Belp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Belp
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 Belp
Location in Switzerland
Belp
Location in Canton of Bern
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Seftigen | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 23.26 km2 (8.98 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 521 m (1,709 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 11,603 | |
| • Density | 498.84/km2 (1,292.0/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3123
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| Surrounded by | Allmendingen, Belpberg, Gerzensee, Kehrsatz, Münsingen, Muri bei Bern, Rubigen, Toffen, Wald | |
Belp is a town in Switzerland. It is located in the canton of Bern, near the city of Bern. Belp is also very close to Bern Airport, which is an important airport for the region. On January 1, 2012, the nearby town of Belpberg became part of Belp.
Contents
History of Belp
Belp was first mentioned in old writings in the year 1263. Its name was spelled Belpo back then.
People have lived in the Belp area for a very long time. Stone Age tools have been found there. There are also old burial sites from the Bronze Age. This shows that villages existed in the area before the Romans arrived. After the Roman Empire ended, the area might have been empty for a while. But by the Middle Ages, new villages and wooden castles were built.
One old castle, called Hohberg Castle, was built around 1135. It was the home of a noble family called the Freiherren of Belp-Montenach. They grew very powerful in the 12th and 13th centuries. They even created their own territory called the Herrschaft of Belp. But their power led to conflicts with the growing city of Bern. In 1298, Bern attacked Belp and destroyed Hohberg Castle.
Later, in 1306, the Freiherren of Belp-Montenach had to become citizens of Bern. This meant they lost their independence. In 1327, they built a new castle in Belp village, which was called the Hölzernes Schloss or Wooden Castle. Over time, the Belp-Montenach family ended, and other noble families from Bern took over Belp. In the 1500s, the von Luternau family built the Old Castle in the village. This castle was used to manage the area.
In the 1700s, rich families from Bern started moving to Belp. They wanted to escape the busy city. They built beautiful estates and mansions, like Oberried Estate in 1735 and the Schlössli in 1740. The Wooden Castle was taken down in 1783.
The local church, St. Peter and Paul, was first mentioned in 1228. It was likely started by the Freiherr of Belp. In 1528, Belp became Protestant, following the Protestant Reformation.
Important changes happened in the 1800s. The Aare and Gürbe rivers were straightened. This helped prevent floods and created new farmland. Bridges were built to replace river ferries. The first factory, a cloth factory, opened in Belp in 1844. It operated until 1974. In 1928-29, the Belpmoos airport opened. This airport later became the Bern-Belp Regional Airport. Today, many people who live in Belp travel to other towns for work. Most jobs in Belp are in services, like shops and offices.
Geography of Belp
Belp is located where the Gürbetal (Gürbe Valley) meets the Aare river. It includes the main village of Belp and smaller areas called hamlets, like Viehweide and Hofmatt. A hamlet is a very small village.
Belp covers an area of about 17.6 square kilometers (about 6.8 square miles). A large part of this land, about 57%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 26% of the area. The rest of the land, about 14%, has buildings and roads. There are also rivers and lakes.
Since 2012, the former town of Belpberg is now part of Belp.
Belp's Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for Belp is quite simple. It is divided into four sections, with red and silver (white) colors.
People in Belp
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Belp has a population of about 10,974 people (as of December 2011). About 11.8% of the people living in Belp are from other countries. The population has been growing.
Most people in Belp speak German as their main language. A smaller number of people speak French or Albanian.
About 20% of the population are children and teenagers (under 20 years old). About 62% are adults (20-64 years old), and about 17.5% are seniors (over 64 years old).
The chart below shows how Belp's population has grown over time:
Important Buildings and Sites
Two places in Belp are considered very important national heritage sites in Switzerland. These are the Bider-Hangar at the airport and the Oberried Estate. A heritage site is a place that is important to a country's history or culture.
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The Bider Hangar.
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The Oberried Estate.
Economy and Jobs
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Belp is home to the main office of Sky Work Airlines. The company Heliswiss, which uses helicopters, also has its office at Bern Airport in Belp.
Many people in Belp have jobs. In 2008, there were over 4,300 people working in the town. Some people work in agriculture, like farming. Others work in the secondary sector, which includes factories and construction. The largest number of jobs are in the tertiary sector, which includes services like shops, restaurants, transportation, and healthcare.
About 44% of the people working in Belp are women. Many people who live in Belp also work there. However, more people travel out of Belp for work than those who come into Belp for work. Many people use public transportation or their own cars to get to work.
Religion in Belp
Most people in Belp belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. A smaller number of people are Roman Catholic. There are also people who belong to other Christian churches, or are Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu. Some people do not belong to any church.
Climate in Belp
Belp usually has about 128 days of rain or snow each year. On average, it gets about 1143 millimeters (about 45 inches) of rain or snow annually. May is usually the wettest month, with the most rain or snow. February is typically the driest month.
Education in Belp
In Belp, many people have finished high school. About 20% of the adults have also gone on to higher education, like a university.
The school system in the Canton of Bern starts with one year of optional Kindergarten. After that, students go to Primary school for six years. Then, they attend three years of lower Secondary school. After secondary school, students can choose to continue their education or start an apprenticeship (learning a trade on the job).
In the 2011-2012 school year, over 1,100 students were in school in Belp. There were kindergarten classes, primary school classes, and lower secondary classes. Belp also has a public library called the Gemeindebibliothek Belp. It has many books and other media for people to borrow.
Notable People from Belp
- Bruno Messerli (1931–2019): He was a geographer and university professor. He studied mountains.
- Rudolf Joder (born 1950): He is a politician and a lawyer. He was a member of the Swiss National Council. He lives in Belp.
- Nicolas Bürgy (born 1995): He is a Swiss football player. He has played many games for FC Thun.
See also
In Spanish: Belp para niños
