Krattigen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Krattigen
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 Krattigen
Location in Switzerland
Krattigen
Location in Canton of Bern
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Frutigen-Niedersimmental | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 6.0 km2 (2.3 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 712 m (2,336 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 1,130 | |
| • Density | 188.3/km2 (488/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3704
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| Surrounded by | Aeschi bei Spiez, Beatenberg, Leissigen, Sigriswil, Spiez | |
Krattigen is a small town, also called a municipality, in Switzerland. It is part of the Frutigen-Niedersimmental area in the canton of Bern.
This charming town is located on a hill. From here, you can see beautiful views of Lake Thun.
Contents
History of Krattigen
Krattigen was first mentioned around the year 1300. Back then, it was known as Krattingen.
Early Settlements and Old Castles
The oldest sign of people living here is a Bronze Age axe. It was found in a place called Krattigengraben. During the Middle Ages, a castle named Rotenbühl Castle was built nearby. We don't have many records about this castle. Today, only its moat (a ditch around it) can still be seen.
Who Owned Krattigen?
Krattigen was first part of a territory called a Herrschaft. This means it was ruled by a powerful lord, the Freiherr of Eschenbach. By 1300, it became a fief. A fief was land given to someone by a lord in exchange for loyalty. The Lords of Corbières then owned it.
Later, a Bernese Schultheiss named Kuno Muenzer took control. A Schultheiss was a high-ranking official, like a mayor or governor. After King Albert I of Germany was killed in 1308, the Habsburg family from Austria tried to claim Krattigen.
However, the Bernese Scharnachtal family started buying parts of the area in 1366. By 1483, they owned the whole village. But in 1513, the city of Bern bought Krattigen. They placed it under their local leader in Mülenen, and later under Frutigen.
Church and Economy
For a long time, Krattigen was part of the large church area of Aeschi. Eventually, a smaller church, called a filial church, was built in Krattigen itself.
In the past, people in Krattigen mostly worked in farming. They also practiced seasonal alpine herding. This means they moved their animals to different pastures depending on the season. In the 1700s, a gypsum mine opened near the village. Gypsum is a mineral used in plaster and other materials. Today, this mine is part of a larger factory in Leissigen.
In the 1900s, small businesses and tourism started to grow in Krattigen. Most people who work in Krattigen travel to jobs outside the town. This is because Krattigen doesn't have its own train station.
Geography of Krattigen
Krattigen covers an area of about 6 square kilometers (about 2.3 square miles).
Land Use
Here's how the land in Krattigen is used:
- About 37.3% is used for farming.
- About 50.7% is covered by forests.
- About 10.6% has buildings or roads.
- A small part (0.3%) is rivers or lakes.
- About 1.0% is land that cannot be used for farming or building.
Most of the built-up areas are homes and other buildings. A smaller part is for roads and transport. The forests are mostly dense woods. The farming land includes pastures for animals and some orchards. All the water in the town is in lakes.
Location and Villages
Krattigen is located on the left side of Lake Thun. The municipality includes the main village of Krattigen. It also has smaller areas like Stuhlegg and Örtlimatt. You can also find scattered farms around the area.
In 2010, Krattigen became part of a new administrative area. This new area is called Verwaltungskreis Frutigen-Niedersimmental.
Coat of Arms
The blazon (description) of Krattigen's municipal coat of arms is: Or on a Bend Sable three Bezants. This means it has a gold background. There is a black diagonal stripe with three gold circles on it.
Population and People
Krattigen has a population of 1,130 people (as of December 2020[update]).
Population Changes
As of 2010[update], about 5.5% of the people living in Krattigen are from other countries. Over the past ten years (2000-2010), the population has grown by about 14.8%. Most of this growth was because more people moved into Krattigen than moved out.
Languages Spoken
As of 2000[update], most people in Krattigen speak German. About 95% of the population uses German as their first language. French is the second most common language, spoken by about 1.8% of the people. Serbo-Croatian is third, spoken by about 0.9%. A few people also speak Italian.
Age Groups and Families
As of 2010[update], the population of Krattigen includes:
- Children and teenagers (0–19 years old): 17.1%
- Adults (20–64 years old): 54.5%
- Seniors (over 64 years old): 28.4%
As of 2000[update], many people in Krattigen were married (446 individuals). There were also 313 single people.
Homes and Housing
As of 2000[update], there were 115 homes where only one person lived. There were also 25 homes with five or more people. Most apartments (65.6%) were lived in all year round. Some (25.5%) were used only for certain seasons, like vacation homes.
Economy of Krattigen
As of 2011[update], Krattigen had a low unemployment rate of 1.95%. This means most people who wanted to work had jobs.
Jobs and Industries
As of 2008[update], 246 people worked in Krattigen. These jobs were in different areas:
- Primary sector: 37 people worked in this sector. This includes jobs like farming and forestry. There were 14 businesses in this area.
- Secondary sector: 30 people worked here. This includes jobs like manufacturing (making things) and construction (building things). There were 9 businesses in this area.
- Tertiary sector: 179 people worked in this sector. This includes jobs in services, like hotels, restaurants, retail, healthcare, and education. There were 19 businesses in this area.
Many people who live in Krattigen travel to other towns for work. About 14.9% use public transport, and 53.3% use a private car.
Religion in Krattigen
Based on the 2000 census[update]:
- About 8.6% of the people were Roman Catholic.
- About 68.6% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.
- A smaller number of people belonged to other Christian churches, including Orthodox churches.
- There were also small numbers of people who were Jewish or Islamic.
- About 7% of the population did not belong to any church.
Education in Krattigen
In Krattigen, many adults have completed higher levels of education. About 43.9% have finished non-mandatory high school. About 10.4% have gone on to university or other higher education schools.
School System
The Canton of Bern has a specific school system:
- One year of non-required Kindergarten.
- Six years of Primary school.
- Three years of required lower Secondary school. In this stage, students are grouped by their abilities.
After lower Secondary school, students can continue their education or start an apprenticeship (learning a trade on the job).
Students in Krattigen
During the 2010-11 school year, 64 students attended classes in Krattigen.
- There was one kindergarten class with 15 students. A small number of these students had a different first language than the classroom language.
- There were three primary classes with 49 students. A few of these students were not Swiss citizens or had a different first language.
As of 2000[update], 47 students from Krattigen went to schools outside the municipality.
See also
In Spanish: Krattigen para niños
