Saint-Imier
Saint- Imier, from the Château d' Erguël from
Saint- Imier is a municipality in the administrative district in the canton of Bern Bernese Jura in Switzerland. The former German name Santa is always now used only in the wider region.
Geography
Saint- Imier located at 820 m above sea level. M., 15 km east-northeast of La Chaux -de-Fonds (air line). The industrial community extends in the central part of the Jura latitudinal Vallon de Saint -Imier, mostly on the left side of Suze ( Suze French ), on the lower southern slopes of Mont Soleil.
The area of 20.9 km ² large municipality area includes a portion of the carrying of the Schüss valley basin of the Vallon de Saint- Imier. To the north, the area extends to the Mont Soleil, the ü with 1'289 m. M. the highest part of the anticlines of the Montagne du Droit forms that accompanies the entire Vallon de Saint- Imier on its northern side. The landform of the Champ Meusel on the southern slopes of Mont Soleil, northeast of Saint- Imier was not due to erosion, but is the remnant of a meteorite hit the earth in prehistoric times. It forms the largest preserved testimony of a Meteoritenimpakts in Switzerland. In a small corner of the municipal area stretches further north in the valley of La Chaux d' Abel, belongs geographically to the Franches- Montagnes ( German free mountains). It shows the typical slightly undulating plateau of the Jura plateau on which boggy, usually above ground endorheic valleys with peaks of limestone alternate. To the south the municipal area extends to the height of Les Pontins and in the extreme southeast of the northern ridge of the Chasseral chain. Here, at the Cornette with 1,490 m above sea level. M. the highest point of Saint- Imier. In the Jura ridges has widespread high pastures extend the typical tall spruce trees that are either individually or in groups. From the municipality surface 1997 9 % came from settlements, 42 % of forest and shrubs, 48% to agriculture and slightly less than 1% was unproductive land.
At Saint- Imier include the settlement Sur le Pont (780 m above sea level. M. ) on the southern side of the Schüss as well as numerous individual farms which are scattered through the Jura hills. Neighboring municipalities of Saint- Imier are Sonvilier and Villeret in the canton of Bern, Muriaux, Manderscheid and Les Bois in the Canton of Jura and Val -de- Ruz in the canton of Neuchatel.
History
The origin of Saint- Imier goes back to the holy Himerius, a hermit, who came from Damphreux in Ajoie and settling down to 600 in Schüsstal. On his grave a chapel was built and founded a Benedictine monastery. The settlement soon became a place of pilgrimage. The first written mention of the village dates back to the year 884, when Emperor Charles III. the cella sancti Hymerii the Abbey Moutier- Grandval gave. Later, the names Sanctus Ymerius ( 962) and Sanctus Imerius ( 1239 ) published.
In the year 999 Saint- Imier came by way of gift along with Moutier to the Bishop of Basel. The monastery of Saint- Imier was converted into the first half of the 12th century into a secular canons. Although it was subordinate to the Diocese of Lausanne, the jurisdiction exercised but until the Reformation of the Prince-Bishop of Basel. 1335 graduated Saint- Imier, a castle right in the city of Biel, which marked the beginning of influence Biel on the rule Erguel in the Vallon de Saint- Imier. From Biel 1530, the Reformation was introduced and dissolved the chapter.
During the Thirty Years' War, Saint-Imier was severely affected. From 1797 to 1815 the town belonged to France and was initially part of the département du Mont- Terrible, which was connected to the 1800 Haut -Rhin. By the decision of the Congress of Vienna came Saint- Imier in 1815 to the canton of Bern to the district Courtelary.
From 1872, the Anti-authoritarian International found here, at the headquarters of the Jura Federation, for a few years instead.
Population
With 4866 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) is Saint- Imier is the second largest municipality in the Bernese Jura. Of the 84.2 % inhabitants are French-speaking, German-speaking 6.6 % and 3.8 % Italian-speaking (as of 2000). The population of Saint- Imier already reached around 1890 with around 7600 inhabitants peaked. The economic situation of the community is reflected in the development of the population in the 20th century. Particularly large decreases were recorded from 1910 to 1950 and during the 1970s.
