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Le Landeron

Coat of arms

Le Landeron

Location in Switzerland

Le Landeron

Location in Canton of Neuchâtel

Country

Switzerland

Canton

Neuchâtel

Area

• Total

10.28 km² (3.97 sq mi)

Elevation

434 m (1,424 ft)

Population

(Dec 2020 )

• Total

4,642

• Density

451.56/km² (1,169.5/sq mi)

Postal code

2525

Localities

Combes

Surrounded by

Cressier, Enges, Gals (BE), La Neuveville (BE), Lignières

Twin towns

Solothurn (Switzerland)

Le Landeron is a charming town in Switzerland. It is located in the canton of Neuchâtel. This town is known for its rich history and beautiful scenery. It's a great place to learn about Swiss culture.

History of Le Landeron
Geography of Le Landeron
Le Landeron's Coat of Arms
Population and People
Important Heritage Sites
Twin Town
Economy and Jobs
Religion in Le Landeron
Education in Le Landeron
Images for kids
See also

History of Le Landeron

Le Landeron is a very old town. It was first mentioned around the year 1209. Back then, it was called Landiron.

Early Settlements and Discoveries

People lived near Le Landeron a very long time ago. Around 961-957 BC, a pottery workshop was found by the Thielle river. This shows that people were making things there even in the Bronze Age.

Later, during the Roman times, a Roman villa was built. Traces of old huts from the Early Middle Ages were also found. Many Roman statues were discovered, too. These included figures of Hercules, a rooster, and possibly a peacock.

How Le Landeron Was Founded

The name Le Landeron first appeared in 1209. It was mentioned in documents about fishing rights. At that time, the area where the town now stands was not yet built up. People lived in the nearby Jura hills.

In 1325, Rudolph IV of Neuchâtel bought the land. He then built a fortified town there between 1328 and 1329. The town was built to protect the eastern part of Neuchâtel. It also helped control important roads and waterways.

Le Landeron gained special rights, similar to those of citizens in Neuchâtel. In 1350, Count Louis of Neuchâtel officially recognized these rights. The town became the capital of the Barony of Le Landeron in 1373. Even when it came back under the direct rule of the Counts of Neuchâtel in 1424, the town kept its right to govern itself. It even had its own town flag and a town council.

Staying Catholic in the Reformation

In 1449, Le Landeron made an agreement with the city of Solothurn. This agreement greatly influenced the town's religion. During the Protestant Reformation, Le Landeron chose to remain Roman Catholic. This was different from most of its neighbors.

The town strongly defended its Catholic faith. It remained loyal to its ruler, Marie, the Duchess of Nemours. In 1707, after her family line ended, Le Landeron accepted Frederick I of Prussia as its new ruler. He had threatened military action.

Modern Changes and Growth

In 1848, the Republic of Neuchâtel was formed. This led to Le Landeron and Cressier becoming separate towns. They fully separated in 1868.

The 19th century brought many changes. The Jura water correction project drained nearby swamps. This opened up more land for farming. A train station was built in 1869-70. This helped new industries, like watch parts manufacturing, move into the town. While the old town kept its historic look, many new homes were built on the Jura slopes.

As more people from Protestant areas moved in, a Reformed church was founded in 1894. Farming became less important in the 20th century. Today, Le Landeron is known for its large antiques market, the Fête de la brocante, held every year since 1973. The town also has many small businesses, especially in microtechnology. It is also home to the second-largest wine-growing area in the canton.

Geography of Le Landeron

Le Landeron covers an area of about 10.3 square kilometers (4 square miles). A large part of this land is covered by forests (43.3%). About 39.5% is used for farming. The rest of the land is used for buildings, roads, rivers, or lakes.

The town is located on a rocky island. This island is in the middle of the swampy Thielle valley. It is also near Lake Biel. Le Landeron is mostly French-speaking. It sits right on the language border with the German-speaking canton of Bern.

From 1875 to 1966, Le Landeron was merged with Combes. During that time, the municipality was officially called Landeron-Combes.

Le Landeron's Coat of Arms

The town's official coat of arms has a special design. It shows a gold background with a red stripe. On the red stripe are three silver V-shapes. Below this, there is a blue section with two fish called pike.

Population and People

Le Landeron has a population of about 4,315 people. A small part of the population (around 17.7%) are foreign nationals. Over the last ten years, the population has grown steadily.

Most people in Le Landeron speak French as their main language (about 84.9%). German is the second most common language (7.8%). Italian is spoken by about 2.2% of the people.

In 2000, about 24.8% of the population were children and teenagers (0–19 years old). Adults (20–64 years old) made up 61.7% of the population. Seniors (over 64 years old) made up 13.5%.

The chart below shows how the population of Le Landeron has changed over many years:

Important Heritage Sites

Several places in Le Landeron are considered very important. They are listed as Swiss heritage sites of national significance. These include:

The Chapelle Ste-Anne
The Croix du Bourg
The ancient sites at Ensemble de la Vieille Thielle (from the neolithic and Roman eras)
The Fountain de St-Maurice
The Fountain du Vaillant
The Town Hall, which includes the Dix-Mille-Martyrs Chapel and a Museum.

The entire town of Le Landeron is also part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. This means the whole town is recognized for its historical importance.

Chapelle Ste-Anne
Croix Du Bourg
Ensemble de la Vieille Thielle
Fontaine de Saint-Maurice
Fontaine du Vaillant
Town hall and Chapel

Twin Town

Le Landeron has a special connection with another town. It is twinned with Solothurn, which is also in Switzerland. This means they share cultural ties and friendly relations.

Economy and Jobs

In Le Landeron, people work in many different jobs. In 2008, about 60 people worked in farming and related businesses. This is called the primary economic sector.

Around 339 people worked in manufacturing and construction. This is known as the secondary sector. Many of these jobs were in manufacturing.

The largest number of people, 562, worked in the tertiary sector. This sector includes jobs like sales, transportation, hotels, restaurants, and healthcare. Many people in Le Landeron work in specialized small businesses. These are often in the microtechnology industry.

Many residents of Le Landeron travel to other towns for work. About 1,574 people commute away from the municipality. About 420 people come into Le Landeron for work. Most people use a private car to get to work.

Religion in Le Landeron

In 2000, about 35.4% of the people in Le Landeron were Roman Catholic. About 37.4% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. There were also smaller numbers of people belonging to other Christian churches or other religions. Some people did not belong to any church.

Education in Le Landeron

Primary school in Le Landeron

Education is important in Le Landeron. Many adults have completed high school. About 13.7% have gone on to higher education, like university.

In the canton of Neuchâtel, children usually attend two years of non-mandatory kindergarten. After that, they have five years of mandatory primary school. Then, they go to secondary school for four years. Many students travel to larger schools outside their home town for secondary education.

In the 2010–11 school year, Le Landeron had 88 kindergarten students. There were also 265 primary school students. Some students from Le Landeron attend schools in other towns. Also, some students from other towns come to Le Landeron for school.