Undervelier

Undervelier was a municipality in the district Delémont the canton of Jura in Switzerland. The former German name Unterschwiler is no longer used today. On January 1, 2013, it merged with the municipalities of Lower Court, Courfaivre, Glovelier and Soulce the new community Haute- Sorne.

Geography

Undervelier is located on 536 m above sea level. M., 12 km south-west from the cantonal capital Delémont ( straight line ). The former street line village extends on both sides of Sorne in a valley widening between two gullies by the chains of the Jura.

The area of ​​14.0 km ² large municipality area covers the western part of the synclines Jura folds. This is in the north of the Jura mountains ( anticlines ) of the Jolimont ( 1,025 m above sea level. M. ) and the Côte du Droit ( 1'029 m above sea level. M. ), in the south of that of Rochet ( with 1,050 m ü. M. flanked the highest point of the municipality ) and the height of Rebévelier. Across these chains has Sorne, a left tributary of the Birs, worked out with their erosive power two impressive canyons. South of Undervelier are the Gorges du Pichoux, north of the village the lower gorge of the Sorne. From the municipality surface 1997 2 % came from settlements, 73 % of forest and shrubs, 24% to agriculture and about 1% was unproductive land.

To Undervelier include several individual farms. Neighboring communities of Undervelier are Saulcy, Glovelier, Lower Court, Courfaivre and Soulce in the Canton of Jura and Souboz, Sornetan, Monible and Rebévelier in the Canton of Bern.

Population

With 291 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) Undervelier one of the smaller municipalities in the canton of Jura. Of the 80.4 % inhabitants are French-speaking, 15.3 % German-speaking and Italian- 2.2 (as of 2000). By 1870, the time during iron smelting in the village, Undervelier had about 700 inhabitants. 1900 were counted only 497 inhabitants. Through strong emigration, the population increased to 1980 from 315 people. Since then, the population remains stable.

Economy

1599 was north of the village by the Basel Prince Bishop JC Blarer of Wartensee an ironworks founded. After 1880, the iron mining was stopped, the former ironworks and houses from the 17th and 18th century are still preserved. Today, there are outside of the agricultural sector in the village only a few jobs. Many workers (over 50 %) are therefore commuters and work mainly in the region Delémont.

Traffic

The municipality is located on the regional road from Lower Court via Bellelay to Tavannes. Undervelier is served by bus line that runs from Bassecourt to Soulce, connected to public transport.

History

Traces of human settlement in the municipality of Undervelier has been around in the early history. The grotto of Sainte -Colombe in the lower Sorneschlucht was inhabited both the Neolithic and at the end of the Bronze Age. It was in the 18th century to become the destination because Saint Columba some time lived here, according to tradition.

First mention is the village in 1179 as Undrewiller. Subsequent designations Under Wiler, Undrivilier ( 1181 ), Under Villiers and Underswyl. The name is probably due to the homestead of a Germanic name Undhari or Hunrici. As one of the 13 villages of the free reign Delsberg came Undervelier 1271 to Prince-Bishopric of Basel. Between 1793 and 1815 it belonged to France and was initially part of the Département du Mont- Terrible, associated from 1800 with the Department of Haut -Rhin. By the decision of the Congress of Vienna, the place came in 1815 to the canton of Bern and on 1 January 1979 at the newly founded Canton Jura.

Attractions

In the village center, some neoclassical buildings of the 19th century have been preserved. Undervelier made ​​since the 13th century, a parish, which included Soulce and Rebévelier.

In the south of the municipality lies in the gorge on the western shore of the Sorne the sanctuary of St Columba, which attracts many pilgrims mainly from Spain and Portugal.