Policy
- SP: 9
- AJU Template: Election chart / Maintenance / Name: 10
- FDP: 12
Executive of Saint- Imier is the conseil municipal. It comprises seven people including the mayor. He currently has the following party composition: Alliance Jurassic ( AJU ) 3 seats, 2 seats SP, FDP 2 seats. Community is President Stéphane Boillat ( AJU, as of July 2012).
The legislature is called conseil de ville ( City Council dt ) and comprises 31 members. They are elected by the people for four years, most recently in November 2010. Rightmost graph shows the current distribution of seats in the City Council (July 2012).
The voter shares of the parties at the national elections of 2011 were: SP 26.4 %, SVP 25.4 %, FDP 18.2 %, GPS 8.5 %, Les Rauraques 5.4 %, BDP 4.2 %, EPP 2.5 %, AL 2.5 %, CVP 2.0 %, glp 1.0 %, Pirates 1.0 %, EDU 0.9 %.
Economy
Saint- Imier was marked by the end of the 18th century mainly by agriculture. After that developed in the place the watch-making, first partially working at home and in small workshops, and later in factories. 1866, the Compagnie des Montres Longines Francillon SA was founded. With the watch industry began a rapid economic recovery and the population increased from 2632 inhabitants ( 1856) on 7557 inhabitants ( 1888). Saint- Imier became the center of watchmaking in the Vallon de Saint- Imier, and experienced a period of prosperity after 1880, were created in the numerous large industrial buildings. In 1901, a watchmaking school, today's engineering school, was established. The crisis in watch manufacturing since 1970 the city suffered greatly. Hundreds of jobs were lost and the population decline intensified. Today the community has specialized in the micromechanics and the production of precision equipment. More jobs are also in the manufacture of watch cases. In the Jura hills to agriculture still plays a significant role, with livestock and dairy farming predominate. Here continue to find the solar power station on Mont Soleil and the wind power station at Mont Crosin, both the respective largest facilities of its kind in Switzerland.
Health service
Saint- Imier has a public hospital with 24 -hour emergency care. In cases which exceed the scope of the hospital, there is a close collaboration with the hospital Biel. The hospital is part of the hospital network of the Hôpital du Jura Bernois (unofficial German translation: Hospitals of the Bernese Jura ).
Traffic
The community is conveniently moderately well developed. It lies on the busy busy main road from Biel to La Chaux -de-Fonds and on the main road of Tramelan via Saint -Imier and the pass crossing Col des Pontins in the Val de Ruz. On April 30, 1874, the railway line from Biel to Convers was opened with a railway station in Saint- Imier. For the dispersion in public transport provide a local bus, a bus line to the Chasseral (only during the summer ) and the Postbus course of Saint- Imier to Tramelan. Since 1903, a funicular railway leads to the Mont Soleil.
Attractions
The preserved former collegiate church of Saint- Imier, which was built in the 11th century in late Ottoman style as a three-aisled basilica with three apses. My front tower was built in the 12th and 13th centuries, and contains a Michael oratory. The Tour Saint- Martin, often mistakenly referred to as Tour de la Reine Berthe, the remaining Romanesque front tower of a church demolished in 1828, the original parts were built on the grave of the holy Himerius. From the church, only the Romanesque baptismal font ( 11th and 12th centuries ), and the Saint - Himerius - bell of 1512 have been preserved. Among the newer churches in Saint- Imier include the neo-Gothic Roman Catholic parish church Saint -Martin ( 1862-66 ) and the Old Catholic Church of Saint -Paul in 1912.
The site of Saint- Imier is urban embossed with numerous four -to eight- storey cubic houses, which mainly originate from the period 1850 until 1900. The road network was to that of La Chaux -de-Fonds created based on: a rectangular system with roads that run either parallel to the slope or across the slope. The terraced building of secondary school was built in 1960-62. In the Jura hills are still numerous characteristic old farm houses with white -washed façade and roof over large areas from the 17th to 19th centuries.
Personalities
- Denise Bindschedler -Robert, international law expert
- Charles Guyot, cyclist
- Marco Richterich, painter