiastical affairs. The respective minister was to determine, in consultation between Bern and the Vénérable Compagnie des Pasteur of Neuchâtel. The village was finally awarded to the canton of Neuchâtel in 1815 by decision of the Vienna Congress. 1832 were numerous houses a village destroyed by fire.
Attractions
In the center of Lignières still be some characteristic farmhouses from the 18th and 19th centuries. The church was created on the site of an already mentioned in 1179 and Saint- Loup consecrated chapel.
Personalities
- Esther de Gélieu (1757-1817), teacher, school principal and educator who grew up in Lignières
- Isabelle Morel (1779-1834), writer and translator, born in Lignières