Zäziwil facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zäziwil
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 Zäziwil
Location in Switzerland
Zäziwil
Location in Canton of Bern
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Bern-Mittelland | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 5.41 km2 (2.09 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 686 m (2,251 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 1,601 | |
| • Density | 295.9/km2 (766.5/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3532
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| Surrounded by | Bowil, Grosshöchstetten, Mirchel, Oberhünigen, Oberthal | |
Zäziwil is a small town, also called a municipality, in Switzerland. It is located in the Bern-Mittelland area of the canton of Bern. Zäziwil is a friendly place with a mix of rural and commercial areas.
Contents
A Look at Zäziwil's Past
Zäziwil was first mentioned in old records in the year 1299. Back then, it was called Cezzenwile.
Old Fortifications and Bern's Influence
You can find several old ruined forts around Zäziwil. These include ruins in the hills and earthen walls at places like Schwanden. Not much is known about these ancient sites.
Historically, Zäziwil was part of a larger territory called Herrschaft of Signau. In 1529, the city of Bern took control of this whole area. It then became part of Bern's local government area, known as a bailiwick, also called Signau.
Developing the Village Church
The villages that make up Zäziwil were once part of a very large church area in Grosshöchstetten. As Zäziwil grew in the 1800s, the main church could not serve everyone. So, in 1819, a special priest called a Curate was sent to Zäziwil. Later, in 1874, a Vicar joined.
In 1961, Zäziwil became its own smaller church area. The village church, which you can still see today, was built three years later in 1964.
Growth and Changes in Zäziwil
In the 1700s, mineral water spas opened in Zäziwil at Leimenbad and Brunnenbachbad. These spas were quite famous and popular in the region. However, they closed down in the 1800s.
During the 19th century, many farmers in Zäziwil started focusing on raising grass for hay or dairy cows for milk and cheese. A local dairy opened around this time and is still working today.
The arrival of a railroad station, connecting Bern to Lucerne, helped Zäziwil grow even more. This made it easier for businesses to set up and for people to travel to work. While the village of Rütenen has stayed mostly farming-focused, Zäziwil has become a busy center for trade and business in the area.
There are primary schools in both Zäziwil and Rütenen, helping local children get their education.
Where is Zäziwil?
Zäziwil covers an area of about 5.4 square kilometers (2.1 square miles). A large part of this land, about 64.2%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 26.6% of the area. The rest, about 9.6%, has buildings and roads.
Land Use in Zäziwil
- Farming Land: About 27.9% of the land is used for growing crops. Another 33.4% is used for pastures where animals graze. A small part, 3.0%, has orchards or vineyards.
- Forests: About 25.3% of the land is covered by thick forests.
- Buildings and Roads: Homes and other buildings make up 5.7% of the area. Roads and other transport paths cover 2.8%.
Villages and Hamlets
Zäziwil is located in the upper part of the Kiesen valley, called Kiesental. It includes the main villages of Zäziwil and Leimen. It also has smaller communities, known as hamlets, called Rütenen and Länzligen. You can also find scattered farmhouses throughout the area.
Administrative Changes
On December 31, 2009, the old district of Konolfingen, which Zäziwil was part of, was closed down. The very next day, January 1, 2010, Zäziwil became part of a new administrative area called Verwaltungskreis Bern-Mittelland.
Zäziwil's Coat of Arms
The blazon (official description) of Zäziwil's municipal coat of arms is simple and clear. It shows a silver fleur-de-lis (a stylized lily flower) on a blue background.
People of Zäziwil
Zäziwil has a population of about 1,634 people (as of December 2011).
Population Changes
About 6.7% of the people living in Zäziwil are foreign nationals. Over the past ten years (2001-2011), the population has grown by about 2.6%. This growth is mostly due to people moving into the area (1.8%) and more births than deaths (0.6%).
Languages Spoken
Most people in Zäziwil speak German as their main language. In 2000, about 96.8% of the population spoke German. A smaller number spoke Italian (1.1%) or Turkish (0.6%). There were also a few people who spoke French.
