Wiedlisbach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wiedlisbach
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 Wiedlisbach
Location in Switzerland
Wiedlisbach
Location in Canton of Bern
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Oberaargau | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 7.5 km2 (2.9 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 465 m (1,526 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 2,382 | |
| • Density | 317.6/km2 (823/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
4537
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| Surrounded by | Attiswil, Oberbipp, Rumisberg, Walliswil bei Niederbipp, Walliswil bei Wangen, Wangen an der Aare | |
Wiedlisbach is a small town, also called a municipality, located in the Oberaargau area of the canton of Bern in Switzerland.
In 1974, Wiedlisbach received the Wakker Prize. This award is given to places that do a great job of keeping their old buildings and town look special.
Contents
History of Wiedlisbach
Around the mid-1200s, a count named Ludwig the Elder von Frohburg built Wiedlisbach. He wanted a strong village to collect money from travelers (tolls) and to hold markets. This was important because it was on a main road to Zofingen.
The village was built like a rectangle. It had a big market square in the middle. There was also a special building called the Städtliturm. This was a mix of a house and a defense tower. It was probably where the count's local helper lived.
The village had strong walls, about 9 meters (30 feet) tall and 1.7 meters (5.5 feet) thick. There were two gates: the Biel gate in the west and the Basel gate in the east. Wiedlisbach was first mentioned in old papers in 1275 as Wietilspach.
Who Owned Wiedlisbach?
Over time, Wiedlisbach was owned by different noble families. First, it belonged to the Frohberg family. Then, in the late 1200s, it went to the Counts of Neuchâtel-Nidau. Later, it was owned by the Homberg/Thierstein family. In 1375, a group of knights called the Gugler attacked it.
A few years later, the Kyburgs took over. But they had problems after a big fight in 1383. So, in 1406, they sold Wiedlisbach to the cities of Bern and Solothurn. By 1463, Bern owned the whole village. It has been part of the Canton of Bern ever since.
The Peasant War
In 1653, there was a big uprising in Switzerland called the Swiss peasant war of 1653. Wiedlisbach joined the farmers who were fighting for their rights. However, the government troops quickly stopped the uprising. On June 5, 1653, Wiedlisbach was taken by these troops.
Even though the town was captured, its walls, gatehouses, and tower were not destroyed. But the winning troops took things from the town and removed the wooden gates. The stone parts of the gate towers stayed open until 1827. Then, they were finally taken down to build new roads.
Wiedlisbach's Geography
Wiedlisbach covers an area of about 7.6 square kilometers (2.9 square miles).
- Almost half of this area (49.5%) is used for farming.
- About 29% is covered by forests.
- Nearly 20% (19.7%) has buildings or roads.
- The rest (1.7%) is made up of things like rivers or mountains.
People of Wiedlisbach
Wiedlisbach has a population of 2,382. About 12.1% of the people living there are from other countries. Over the last ten years, the number of people in Wiedlisbach has stayed about the same.
Most people in Wiedlisbach (93.0%) speak German. Albanian is the second most common language (1.4%), and Serbo-Croatian is third (1.4%).
Education and Jobs
Many adults in Wiedlisbach (about 70.5%) have finished high school or gone on to higher education, like university or a special college called a Fachhochschule.
The unemployment rate in Wiedlisbach is low, at 1.43%. This means most people who want to work have jobs.
- About 76 people work in farming (the primary sector). There are 23 businesses in this area.
- About 251 people work in factories or making things (the secondary sector). There are 37 businesses here.
- About 608 people work in services, like shops, offices, or healthcare (the tertiary sector). There are 88 businesses in this area.
Wakker Prize for Preservation
In 1974, Wiedlisbach was given the Wakker Prize. This award is very special and is given to towns that do a great job of keeping their old buildings and unique look. The prize recognized that Wiedlisbach had kept its traditional style and old buildings very well. It also praised the local committee for helping everyone in the village understand how important it was to protect their town's special appearance.
Notable People
- Michael Kurt (born 1980 in Wiedlisbach) is a Swiss athlete. He is a slalom canoeist who competed in international races for many years.
Images for kids
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Wiedlisbach's coat of arms.
See also
In Spanish: Wiedlisbach para niños
