Seftigen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Seftigen
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 Seftigen
Location in Switzerland
Seftigen
Location in Canton of Bern
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Thun | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 3.89 km2 (1.50 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 578 m (1,896 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 2,147 | |
| • Density | 551.9/km2 (1,429.5/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3662
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| Surrounded by | Burgistein, Gurzelen, Noflen, Uetendorf | |
Seftigen is a small town, also called a municipality, located in the Thun area of the Bern region in Switzerland. It's a charming place with a long history and beautiful natural surroundings.
Contents
History of Seftigen
Seftigen was first mentioned in official records way back in 1277. It was called Seftingen then.
Ancient Times and Early Settlements
The very first signs of people living here come from Roman times. Archaeologists found parts of a Roman house in an area called Räbzälg. You can still see its special heating system, called a hypocaust, and a well. Even after the Roman Empire ended, people continued to live in this area. We know this because an early medieval cemetery was found at Leimeried.
Medieval Period and Local Rulers
Later, in the Late Middle Ages, Seftigen was part of a larger territory known as the Herrschaft of Burgistein. This meant it was controlled by the lords of Burgistein. Around 1388, Seftigen became the main town of its own district. In the 1400s, a person named Louis von Seftigen made the village a center for local court decisions. However, the right to hold court was later split between his family members.
In 1523, Jakob von Wattenwyl brought these rights back together. He made Seftigen part of the Burgistein Herrschaft again. From then until 1798, when the French army arrived, the lords of Burgistein and the von Buren family took turns leading the court.
Changes in Church and Transport
Originally, Seftigen belonged to the Kirchdorf church area. But in 1664, it joined the Gurzelen church area, which was much closer.
A big change happened in 1901-02 when the Gürbetal railway opened. This railway brought train stations to Burgistein and Seftigen. It started to change the village from a quiet farming community. In the 1960s, Seftigen became more of a "bedroom community." This means many people lived there but traveled to nearby cities for work. New areas like Zälg, Berg, and Allmend were built for the growing population.
Today, farming still provides some jobs, but most people work in small businesses or commute to other towns.
Geography of Seftigen
Seftigen covers an area of about 3.90 square kilometers (about 1.5 square miles).
Land Use and Nature
Most of the land in Seftigen is used for farming, about 66.6%. Forests cover about 17% of the area. The rest, about 15.9%, has buildings and roads. A small part, 0.8%, is made up of rivers.
A lot of the farming land is used for growing crops (41.1%). There are also pastures for animals (22.9%) and some orchards (2.6%). All the water in the town comes from flowing rivers and streams.
Location and Landscape
Seftigen is located in a hilly area with drumlins, which are long, oval hills shaped by glaciers. It sits between the Aare valley and the upper Gürbe valley. The municipality is mainly made up of the village of Seftigen itself.
In 2010, Seftigen became part of a new administrative area called Verwaltungskreis Thun.
Seftigen's Coat of Arms
Every town has a special symbol called a coat of arms. Seftigen's coat of arms is described as Per chevron embowed Gules and Argent and in chief a Rose of the last barbed and seeded proper.
This means the shield is divided into two parts by a curved line that looks like a chevron (a V-shape). The top part is red (Gules), and the bottom part is silver or white (Argent). At the very top, there's a white rose with green leaves and yellow seeds.
People of Seftigen (Demographics)
Seftigen has a population of about 2,163 people. A small number of these residents, about 5.4%, are foreign nationals.
Languages Spoken
Most people in Seftigen speak German, about 97%. Other languages spoken include Albanian and Serbo-Croatian. A few people also speak French or Italian.
Age Groups
In Seftigen, children and teenagers (up to 19 years old) make up about 20.1% of the population. Adults (20 to 64 years old) are the largest group at 64.0%. Seniors (over 64 years old) make up 15.9%.
Population Growth Over Time
The chart below shows how Seftigen's population has changed over many years:
Economy of Seftigen
In 2011, the unemployment rate in Seftigen was low, at 1.27%. This means most people who wanted to work had jobs.
Types of Jobs
There are different types of jobs in Seftigen:
- Primary sector: These jobs involve getting raw materials, like farming. About 47 people work in this area.
- Secondary sector: These jobs involve making things, like in factories or construction. About 210 people work in this area.
- Tertiary sector: These jobs involve providing services, like shops, restaurants, or healthcare. About 335 people work in this area.
Many people who live in Seftigen travel to other towns for work. About 28.3% use public transport, and 48.9% use a private car.
Religion in Seftigen
Based on a 2000 survey, most people in Seftigen belong to the Swiss Reformed Church, about 78.8%. About 5.7% are Roman Catholic.
Some other groups include Orthodox Christians and other Christian churches. About 2.02% of the population are Muslim. There are also small numbers of Buddhists and Hindus. About 6.21% of the people do not belong to any church.
Education in Seftigen
Education is important in Seftigen. About 61.8% of the people have finished high school (upper secondary education). About 16.7% have gone on to higher education, like university.
School System
The school system in the Bern region, where Seftigen is located, works like this:
- One year of non-required Kindergarten.
- Six years of Primary school.
- Three years of lower Secondary school. Students are grouped by their abilities.
After secondary school, students can continue their education or start an apprenticeship (learning a trade on the job).
In the 2011-12 school year, Seftigen had 196 students. There were 2 kindergarten classes, 7 primary classes, and 2 lower secondary classes.
Local Library
Seftigen has a library called the Schul- und Volksbibliothek Seftigen. In 2008, it had 3,000 books and other media. It loaned out over 4,500 items that year.
See also