Where People Come From
In 2000, about 31.7% of Zäziwil's residents were born there. Another 50.4% were born in the same canton (Bern). About 10.0% were born elsewhere in Switzerland, and 6.2% were born outside of Switzerland.
Age Groups
As of 2011, children and teenagers (ages 0–19) make up about 21.7% of the population. Adults (ages 20–64) are the largest group, at 61.4%. Seniors (over 64 years old) make up 17% of the population.
Family Life
In 2000, there were 655 single people in Zäziwil who had never been married. There were 732 married people, 77 widows or widowers, and 50 divorced individuals.
Homes in Zäziwil
As of 2010, there were 212 households with only one person. There were also 47 households with five or more people. In 2000, most apartments (92.9%) were lived in all year round.
The chart below shows how Zäziwil's population has changed over time:
Working in Zäziwil
In 2011, Zäziwil had a very low unemployment rate of 0.88%. This means almost everyone who wanted a job had one.
Jobs and Businesses
As of 2008, 418 people worked in Zäziwil. These jobs were spread across different types of businesses:
- Primary Sector: 76 people worked in farming and related activities. There were 27 businesses in this area.
- Secondary Sector: 181 people worked in manufacturing and construction. There were 34 businesses in this area.
- Tertiary Sector: 161 people worked in services, like shops, restaurants, and healthcare. There were 36 businesses in this area.
About 41.9% of the workers in Zäziwil were women.
Types of Jobs
In 2008, there were 329 full-time equivalent jobs.
- Farming: 49 jobs were in agriculture.
- Manufacturing and Building: 164 jobs were in this sector. About 55.5% were in making things (manufacturing), and 42.7% were in building.
- Services: 116 jobs were in the service sector. This included jobs in:
* Shops and car repair (34.5%) * Transport and storage (1.7%) * Hotels and restaurants (11.2%) * Science and technical jobs (11.2%) * Education (10.3%) * Healthcare (12.9%)
Commuting to Work
In 2000, 173 people traveled into Zäziwil for work. However, 611 people who lived in Zäziwil traveled to other places for their jobs. This means more people leave Zäziwil for work than come in. About 57.4% of the workers in Zäziwil also lived there.
Most people used private cars (56%) to get to work. About 18.7% used public transportation.
Religion in Zäziwil
Based on the 2000 census, most people in Zäziwil belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church (81.1%). About 7.7% were Roman Catholic.
Other groups included:
- Orthodox Christians (0.40%)
- Christian Catholic Church (1 person)
- Other Christian churches (8.12%)
- Jewish (0.26%)
- Islamic (1.45%)
- Buddhist (1 person)
About 3.43% of the population did not belong to any church, or were agnostic or atheist.
Learning in Zäziwil
Many people in Zäziwil have a good education. About 63.5% have finished non-mandatory upper secondary education. Also, 16.4% have completed higher education, like university or a specialized college.
The School System
The Canton of Bern has a specific school system:
- One year of non-obligatory Kindergarten.
- Six years of Primary school.
- Three years of obligatory lower Secondary school. Here, students are grouped by their skills.
- After lower Secondary, students can continue their education or start an apprenticeship (learning a trade).
Students in Zäziwil
During the 2011-2012 school year, 126 students attended classes in Zäziwil.
- There was one kindergarten class with 21 students.
- There were 5 primary classes with 91 students.
- There was one lower secondary class with 14 students.
A small percentage of students in each group had a different first language than the classroom language.
In 2000, 163 students lived and went to school in Zäziwil. However, 85 students from Zäziwil went to schools outside the municipality.
The Local Library
Zäziwil has its own library, called Schul- und Gemeindebibliothek Zäziwil. As of 2008, the library had 3,796 books and other items. It loaned out 11,213 items that year. The library was open for 180 days, averaging 5 hours per week.
See also
In Spanish: Zäziwil para niños
