Twann facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Twann
Former municipality of Switzerland
Lake Biel, St. Petersinsel and Twann
Coat of arms
Twann Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Twann Location in Canton of Bern Show map of Canton of Bern
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Bern
District	Nidau
Area
• Total	9.1 km2 (3.5 sq mi)
Elevation	434 m (1,424 ft)
Population  (December 2007)
• Total	818
• Density	89.9/km2 (232.8/sq mi)
Postal code	2513
Surrounded by	Erlach, Hagneck, Lamboing, La Neuveville, Ligerz, Lüscherz, Mörigen, Prêles, Sutz-Lattrigen, Täuffelen, Tüscherz-Alfermée, Vinelz

Twann (which is Douanne in French) used to be a town in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It was part of the Nidau district. On January 1, 2010, Twann joined with another town called Tüscherz-Alfermée. Together, they formed a new town called Twann-Tüscherz.

History of Twann

Twann was first written about in the year 1185. Back then, it was called Duana. Later, in 1225, its name changed to Tuanna.

Ancient Lake Village

Right outside the Twann train station, there is a very old and well-preserved village from the Neolithic period. The Neolithic period is also known as the New Stone Age. This ancient lakeside village was found in the mid-1800s. From 1974 to 1976, about 10% of the site was carefully dug up by archaeologists.

Almost 20 different villages existed in this spot between 3838 BC and 2976 BC. Each village was lived in for only a short time, with the longest one lasting just 24 years. The small huts were about 7 by 4 meters (23 by 13 feet). They were not meant to last long. Most huts needed repairs after less than four years and had to be replaced after sixteen years.

The huts were built in rows, either facing the lake or sideways to it. The floors of the huts had a layer of peat to keep them dry. There was also a clay fireplace in the middle of each hut.

Life in the Neolithic Village

The people living in these villages grew grain using simple tools like hoes, sticks, and plows. They ate the grain as porridge or made it into bread. They also raised animals like cattle, sheep, and goats. When they needed more food, they hunted wild animals, mostly red deer. Fishing in the lake was also a common way to get food.

They made clothes from woven flax and fibers from tree bark. Archaeologists found a special pot with carvings that showed they traded with people in Valais. A rock crystal found at the site proved they traded with other villages in the Alps. About half of their flint tools came from local sources. The other half came from far away places like southern Germany and France. They even found one copper knife blade at the site.

Other Old Discoveries

Other ancient sites in the area include a Roman burial site in Rogget. There were also finds from the early Middle Ages in Gaicht and a burial ground in Gauchete.

The village of Rogget, located northeast of Wingreis, was first mentioned in 1235. It was likely abandoned in the 1300s, possibly because of a huge rockslide.

Twann in the Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages, Twann was the main town of an area ruled by the Lords of Twann. This area was called a Herrschaft. In 1250, the family line of the Lords of Twann ended. The area was then passed down to the Baron de Diesse. Soon after, it went to the Vaumarcus family, and then to the Bolligen family.

The Bolligen family owned Twann until 1422. They then sold it to Rudolf Hofmeister, who was a high official in Bern. In 1426, he set up a local court system in Twann with its own judge. Over time, the right to hold a court in Twann was shared between Bern and the Prince-Bishopric of Basel.

The Village Church

The village church, called St. Martin, was first mentioned in 1228. It belonged to the diocese of Lausanne. The first church building was constructed in the 800s or 900s. This building was replaced in the 1200s and again in the 1400s. The church looks the way it does today because of a renovation by Abraham Dünz the Elder in 1666-67.

In 1237, Kuno von Twann gave the right to choose the village priest to the Münchenbuchsee Commandery. During the Reformation, this Commandery was closed. In 1528, control over the church went to Bern.

Watercolor showing Twann and Lake Biel by Johann Jakob Biedermann, 1785.

Economy and Transportation

The local economy in Twann was mainly based on viticulture (growing grapes for wine), fishing, and raising animals. Weekly markets helped residents buy any grain they needed. Many vineyards were owned by rich families from Bern or by monasteries. After the Reformation, Bern took over the monastery vineyards and rented them out to local farmers. In Wingreis, a special vineyard manor house called Rebhaus Thormanngut was built in the 1500s for Bernese noble families.

For most of Twann's history, the main way to travel was by ship. The first road connecting Twann to Biel was built between 1835 and 1838. About twenty years later, a railway line was built from Biel to Neuchatel (1858-1860). Later, in 1969-1978, the railway and highway were expanded. This expansion completely separated the village from the lake.

Today, growing grapes is still important to the village. However, tourism, a shipyard, and a construction company are also big parts of the local economy. From 1977 to 1980, a vacation village was built on the Twannberg. It was sold and turned into a hotel in 2009.

Geography

Twann covers an area of about 9.1 square kilometers (3.5 square miles). About 29.3% of this land is used for farming. A large part, 60%, is covered by forests. About 6.9% of the land has buildings or roads. The remaining 3.9% is made up of non-productive areas like rivers or mountains.

Population and People

In 2007, Twann had a population of 818 people. About 9.2% of these people were from other countries. Over the past 10 years, the population has slightly decreased.

Most people in Twann speak German (86.9%). French is the second most common language (6.0%), and Portuguese is third (1.7%).

Education and Work

The people in Switzerland are generally well-educated. In Twann, about 80.5% of adults aged 25-64 have finished either advanced high school education or higher education. This higher education could be from a university or a specialized college.

Twann has a low unemployment rate of 0.87%. In 2005, 125 people worked in the primary economic sector, which includes farming and fishing. There were 46 businesses in this sector. In the secondary sector, which includes manufacturing, 36 people were employed by 14 businesses. The tertiary sector, which includes services like tourism and construction, employed 244 people in 32 businesses.

Images for kids

• 

  Lake Biel, St. Petersinsel and Twann

• 

  Twann's coat of arms

See also

In Spanish: Twann para niños