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Mattstetten
Mattstetten village fountain
Mattstetten village fountain
Coat of arms of Mattstetten
Coat of arms
Mattstetten is located in Switzerland
Mattstetten
Mattstetten
Location in Switzerland
Mattstetten is located in Canton of Bern
Mattstetten
Mattstetten
Location in Canton of Bern
Country Switzerland
Canton Bern
District Bern-Mittelland
Area
 • Total 3.79 km2 (1.46 sq mi)
Elevation
516 m (1,693 ft)
Population
 (Dec 2020 )
 • Total 580
 • Density 153.0/km2 (396/sq mi)
Postal code
3322
Surrounded by Bäriswil, Bolligen, Hindelbank, Jegenstorf, Krauchthal, Münchringen, Urtenen-Schönbühl

Mattstetten is a small town, also called a municipality, in the Bern-Mittelland area of the canton of Bern in Switzerland.

History of Mattstetten

Mattstetten was first written about in the year 1201. Back then, it was called Mahtsteten.

Early History and Ownership

During the Middle Ages, a family of knights from Mattstetten built a tower in the village. These knights were called Ministerialis. They served powerful lords and managed the village for them. First, they worked for the Dukes of Zähringen, and later for the Counts of Kyburg.

In the 1300s, another knightly family, the Rohrmoos, owned the village and the land around it. By the 1400s, Mattstetten became part of the nearby area of Urtenen. Several important families from Bern, called patrician families, then owned the land. These included the Diesbachs, Bonstettens, Willadings, and Erlachs.

Village Development and Changes

For a long time, children from Mattstetten had to go to school in Urtenen. But in 1831, a village school was finally built in Mattstetten.

The fields around Mattstetten often got flooded by the Urtenen river. To stop this, the river channel was made deeper in 1780, 1855, and 1917. Strong walls, called levees, were also built along the river between 1944 and 1946.

Even though Mattstetten was mostly a farming village, its population slowly grew. In 1965, new neighborhoods like Schulhausbitz, Neumatt, and Breite were built for the new people moving in. Today, many people who live in Mattstetten travel to Bern for their jobs.

Geography of Mattstetten

2011-04-17 Balonveturo (Foto Dietrich Michael Weidmann) 159
An aerial view of the area around Mattstetten. The village is in the center background.

Mattstetten covers an area of about 3.8 square kilometers (1.5 square miles). A large part of this land, about 49.7%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 33.7% of the area.

About 15.3% of Mattstetten is covered by buildings or roads. A small part, about 1.1%, is made up of rivers or lakes. Most of the built-up areas are homes and other buildings, along with roads and transportation routes.

The village is located in the Urtenen valley. Part of the village is also on Krauchthaler Mountain.

On January 1, 2010, Mattstetten became part of a new administrative area called Verwaltungskreis Bern-Mittelland.

Mattstetten's Coat of Arms

The official symbol of Mattstetten is its coat of arms. It shows two white swan heads facing away from each other on a red background. The swans have golden beaks.

People and Population

Mattstetten has a population of about 600 people. As of 2010, a small number of people, about 2.8%, were foreign nationals living in the town. Over ten years, from 2000 to 2010, the population grew by about 1.6%.

Languages Spoken in Mattstetten

Most people in Mattstetten speak German. In 2000, about 97.1% of the population spoke German as their main language. A few people also spoke French (0.7%) or Dutch (0.5%). There were also two people who spoke Italian.

Where People Live and Come From

In 2008, about 50.5% of the population was male and 49.5% was female. Most people living in Mattstetten were Swiss citizens.

In 2000, about 21.3% of the people living in Mattstetten were born there. About 44.8% were born in the same canton (Bern). Another 25.9% were born elsewhere in Switzerland, and 5.5% were born outside of Switzerland.

Age Groups in Mattstetten

As of 2010, young people (ages 0-19) made up 18.4% of the population. Adults (ages 20-64) made up 62.6%, and seniors (over 64) made up 19%.

Family Life in Mattstetten

In 2000, there were 225 single people in Mattstetten who had never been married. There were 317 married people, 22 widows or widowers, and 19 divorced people.

There were 42 households with only one person living in them. There were also 17 households with five or more people. Most apartments in Mattstetten (93.2%) were lived in all the time.

Population Growth Over Time

The chart below shows how Mattstetten's population has changed over many years:

Important Heritage Sites

Dorfbrunnen Mattstetten2
The Dorfbrunnen (Village fountain) of Mattstetten.

The Dorfbrunnen, which means "village fountain," in Mattstetten is a very important historical site. It is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

Economy and Jobs

In 2011, Mattstetten had a low unemployment rate of 1.44%. This means most people who wanted jobs had them. In 2008, 145 people worked in the municipality.

Types of Jobs

Jobs in Mattstetten are divided into three main groups:

  • Primary sector: This includes jobs like farming. In 2008, 25 people worked in this area.
  • Secondary sector: This includes jobs like construction or manufacturing. In 2008, 13 people worked in this area.
  • Tertiary sector: This includes service jobs, like working in shops, transport, or restaurants. In 2008, 107 people worked in this area.

Many people who live in Mattstetten travel to other towns for work. In 2000, 245 people left Mattstetten to work elsewhere, while 68 people came into Mattstetten for their jobs. About 26.3% of working people used public transportation, and 47.8% used a private car to get to work.

Religion in Mattstetten

Based on information from 2000, most people in Mattstetten are Christian. About 74.6% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. Another 15.6% were Roman Catholic.

Some people belonged to other Christian churches (5.49%). A very small number were Islamic or Hindu. About 5.32% of the population did not belong to any church or had no religion.

Education in Mattstetten

Education is important in Mattstetten. About 45.5% of the people have finished upper secondary education. This is schooling after primary and lower secondary school. About 17.0% have gone on to higher education, like a university or a specialized college (Fachhochschule).

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 choose to continue their studies or start an apprenticeship (learning a trade on the job).

During the 2010-2011 school year, 46 students attended classes in Mattstetten. There was one kindergarten class with 15 students. The municipality also had two primary classes with 31 students.

In 2000, only one student came to Mattstetten for school from another town. However, 47 students from Mattstetten went to schools outside the municipality.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Mattstetten para niños

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