Uetendorf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Uetendorf
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 Uetendorf
Location in Switzerland
Uetendorf
Location in Canton of Bern
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Thun | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 10.17 km2 (3.93 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 558 m (1,831 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 5,830 | |
| • Density | 573.3/km2 (1,484.7/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3661
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| Surrounded by | Gurzelen, Heimberg, Kienersrüti, Längenbühl, Noflen, Seftigen, Thierachern, Thun, Uttigen | |
Uetendorf is a town in Switzerland, located in the Canton of Bern. It's part of the Thun area.
Uetendorf is close to the city of Thun. It's easy to reach by the A6 highway and the BLS AG's train line that connects Thun, Belp, and Bern. Because of its good location, Uetendorf is home to many small and medium-sized businesses. One well-known company there is the "Sarner Cristal" Glass Hut.
Contents
Uetendorf Through Time
Uetendorf was first mentioned in old records in the year 994. Back then, it was called udendorf.
Ancient Times in Uetendorf
Many ancient tools and items from the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age have been found here. This shows that people lived in the Uetendorf area a very long time ago. Around 200 AD, during the Roman times, there was a large farm estate near where the village is today.
From Royal Land to a Town
After the Roman Empire ended, this estate likely continued to operate. It later became a royal estate under the Kings of Burgundy. In 994, Emperor Otto III gave many of his royal lands, including Uetendorf, to a monastery called Selz Abbey.
Over the next few centuries, Uetendorf changed owners several times. By 1232, the Lords of Uetendorf were part of the city council in Bern. In 1370, they sold Uetendorf to Johann Zeinigen from Thun. His family owned the village until the 1400s. Then, it was sold to a hospital in Thun.
In 1521, the hospital combined Uetendorf with two other places, Längenbühl and Uttigen. They formed one municipality called Uetendorf. It stayed this way for over 200 years. In 1783, Uetendorf became part of the Thun District, where it still is today.
Church and Community Life
Uetendorf was originally part of the Amsoldingen church area. In 1528, Bern adopted the Protestant Reformation, and so did Uetendorf. In 1578, it joined the Thierachern church area. However, Uetendorf didn't have its own church until 1955.
Farming and Floods
The people of Uetendorf used to farm and raise animals in the flat areas near the Glütschbach and Kander rivers. But these rivers often flooded, so villagers had to build many walls and dams to protect their land. In the 1860s, projects to control the Aare River helped a lot. They reduced flooding and drained swampy land. This created more farmland and saved crops from being lost.
Modern Growth and Jobs
The Gürbetal railroad was finished in 1902. This connected Uetendorf to its neighbors and the growing city of Thun. The railroad brought new industries and jobs to the town. In 1953, a metal factory called Selve AG opened in Uetendorf. This big factory attracted other machinery and engineering companies. This led to more people moving to Uetendorf.
In 1971, the A8 motorway was completed, giving the town another important connection. Besides factories, a waste water treatment plant was built. Today, this plant cleans water for 32 nearby communities. When the metal factory closed in 1993, Uetendorf's economy was strong enough that the number of people living there stayed steady.
In 2005, about 70% of working people traveled to jobs outside Uetendorf. However, about 48% of the jobs in Uetendorf were filled by people who came from other towns.
Schools in Uetendorf
The Eichberg estate, built in 1792–1793, became a boarding school in 1932. It stayed open until 1984. In 1921, the Uetendorfberg Switzerland Foundation opened a school and home for deaf people.
Uetendorf had its own primary school. It used to share a secondary school with Thierachern. But that secondary school district closed in 1959. So, Uetendorf had to build its own secondary school that same year.
Where is Uetendorf?
Uetendorf covers an area of about 10.2 square kilometers (about 3.9 square miles). Most of this land, about 71.1%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 7.9% of the area. Buildings and roads make up about 20.9% of the town. A small part, 0.2%, is rivers or lakes.
The town is located on the western edge of the Aare valley. Uetendorf includes the main village, which has neighborhoods like Dorf, Berg, and Allmend. There are also scattered farmhouses around.
On January 1, 2010, Uetendorf joined the new Verwaltungskreis Thun district.
Uetendorf's Coat of Arms
The town's coat of arms shows a blue shield with a white stripe going across it. On the white stripe, there are three red roses with green leaves.
People of Uetendorf
Uetendorf has a population of about 5,932 people (as of December 2012). About 5.7% of the people living here are from other countries.
Languages Spoken
Most people in Uetendorf speak German as their main language (about 95.3%). The second most common language is Albanian (about 0.8%). Other languages, including various African languages, are also spoken.
Who Lives Here?
As of 2013, about 49.6% of the population were male and 50.4% were female. Most people living in Uetendorf were born in Switzerland. About 25% were born right in Uetendorf.
Age Groups
As of 2012, children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 20% of the population. Adults (20–64 years old) make up 60%, and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 20%.
Family Life
In 2000, about 2,258 people in Uetendorf were single and had never been married. About 2,878 people were married.
Housing in Uetendorf
In 2010, there were 720 homes where only one person lived. There were also 140 homes with five or more people. In 2012, new homes were being built at a rate of 1.5 new homes for every 1000 residents. Most homes in Uetendorf (58.5%) are single-family houses.
Population Changes Over Time
The chart below shows how Uetendorf's population has changed over the years:
How Uetendorf Works
In 2011, Uetendorf had a low unemployment rate of 1.2%. A total of 3,111 people worked in the town.
Jobs in Uetendorf
- Primary Sector: 127 people worked in farming and related businesses.
- Secondary Sector: 1,227 people worked in manufacturing and construction.
- Tertiary Sector: 1,757 people worked in services, like sales, transportation, hotels, education, and healthcare.
In 2000, 1,464 workers came into Uetendorf for jobs. At the same time, 2,157 workers left Uetendorf to work elsewhere. This means more people leave Uetendorf for work than come in. About 38.1% of workers both lived and worked in Uetendorf.
Many people use cars to get to work (51.8%). Public transportation is used by 16.5% of workers.
Taxes in Uetendorf
Uetendorf has one of the lowest tax rates in its canton (region). In 2012, a married resident with two children paid about 11.5% in local and regional taxes. An unmarried resident paid about 17.2%.
In 2011, a small number of people (1.9%) received financial help from the government.
Beliefs in Uetendorf
Based on a 2000 survey, most people in Uetendorf (76%) belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. About 9% were Roman Catholic. Other groups included various Christian churches, Muslims, and a small number of Jewish, Buddhist, and Hindu people. About 4.77% of the population said they did not belong to any church.
Learning in Uetendorf
About 62.5% of people in Uetendorf have finished high school. About 15.7% have gone on to higher education, like university.
School System
The Bern school system starts with one year of optional Kindergarten. Then, students go to six years of primary school. After that, there are three years of required lower secondary school. Students are grouped by their abilities. After secondary school, students can continue their education or start an apprenticeship (learning a trade).
During the 2012–13 school year, 649 students attended schools in Uetendorf. This included students in kindergarten, primary school, and lower secondary school.
Uetendorf has its own library called Bibliothek Uetendorf. In 2008, the library had 14,775 books and other items. It loaned out over 40,000 items that year.
See also
In Spanish: Uetendorf para niños
