Evilard
Encyclopedia
Evilard is a municipality
in the Biel/Bienne administrative district
in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
. The German name of the bilingual municipality is Leubringen.
, and 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) north of the district capital city, Biel/Bienne
, as the crow flies
. The town spans a southeast-facing clearing of the front of the Jura mountains
, about 300 m (984.3 ft) over the city of Biel. In clear weather, the view from Evilard of the Swiss plateau
and the Alps
from Mont Blanc
to the region of Glärnisch
and Alpstein
is quite impressive.
The municipality reaches to the height of the anticline
of Magglingerberg. It includes the town of Evilard, which is surrounded by Malewagwald (French: Malvaux, up to 765 m (2,509.8 ft) altitude). To the southwest, the municipality reaches in a narrow strip over the Magglingen to the peak of the Magglingerberg, up to the municipal high point of 1070 m (3,510.5 ft).
Evilard has an area, , of 3.68 km² (1.4 sq mi). Of this area, 1.1 km² (0.424712374451789 sq mi) or 29.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 1.47 km² (0.567570173131027 sq mi) or 39.9% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.07 km² (0.413129309694012 sq mi) or 29.1% is settled (buildings or roads).
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 19.6% and transportation infrastructure made up 4.6%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 1.1% of the area while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 3.8%. 38.6% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.4% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 6.5% is used for growing crops and 23.1% is pastures.
In the municipality is also the town Magglingen (French: Macolin), which lies at 875 m (2,870.7 ft) on the southeast slope of Magglingerberg. The neighboring municipalities are Biel/Bienne, Orvin
, Lamboing
, and Tüscherz.
With a population (as of ) of , Evilard is one of the largest municipalities in the Bernese Jura
. 10.7% of the population are foreign nationals. The population of Evilard underwent marked growth in the middle of the 20th century, whereas since 1980 only a small fluctuation has been registered. Over the last 10 years, the population has remained basically constant. Most of the population speaks German (60.0%), with French being second most common (34.1%), and Italian being third (1.5%). The migration of a number of settlers from the German-speaking portions of the Canton of Bern has increased the proportion of German speakers in Evilard, an area that was historically dominated by French speakers.
In the 2007 election, the most popular party was the FDP
which received 30.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SPS
(20.7%), the SVP
(18.4%) and the Green Party
(17%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 20.1% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 59.3% and the seniors (over 64 years old) make up 20.7%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Evilard about 85.5% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Evilard has an unemployment rate of 1.06%. , there were 32 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 9 businesses involved in this sector. 29 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 11 businesses in this sector. 555 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 50 businesses in this sector.
Evilard was dominated by agriculture until the beginning of the 20th century. Since about 1950, the town has built a large number of single-family homes for commuters working in Biel/Bienne. Magglingen has developed into a resort location starting in about 1875, thanks to its sunny high altitude. Today the town has many tourist facilities, and includes the Swiss Federal Office of Sport
(FOSPO), the Swiss federal government’s centre for expertise in sports.
between Biel/Bienne and Evilard was opened. Magglingen is also connected to Biel/Bienne by the Biel/Bienne–Magglingen/Macolin funicular
.
were founded in the Middle Ages in the area. However, judicially and militarily the town was subordinate to the city of Biel. From 1798 to 1815, Evilard belonged to France
and was part of the département of Mont-Terrible
, which was joined with Haut-Rhin
in 1800. At the Congress of Vienna
in 1815, the town was returned to Switzerland and placed in the Canton of Bern. At first, Evilard was attached to the Oberamt Nidau
; in 1832 it was placed in the Biel district. At times, there is debate over merging with the city of Biel; such a situation was however rejected by the residents in 1902. Evilard doesn't have its own church parish
, but until 1821 belonged to the parish of Orvin, and since then to that of Biel.
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
in the Biel/Bienne administrative district
Biel/Bienne (administrative district)
Biel/Bienne District is an administrative district in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland. It is located along both shores of the northeastern half of Lake Biel and is part of the Seeland administrative region, and its capital is Biel/Bienne. It contains 19 municipalities with an area of and a...
in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Bern in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The German name of the bilingual municipality is Leubringen.
Geography
Evilard lies 697 metres (2,286.7 ft) above sea levelSea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, and 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) north of the district capital city, Biel/Bienne
Biel/Bienne
Biel/Bienne is a city in the district of the Biel/Bienne administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.It is located on the language boundary and is throughout bilingual. Biel is the German name for the town, Bienne its French counterpart. The town is often referred to in both...
, as the crow flies
As the crow flies
"As the crow flies" or beelining is an idiom for the shortest route between two points; the geodesic distance.An example is the great-circle distance between Key West and Pensacola, at either end of the U.S...
. The town spans a southeast-facing clearing of the front of the Jura mountains
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
, about 300 m (984.3 ft) over the city of Biel. In clear weather, the view from Evilard of the Swiss plateau
Swiss plateau
The Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau constitutes one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland alongside the Jura mountains and the Swiss Alps. It covers about 30% of the Swiss surface...
and the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
from Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
to the region of Glärnisch
Glärnisch
The Glärnisch is a mountain of the Glarus Alps, overlooking the valley of the Linth in the canton of Glarus. It consists of several summits of which the highest is distinguished by the name Bächistock, followed by the Vrenelisgärtli and the Ruchen .The massif of the Glärnisch consists of two...
and Alpstein
Alpstein
The Alpstein are a subgroup of the Appenzell Alps in Switzerland. The Alpstein massif is in Appenzell Innerrhoden, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and St...
is quite impressive.
