St. Ursen
Encyclopedia
St. Ursen is a municipality
in the district of Sense
in the canton
of Fribourg in Switzerland
.
of Fribourg. 89.9% of the population is German-speaking, 8.9% francophone and 0.5% is speaking Portuguese (as of 2000). Since 1980 (1003 inhabitants), the population is growing slighty but steadily.
and cattle raising are an important branch of economic activity. The village has several dairies. Furthermore, there are number of gravel pits. However, by now the village is mainly a residential community and a significant part of the population is commuting to the cities of Fribourg
and Bern.
Besides the farming houses, there are some manors in these hamlets. The most noteworthy of these manors is the Hattenberg castle, which was built in 1679.
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 district of Sense
Sense (district)
Sense District is one of the seven administrative district of the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland, and the only completely German-speaking one. It is named for the Sense River, which forms the majority of its eastern border with the canton of Bern. The Sense region was first mentioned...
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 Fribourg 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....
.
Population
With inhabitants , St. Ursen is a medium-sized municipality in the cantonCantons 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 Fribourg. 89.9% of the population is German-speaking, 8.9% francophone and 0.5% is speaking Portuguese (as of 2000). Since 1980 (1003 inhabitants), the population is growing slighty but steadily.
Economy
Throughout the first half of the 20th century, St. Ursen was agrarian-oriented. Still today, dairy farmingDairy farming
Dairy farming is a class of agricultural, or an animal husbandry, enterprise, for long-term production of milk, usually from dairy cows but also from goats and sheep, which may be either processed on-site or transported to a dairy factory for processing and eventual retail sale.Most dairy farms...
and cattle raising are an important branch of economic activity. The village has several dairies. Furthermore, there are number of gravel pits. However, by now the village is mainly a residential community and a significant part of the population is commuting to the cities of Fribourg
Fribourg
Fribourg is the capital of the Swiss canton of Fribourg and the district of Sarine. It is located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss plateau, and is an important economic, administrative and educational center on the cultural border between German and French Switzerland...
and Bern.
Sights
The St.-Ursus-Chapel was built in 1539 and has been restaurated extensively in 1988. It features decorative paintings inside which date back to 1606. There are several old farming houses from the 17th to the 19th century in the heart of the village as well as in the hamlets surrounding the village.Besides the farming houses, there are some manors in these hamlets. The most noteworthy of these manors is the Hattenberg castle, which was built in 1679.