Leuzigen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leuzigen
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Leuzigen village school house
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 Leuzigen
Location in Switzerland
Leuzigen
Location in Canton of Bern
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Seeland | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 10.28 km2 (3.97 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 456 m (1,496 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 1,295 | |
| • Density | 125.97/km2 (326.27/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3297
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| Surrounded by | Arch, Bettlach (SO), Bibern (SO), Lüterkofen-Ichertswil (SO), Nennigkofen (SO), Selzach (SO), Tscheppach (SO) | |
Leuzigen is a small town, also called a municipality, in Switzerland. It is located in the Seeland area of the canton of Bern. Leuzigen is found between the cities of Biel/Bienne and Solothurn. It also sits right next to the Aare river.
Contents
History of Leuzigen
Leuzigen was first written about in the year 1235. Back then, it was called Loxingen. Later, in 1270, it was known as Loexigen. Over time, its name changed a few more times before becoming Leuzigen.
Scientists have found old items from more than 2000 years ago. These items show that people called Celts and Romans lived in this area. During Roman times, an important road passed through Leuzigen. This road connected the cities of Avanches and Solothurn.
In the Middle Ages, a group of monks built a priory (a type of monastery) where the village church is now. In 1662, a school building made of stone was built. This old stone building is still standing today. It is one of the oldest buildings in Leuzigen, even though it is no longer a school.
For a long time, Leuzigen was part of different kingdoms. It changed rulers many times before it became part of the canton of Bern.
In 1876, a railway line opened, giving Leuzigen its own train station. This connected the town to Lyss and Solothurn. However, in the late 1990s, the train service stopped. It was replaced by a bus line because not enough people were using the train.
Before the 1900s, Leuzigen was one of the biggest villages nearby. While other villages grew a lot after the 1960s, Leuzigen's population has stayed about the same size. Even when industries like watchmaking grew in nearby cities, Leuzigen mostly remained a farming community.
Leuzigen's Geography
Leuzigen covers an area of about 10.3 square kilometers (4 square miles). A large part of this land, about 45.5%, is used for farming. Forests cover another 39.8% of the area. About 11.3% of the land has buildings or roads. The rest, about 3.3%, is made up of rivers or lakes.
Most of the built-up areas are homes and other buildings. Roads and transportation also take up some space. The forests in Leuzigen are mostly thick, heavy forests. For farming, people grow crops on 34% of the land. Another 9.6% is used for pastures where animals graze. Some land is also used for fruit trees or grapevines. All the water in Leuzigen is from flowing rivers.
The town is located on the right side of the Aare river. It is also on the northern slope of a high area called the Bucheggberg plateau.
In 2010, Leuzigen became part of a new administrative area. This new area is called Verwaltungskreis Seeland.
Leuzigen's Coat of Arms
The blazon (a special description) of Leuzigen's coat of arms says: Azure two lions rampant combatant Or. This means it shows two golden lions standing on their back legs, facing each other, on a blue background.
This design has been used since at least 1833. Some people think the name "Leuzigen" came from the German word "Löwen," which means 'lions.' But this is not true. The name likely came from an old Germanic family name. The name changed many times until it became Leuzigen.
People of Leuzigen (Demographics)
Leuzigen has a population of about 1,200 people. In 2010, about 4.1% of the people living there were from other countries. Over the past 10 years, the number of people in Leuzigen has grown a little.
Most people in Leuzigen speak German as their first language. About 96.8% of the population speaks German. A smaller number of people speak French (0.9%) or Italian (0.6%).
In 2008, about 48.4% of the people were male and 51.6% were female. Most of the people living in Leuzigen in 2000 were born there. Others were born in the same canton or elsewhere in Switzerland. A small number were born outside Switzerland.
Children and teenagers (up to 19 years old) make up about 19.9% of the population. Adults (20 to 64 years old) make up 60.7%. Seniors (over 64 years old) make up 19.4%.
Here is a chart showing how Leuzigen's population has changed over time:
Sights in Leuzigen
The entire village of Leuzigen is a special place. It is listed as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. This means it has important historical and cultural value.
Leuzigen's Economy
Long ago, people in Leuzigen mostly made a living from farming. They also sold tuff stone and chalk, which are types of rock. Over time, people started using bricks more, so digging up tuff stone became less important. However, farming is still very important in Leuzigen today. There are many farms in the village.
Leuzigen does not have many big factories. It mostly has small local businesses. These businesses might make parts for appliances. About 75% of the people who live in Leuzigen work outside the village. This is because it is close to bigger cities like Grenchen, Solothurn, and Biel/Bienne. There is also a motorway nearby, so you can reach the capital city of Bern in about 30 minutes by car.
In 2008, 263 people worked in Leuzigen. Most jobs were in farming (115 people). Some people worked in manufacturing or construction (62 people). Others worked in services like sales, restaurants, or education (86 people).
Many people who live in Leuzigen travel to other towns for work. In 2000, 430 people left Leuzigen to work elsewhere, while only 71 people came into Leuzigen for work. Most people use a private car to get to work. About 11.1% use public transportation.
Religion in Leuzigen
Based on a survey from 2000, most people in Leuzigen are Christian. About 75.1% belong to the Swiss Reformed Church. Another 12.0% are Roman Catholic.
A smaller number of people belong to other Christian churches. There are also a few people who follow Islam or Hinduism. Some people do not belong to any church.
Education in Leuzigen
In Leuzigen, many adults have finished their education. About 42.5% of the people have completed high school. About 8.7% have gone on to higher education, like a university or a special college.
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. In secondary school, students are grouped based on their abilities. After secondary school, students can choose to continue their studies or start an apprenticeship (learning a job while working).
During the 2009-2010 school year, 93 students went to school in Leuzigen. There was one kindergarten class with 25 students. There were also four primary classes with 68 students.
In 2000, 23 students came to Leuzigen to go to school. At the same time, 75 students from Leuzigen went to schools in other towns.
See also
In Spanish: Leuzigen para niños