The municipality reaches to the height of the anticline
Anticline
In structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is convex up and has its oldest beds at its core. The term is not to be confused with antiform, which is a purely descriptive term for any fold that is convex up. Therefore if age relationships In structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is...
of Magglingerberg. It includes the town of Evilard, which is surrounded by Malewagwald (French: Malvaux, up to 765 m (2,509.8 ft) altitude). To the southwest, the municipality reaches in a narrow strip over the Magglingen to the peak of the Magglingerberg, up to the municipal high point of 1070 m (3,510.5 ft).
Evilard has an area, , of 3.68 km² (1.4 sq mi). Of this area, 1.1 km² (0.424712374451789 sq mi) or 29.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 1.47 km² (0.567570173131027 sq mi) or 39.9% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.07 km² (0.413129309694012 sq mi) or 29.1% is settled (buildings or roads).
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 19.6% and transportation infrastructure made up 4.6%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 1.1% of the area while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 3.8%. 38.6% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.4% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 6.5% is used for growing crops and 23.1% is pastures.
In the municipality is also the town Magglingen (French: Macolin), which lies at 875 m (2,870.7 ft) on the southeast slope of Magglingerberg. The neighboring municipalities are Biel/Bienne, Orvin
Orvin
Orvin is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura . Above it, there is a small year round resort, called les "Prés-d'Orvin"....
, Lamboing
Lamboing
Lamboing is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland, located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...
, and Tüscherz.
Population
| Population growth | |
|---|---|
| Year | Population |
| 1850 | 365 |
| 1900 | 560 |
| 1910 | 633 |
| 1930 | 870 |
| 1950 | 1112 |
| 1960 | 1467 |
| 1970 | 1914 |
| 1980 | 2275 |
| 1990 | 2360 |
| 2000 | 2376 |
With a population (as of ) of , Evilard is one of the largest municipalities in the Bernese Jura
Bernese Jura
Bernese Jura is the name for the French-speaking area of the Swiss canton of Bern, and from 2010 one of five administrative divisions of the canton....
. 10.7% of the population are foreign nationals. The population of Evilard underwent marked growth in the middle of the 20th century, whereas since 1980 only a small fluctuation has been registered. Over the last 10 years, the population has remained basically constant. Most of the population speaks German (60.0%), with French being second most common (34.1%), and Italian being third (1.5%). The migration of a number of settlers from the German-speaking portions of the Canton of Bern has increased the proportion of German speakers in Evilard, an area that was historically dominated by French speakers.
In the 2007 election, the most popular party was the FDP
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009....
which received 30.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SPS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(20.7%), the SVP
Swiss People's Party
The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...
(18.4%) and the Green Party
Green Party of Switzerland
The Green Party of Switzerland is the fifth-largest party in the National Council of Switzerland, and the largest party that is not represented on the Federal Council.-History:...
(17%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 20.1% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 59.3% and the seniors (over 64 years old) make up 20.7%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Evilard about 85.5% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
Fachhochschule
A Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
).
Evilard has an unemployment rate of 1.06%. , there were 32 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 9 businesses involved in this sector. 29 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 11 businesses in this sector. 555 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 50 businesses in this sector.
Economy
Federal Office of Sport
The Swiss Federal Office of Sport, or FOSPO, is the Swiss federal government’s centre for expertise in sports and a part of the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports. The mission of FOSPO is to promote sports and exercise in all age groups and at all levels of ability...
(FOSPO), the Swiss federal government’s centre for expertise in sports.
Transport
Transport within the municipality is well-developed. It is linked with Biel/Bienne and Orvin by road. In 1898 the Biel/Bienne–Leubringen/Evilard funicularBiel/Bienne–Leubringen/Evilard funicular
The Biel/Bienne–Leubringen/Evilard funicular is a funicular railway in the bilingual city of Biel/Bienne in the Swiss canton of Bern...
between Biel/Bienne and Evilard was opened. Magglingen is also connected to Biel/Bienne by the Biel/Bienne–Magglingen/Macolin funicular
Biel/Bienne–Magglingen/Macolin funicular
The Biel/Bienne–Magglingen/Macolin funicular is a funicular railway in the bilingual city of Biel/Bienne in the Swiss canton of Bern...
.
History
The first appearance of Evilard in written documents was in 1300, under the name Lomeringen. The French name was Evillard or es Villard ("in the town"). A number of monasteries and the Bishopric of BaselBishopric of Basel
The Diocese of Basel is a Roman Catholic diocese in Switzerland .Historically, the bishops of Basel were also secular rulers of the Prince-Bishopric of Basel ....
were founded in the Middle Ages in the area. However, judicially and militarily the town was subordinate to the city of Biel. From 1798 to 1815, Evilard belonged to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and was part of the département of Mont-Terrible
Mont-Terrible
Mont-Terrible was one of the 130 départements of Napoleonic France, with its capital at Porrentruy.The Mont Terrible for which the département was named is now known as mont Terri, a peak of 804 m near Courgenay, now in the canton of Jura, Switzerland.The département was created in 1793 with the...
, which was joined with Haut-Rhin
Haut-Rhin
Haut-Rhin is a département of the Alsace region of France, named after the Rhine river. Its name means Upper Rhine. Haut-Rhin is the smaller and less populated of the two departements of Alsace, although is still densely populated compared to the rest of France.-Subdivisions:The department...
in 1800. At the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
in 1815, the town was returned to Switzerland and placed in the Canton of Bern. At first, Evilard was attached to the Oberamt Nidau
Nidau (district)
Nidau District was one of the 26 administrative districts in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. Its capital was the municipality of Nidau. Although the district is officially German speaking, a small French speaking minority lives in the area. The district has an area of 113 km² and consisted of 25...
; in 1832 it was placed in the Biel district. At times, there is debate over merging with the city of Biel; such a situation was however rejected by the residents in 1902. Evilard doesn't have its own church parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
, but until 1821 belonged to the parish of Orvin, and since then to that of Biel.