Wattenwil
Wattenwil is a municipality in the administrative district of Thun in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.
Geography
Wattenwil is located on 603 m above sea level. M., 9 km west of the city of Thun (air line). The village stretches along the southern edge of the broad Gürbetalebene, west of Gürbe, at the eastern foot of the Gurnigelberges.
The area of 14.5 km ² large municipality area includes a portion of the pre-Alpine hills west of the Aare valley. The eastern part of the municipality is located in the floodplains of the Gürbe whose valley has a width of about 1 km in this area. To Wattenwil heard the entire valley, the eastern boundary runs along the foot of the Riedhubels. Towards the south of the valley floor gradually rises. The southern boundary is formed by the alluvial fan, which the Gürbe has accumulated over time at the foot of Gantrischgebietes at its exit from the torrent valley in the Stockental.
To the west of the municipality of soil on the slope of Rain includes the Würzenegg (up to 982 m above sea level. M. ) and the slope of the Gurnigels on which to 1,320 m above sea level. M. the highest point of Wattenwil is achieved. This slope is of vast forests existed ( Gurnigelwald, Lieneggwald, Upper forest, undergrowth ) and is subdivided by several left side streams Gürbe ( Mettlibach, Lienegggraben, Öligraben ). The southern boundary is located in the steep turn the torrent Gürbe who has dug here erosion valley in the upcoming flysch. From the municipality surface 1997 7 % was attributable to settlements, 49 % of forest and woody plants and 42% to agriculture; slightly less than 2 % was unproductive land.
Community structure
The community is made up of three Wattenwil village districts:
- Village with the community center and the districts Egg ( 605 m above sea level. M. ) south of the village on Lieneggbach
- Stockeren (611 m above sea level. M. ) on Lieneggbach on the northern edge of the alluvial Gürbe
- Mettlieggen (658 m above sea level. M. ) on Spengelibach
- Mettligasse (615 m above sea level. M. ) on Spengelibach in Guerbetal
- Gmeis ( 634 m above sea level. M. ) on Lieneggbach on the edge of Lieneggwaldes
- Vorderrainstrasse on the hillside north of the Öligrabens
- Behind Rain on the hillside south of the Öligrabens
- Grundbach ( 885 m above sea level. M. ) in beautiful location on a terrace on the eastern slope of the Gurnigelberges
To Wattenwil include numerous individual farms. Neighboring communities of Wattenwil are Burgistein, Gurzelen, forestry Längenbühl, Blumenstein and Riggisberg.
History
The territory of Wattenwil was settled very early, which could be demonstrated by means of some finds from the Bronze Age and the Roman period. The first written mention of the village was carried out in 1226 under the name Watenwile. Later, the names Wattenwile ( 1262 ) published, Watwile ( 1268 ), Watinwile ( 1276) and Watenwil ( 1295). The name goes back to the Old High German personal name Wato and accordingly is the homestead of the Wato.
In the Middle Ages the village was under the suzerainty of the Counts of Kyburg and was in the 13th century part of the dominion of the Lords of Montenach. Later, there were numerous changes of ownership. Under Bernese rule Wattenwil was assigned to the district court Seftigen. After the collapse of the Ancien Régime (1798 ) Wattenwil belonged during the Helvetic Republic to the District Seftigen and from 1803 to Oberamt Seftigen, which was given the status of an office district with the new cantonal constitution of 1831.
Population
With 2728 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) Wattenwil belongs to the medium-sized municipalities in the canton of Bern. Of the residents 95.6 % are German, 0.8 % and 0.4 % speak Italian albanischsprachig (as of 2000). The population of Wattenwil amounted in 1850 to 2,300 inhabitants, 1900 to 1989 inhabitants. During the 20th century the population began to rise to 1950 to 2357 people, before returning a drop to 1980 to 2083 inhabitants. Since then, a significant increase in population was recorded again.
Policy
The voting shares of the parties at the national elections of 2011 were: SVP 38.5 %, 13.5 % BDP, SP 12.7%, EPP 7.6%, 7.2% EDU, GPS 6.2%, FDP 4.6 %, glp 3.6%, 1.4% Alpine Parliament, CVP 1.1%.
Economy
Wattenwil was up in the middle of the 20th century, mainly coined by farming village. The water power of the village Bach was formerly used for the operation of several mills and sawmills. Even today, agriculture in the valleys and the dairy industry, animal husbandry and forestry have an important place in the economic structure of the population. Many other jobs are in the local retail industry and the services available. In today Wattenwil enterprises of wood processing ( sawmill, carpentry ), the construction sector, horticulture, electrical industry, an auto body shop and mechanic shops are represented. The municipality has a secondary school and since 1887 was the site of a district hospital, which today serves as a retirement and nursing home. In recent decades, the village has developed into a residential community. Many workers are therefore commuters who work mainly around Thun.
Traffic
The community is located off the major thoroughfares on a link road from Bern by the Guerbetal and Stockental to Wimmis. The nearest links to the motorway A6 ( Bern- Thun) is located 9 km away from the town center. By bus the transport company STI, which operate on routes from Thun to Blumenstein, of Seftigen by Blumenstein and Wattenwil to Riggisberg, the village is connected to the public transport network.
Attractions
Although wattenwil possessed early on a chapel, but it belonged to 1659 the parish Thurnen. As spread the Anabaptist movement in the village, the village Bern rose to a self parish. The new church was built in 1683 according to plans by Abraham Dünz and equipped with the baptismal font and bell from the previous building. Serves as the rectory, a former mansion, which was built in 1785 in Baroque style in 1702 and again rebuilt.
In the village Several characteristic are obtained in the Bernese style from the 17th to the 19th century. The village fountain consists of a granite monolith. Above the village is Grundmoos a richly painted memory of 1802.