Wattenwil facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wattenwil
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 Wattenwil
Location in Switzerland
Wattenwil
Location in Canton of Bern
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Thun | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 14.54 km2 (5.61 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 603 m (1,978 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 3,060 | |
| • Density | 210.5/km2 (545.1/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3665
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| Surrounded by | Blumenstein, Burgistein, Forst, Gurzelen, Längenbühl, Rüti bei Riggisberg | |
Wattenwil is a town in Switzerland. It is located in the canton of Bern. Wattenwil is part of the Thun area.
Contents
History of Wattenwil
Wattenwil was first mentioned in old records in the year 1226. It was called Watenwile back then.
Early Settlements and Owners
The very first signs of people living here are Bronze Age graves. These old graves were found near Vorderrainstrasse and Höstettli. For a long time, in the Middle Ages, the Counts of Neuchâtel-Nidau owned Wattenwil.
After a king named Albert I of Germany was murdered in 1308, the land was sold. It went to the Barons of Strättligen. They owned the villages until 1349. Then, the Lords of Burgistein took over.
A Center of Justice
The three small towns that make up Wattenwil today never had one main village or a big castle. But Wattenwil was important for justice. It had a "high court" and even gallows for serious crimes.
In 1376, the city of Bern started to take control of the area. By 1388, Bern had rights over Wattenwil. However, local nobles still controlled the court and gallows. Bern then created its own court, the Seftigen District court, to gain more power.
Becoming Part of Bern
In the early 1500s, a citizen from Bern named Bartholomew May bought the Strättligen lands, including Wattenwil. Over the next hundred years, the ownership changed hands many times. Finally, in 1641, the farmers of Wattenwil bought the right to govern themselves. But just one year later, they sold this right to Bern for 1000 pounds. After that, Wattenwil became part of the District of Seftigen.
Church and Community Growth
For most of its history, Wattenwil was part of the Thurnen church area. It had its own small chapel. In 1659, Wattenwil became its own independent church area. A larger church was built in 1683, which is still there today.
In 1887, a hospital opened in Wattenwil. It grew into a hospital for the whole district, serving Wattenwil and nine other towns. A secondary school opened in 1902. These two things made Wattenwil an important center for the region.
Local Economy
Today, the local economy of Wattenwil is based on farming, making cheese, and forestry. Many small businesses also operate here. More than half of the people who work in Wattenwil travel to jobs in bigger cities nearby.
Geography of Wattenwil
Wattenwil covers an area of about 14.5 square kilometers (5.6 square miles).
Land Use
- About 40.6% of the land is used for farming. This includes fields for crops and pastures for animals.
- Nearly half, about 49.4%, is covered by forests.
- About 7.8% of the land has buildings or roads. This is where people live and move around.
- A small part, 1.4%, is rivers or lakes.
- A tiny bit, 0.3%, is unproductive land, meaning it's not used for anything.
Most of the forested land is dense forest. Some areas also have orchards or small groups of trees. The water in Wattenwil is all flowing water, like rivers and streams.
Location and Settlements
Wattenwil is located in the upper Gürbetal valley. It sits on the eastern side of Gurnigel Mountain. The town is made up of several spread-out settlements. These include Dorf, Mettlen, and Grundbach.
In 2010, Wattenwil joined a new administrative area called Verwaltungskreis Thun.
Wattenwil's Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for Wattenwil is red with three golden wings. The wings point to the left.
People of Wattenwil
Wattenwil has a population of about 2,728 people (as of December 2012).
Population Changes
Between 2010 and 2012, the population of Wattenwil grew by 2.7%. More people moved into the town than left it.
Languages Spoken
Most people in Wattenwil speak German. About 95.6% of the population speaks German as their main language. Albanian is the second most common language, spoken by about 0.8% of people. Italian is third, spoken by about 0.4%. A small number of people also speak French.
Age Groups
As of 2012, the population of Wattenwil is divided into these age groups:
- Children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 22.8% of the population.
- Adults (20–64 years old) make up 59.9% of the population.
- Seniors (over 64 years old) make up 17.2% of the population.
Where People Were Born
In 2000, about 37.4% of the people living in Wattenwil were also born there. About 41.9% were born in the same canton (Bern). About 9.9% were born in other parts of Switzerland. And about 5.7% were born outside of Switzerland.
Population Over Time
The chart below shows how the population of Wattenwil has changed over many years:
Economy in Wattenwil
In 2011, the unemployment rate in Wattenwil was very low, at 1.35%. This means most people who wanted to work had jobs.
Types of Jobs
Wattenwil has jobs in three main areas:
- Primary sector: This includes jobs like farming and forestry. In 2011, about 129 people worked in this area.
- Secondary sector: This includes jobs in manufacturing (making things) and construction (building things). About 273 people worked here.
- Tertiary sector: This includes jobs in services, like sales, transportation, hotels, education, and healthcare. About 630 people worked in this sector.
Many people who live in Wattenwil travel to other towns for work. In 2000, about 789 people left Wattenwil to work elsewhere. However, 554 people both lived and worked in Wattenwil.
How People Travel to Work
About 14.2% of workers use public transportation to get to their jobs. A larger number, 55.2%, use a private car.
Religion in Wattenwil
Based on a 2000 survey, most people in Wattenwil belong to the Swiss Reformed Church, about 77.3%. About 4.5% are Roman Catholic. Other Christian churches are also present. A small number of people are Muslim (1.84%). Some people do not belong to any church.
Education in Wattenwil
Education is important in Wattenwil. About 59% of the population has finished high school. About 13.1% have gone on to higher education, like a university or a specialized college.
School System
The school system in the Canton of Bern works like this:
- One year of optional Kindergarten.
- Six years of Primary school.
- Three years of mandatory lower Secondary school. In secondary school, students are grouped by their abilities.
- After lower Secondary, students can choose to continue their schooling or start an apprenticeship (learning a trade on the job).
Students and Library
During the 2011-2012 school year, 450 students attended classes in Wattenwil. There were 48 kindergarten students, 185 primary students, and 217 lower secondary students.
Wattenwil also has its own public library, called Schul- und Gemeindebibliothek Wattenwil. In 2008, the library had over 9,810 books and other media. It loaned out 29,509 items that year. The library was open 176 days a year, for about 9 hours each week.
See also
In Spanish: Wattenwil para niños
