Radelfingen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Radelfingen
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 Radelfingen
Location in Switzerland
Radelfingen
Location in Canton of Bern
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Seeland | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 14.71 km2 (5.68 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 500 m (1,600 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 1,272 | |
| • Density | 86.47/km2 (223.96/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3271
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| Surrounded by | Mühleberg, Golaten, Niederried bei Kallnach, Bargen BE, Aarberg, Seedorf BE, Wohlen bei Bern | |
| Twin towns | Pobezovice (Czech Republic) | |
Radelfingen is a small town, also called a municipality, located in the Seeland area of the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It's a place with a long history and beautiful natural surroundings.
Contents
Radelfingen's Past: A Look at Its History
Ancient Times and Early Records
People have lived in the Radelfingen area for a very long time. Roman coins have been found here. There's even an old Roman aqueduct, which was a system to carry water, in a place called Staatswald-Gurgel.
Radelfingen was first mentioned in official writings way back in 894. It was called Ratolingun then. This mention was in a document about a gift of land given to the Abbey of St. Gall, a famous monastery.
During the Middle Ages, powerful families like the Kyburgs and the Counts of Thierstein owned land in Radelfingen. In 1502, a monastery called Frienisberg Abbey gained the right to handle local legal matters. They then gave this right to Bern, a larger city. Radelfingen became part of the Bailiwick of Aarberg, which was an administrative region.
The Village Church and Monastery Ruins
The village church in Radelfingen was built on the site of an even older Roman building. The church you see today was built in 1594 and was updated in the 1700s. You can still see some ruins of the old Tedlingen Monastery, which was a Cistercian monastery, in the village.
Modern Changes and Growth
In the mid-1800s, a new road was built (1851-1852). This road connected Radelfingen to the cities of Bern and Aarberg, making travel much easier. At first, Radelfingen included villages on both sides of the Aare River. But in 1868, some of these villages, like Niederruntigen and Buttenried, joined the nearby municipality of Mühleberg.
A cool fact: In 1906, the very first Postauto (a public bus service) in Switzerland started running. It went between Bern and Detligen, and it made a stop right here in Radelfingen! Later, a power plant was built between Niederried and Radelfingen from 1959 to 1963.
In the early 1900s, fewer people lived in the villages because new farming machines meant fewer workers were needed. However, by the 1980s, Radelfingen's population became stable. Farming is still a very important part of the local economy today. In 2005, about half of all jobs in Radelfingen were in agriculture. The municipality used to have five schools, but by 2009, only the schools in Radelfingen village and Matzwil were still open.
Radelfingen's Geography: Where is it?
Radelfingen covers an area of about 14.70 square kilometers (about 5.68 square miles). A large part of this land, about 57.7%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 31.4% of the area. About 6.7% of the land has buildings or roads, and 3.6% is covered by rivers or lakes. A very small part, 0.4%, is unproductive land.
The municipality is located on the right side of the Aare River reservoir. It's also on the edge of a high area called the Frienisberg Plateau. Radelfingen includes the main villages of Radelfingen and Detligen. It also has smaller communities called hamlets, such as Landerswil, Ostermanigen, Jucher, Matzwil, Oltigen, and Oberruntigen. You'll also find scattered farmhouses throughout the area.
Radelfingen is part of the Swiss plateau, a flatter region of Switzerland. It's about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Bern, the capital city of Switzerland, and about 7 kilometers (4 miles) from Aarberg.
Radelfingen's Coat of Arms
The official symbol, or blazon, of Radelfingen's municipal coat of arms shows a red wheel on a silver background. This design might be a type of canting arms. This means the symbol hints at the name of the place. The German word for wheel is Rad, which sounds like the first part of "Radelfingen."
Radelfingen's People: Demographics
Radelfingen has a population of about 1,200 people. A small percentage, about 3.4%, are foreign nationals who live there. Over the past ten years, the population has changed a little, mostly due to people moving in or out, and births and deaths.
Most people in Radelfingen, about 97.5%, speak German as their main language. A smaller number speak French or Albanian.
In 2008, the population was almost evenly split between males (48.7%) and females (51.3%). Most residents were Swiss citizens. About 37.9% of the people living in Radelfingen in 2000 were actually born there.
Family Life and Homes
In 2000, there were many single people in Radelfingen, but also many married couples. There were also some widows or widowers and divorced individuals. The municipality had many single-person households, but also some larger families with five or more people.
Most apartments in Radelfingen are lived in all the time. A small number are used only during certain seasons, and a few are empty. In 2010, new homes were being built at a steady rate.
The chart below shows how Radelfingen's population has changed over many years:
Radelfingen's Economy: How People Work
In 2011, Radelfingen had a very low unemployment rate, meaning almost everyone who wanted a job had one. In 2008, there were 245 people working in the municipality.
Main Job Sectors
Jobs in Radelfingen are divided into three main groups:
- Primary Sector: This includes jobs directly related to natural resources, like farming. In 2008, 111 people worked in this sector, mostly in agriculture. There were 42 businesses in this area.
- Secondary Sector: This involves making things, like in factories or construction. 33 people worked in this sector, with 12 businesses. Most of these jobs were in manufacturing and construction.
- Tertiary Sector: This includes jobs that provide services, like shops, restaurants, or healthcare. 101 people worked in this sector, with 29 businesses. Jobs here included sales, transportation, hotels, information technology, science, education, and healthcare.
Many people who live in Radelfingen travel to other places for work. However, some people also come into Radelfingen to work. In 2000, about 16.3% of working people used public transportation to get to their jobs, while 55.2% used a private car.
Religion in Radelfingen
Based on information from 2000, most people in Radelfingen are Christian. About 77.2% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church, and 7.0% were Roman Catholic. A small number of people belonged to other Christian churches, or to other religions like Islam or Hinduism. About 4.77% of the population did not belong to any church.
Education in Radelfingen
Education is important in Radelfingen. About 38.8% of the population has finished upper secondary education, which is like high school. About 12.0% have gone on to higher education, like university or a specialized college.
School System
The Canton of Bern has a specific school system:
- Kindergarten: One year of non-required kindergarten.
- Primary School: Six years of primary school.
- Lower Secondary School: Three years of required secondary school. Students are grouped based on their abilities.
After lower secondary school, students can continue their education or start an apprenticeship (on-the-job training).
During the 2009–2010 school year, 82 students attended classes in Radelfingen. There was one kindergarten class with 9 students. The primary school had 3 classes with 58 students. The lower secondary school had one class with 15 students. Some students in both primary and secondary schools were not Swiss citizens or had a different first language than the classroom language.
In 2000, some students from other towns came to Radelfingen for school. Also, many students from Radelfingen went to schools outside the municipality.
See also
- In Spanish: Radelfingen para niños
