Bourg-Saint-Pierre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bourg-Saint-Pierre
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Bourg-Saint-Pierre with the church of St-Pierre
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 Bourg-Saint-Pierre
Location in Switzerland
Bourg-Saint-Pierre
Location in Canton of Valais
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Valais | |
| District | Entremont | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 89.8 km2 (34.7 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,632 m (5,354 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 211 | |
| • Density | 2.350/km2 (6.086/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
1946
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| Surrounded by | Bagnes, Etroubles (IT-AO), Liddes, Ollomont (IT-AO), Orsières, Saint-Oyen (IT-AO), Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses (IT-AO) | |
Bourg-Saint-Pierre is a small town, also called a municipality, in the Valais region of Switzerland. It is located in the Entremont district. This town is special because it's the highest place where people live in its valley. It's also the last village you pass before going up to the famous Great Saint Bernard Pass.
Contents
History of Bourg-Saint-Pierre
Bourg-Saint-Pierre was first written about in the year 1125. Back then, it was known as Burgus Sancti Petri. In the Middle Ages, it was an important stop on the Via Francigena. This was a very old road that pilgrims used to travel to Rome.
Old maps show how the town's name has changed. A map from 1693 called it "S Pierre". Later, a map from 1799 showed it as "Saint Petersburg".
Geography of Bourg-Saint-Pierre
Bourg-Saint-Pierre covers an area of about 90.2 square kilometers (34.8 square miles). A good part of this land, about 29%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 6.8% of the area. Only a small part, 0.6%, has buildings or roads. Most of the land, about 63.5%, is unproductive, meaning it's not used for farming or building.
The town is right on the border with Italy. It includes the main village of Bourg-Saint-Pierre itself. It also includes the Hospice du Grand Saint-Bernard, which is a famous building located high up in the Great St Bernard Pass. The village sits at the base of a large mountain called the Grand Combin.
Coat of Arms
Every town has a special symbol called a coat of arms. Bourg-Saint-Pierre's coat of arms is blue and shows two golden keys crossed over each other. These keys likely represent the keys of Saint Peter. Saint Peter is an important figure in Christianity.
People of Bourg-Saint-Pierre
Bourg-Saint-Pierre has a small population. As of 2008, about 6.7% of the people living there were from other countries. Over ten years, from 1999 to 2009, the number of people living in the town went down by about 10.9%. This was mostly because people moved away.
Most people in Bourg-Saint-Pierre speak French as their main language. About 92% of the population speaks French. A smaller number of people speak Italian or Portuguese.
In 2000, about 47.6% of the people living in Bourg-Saint-Pierre were born there. Another 24.5% were born in the same region of Switzerland. About 17% of the people were born outside of Switzerland.
The population includes people of all ages. In 2000, about 22.6% were children and teenagers (under 19 years old). Adults (20-64 years old) made up the largest group at 62.7%. Seniors (over 64 years old) were about 14.6% of the population.
Important Buildings and Sites
Bourg-Saint-Pierre has some very old and important buildings. The Church of St-Pierre is one of them. It has a Romanesque tower, which is a very old style of building. The Hospice du Grand Saint-Bernard and its other buildings are also very important. These places are listed as heritage sites of national significance in Switzerland. This means they are protected because of their historical and cultural value. The entire town of Bourg-Saint-Pierre and the Grand-Saint-Bernard area are also part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.
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The Church of St-Pierre
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The Hospice du Grand Saint-Bernard
Economy and Work
In 2010, the unemployment rate in Bourg-Saint-Pierre was low, at 1.7%. This means most people who wanted to work had jobs.
Most jobs in Bourg-Saint-Pierre are in the service sector. This includes jobs like working in hotels or restaurants, or helping to move and store goods. There are also a few jobs in agriculture, like farming. In 2008, there were 130 people working in the service sector.
Many people who live in Bourg-Saint-Pierre work in the town itself. Some people travel into the town for work, and a few residents travel outside the town for their jobs. Most people use a private car to get to work.
Religion
According to a census in 2000, most people in Bourg-Saint-Pierre are Roman Catholic. About 85.4% of the population belonged to the Roman Catholic Church. A smaller number, about 4.2%, belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. Some people also belonged to other Christian churches, or had no religious beliefs.
Education
In Bourg-Saint-Pierre, many adults have completed their education. About 32.1% of the people have finished upper secondary education, which is like high school. About 6.6% have gone on to higher education, such as university.
In 2000, only a few students from other towns came to study in Bourg-Saint-Pierre. Similarly, a few students from Bourg-Saint-Pierre went to schools in other towns.
