The Birs (French: ''Birse'') is a long river in Switzerland that flows through the
Jura region and ends as a tributary to the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
between
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...
and
Birsfelden
Birsfelden (Swiss German: ''Birsfälde'') is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Arlesheim (district), Arlesheim in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.
History
Birsfelden is first menti ...
. It is the most important river of the
Swiss Jura
Swiss may refer to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
* Swiss people
Places
* Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
*Swiss, West Virginia
* Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
*Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports
*Swiss Internatio ...
.
Course
The Birs has its source in a spring near the ''
Col de Pierre Pertuis
Col de Pierre Pertuis (el. 827 m.) is a mountain pass in the Jura Mountains in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.
It connects Sonceboz and Tavannes.
The name of the pass comes from the Latin: ''Petra pertusa'', meaning ''broken rock''. Th ...
'' at above sea level a little southwest of
Tavannes
Tavannes is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking part of the canton in the Jura mountains.
History
The area around Tavannes was traversed by ...
in the ''Jura bernois''. It starts as a proper river; the large amount of water is the product of an extended underground river system.
The Birs runs through wider valleys (Vallée de Tavannes) and narrow gorges. Near
Delémont
Delémont (; fc, D'lémont; german: Delsberg, ) is the capital of the Swiss canton of Jura. The city has approximately 12,000 inhabitants .
History
The area of the municipality was already settled in the middle Bronze Age. Fifteen urn buria ...
, the capital of the canton of Jura, it joins the
Sorne and the
Scheulte. Between
Soyhières
Soyhières is a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Delémont (district), Delémont in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Jura (canton), Jura in Switzerland.
History
Soyhières is first mentioned in 1102 as ''Souge ...
and
Liesberg
Liesberg is a municipality in the district of Laufen in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.
History
Liesberg is first mentioned in 1281 as ''Liesperch''.
Geography
Liesberg has an area, , of . Of this area, or 36.6% is used for agr ...
, it leaves the French-speaking part of Switzerland, enters the canton of
Basel-Landschaft
Basel-Landschaft or Basel-Country informally known as Baselland or Baselbiet (; german: Kanton Basel-Landschaft ; rm, Chantun Basilea-Champagna; french: Canton de Bâle-Campagne; it, Canton Basilea Campagna), is one of the 26 cantons forming ...
and receives the
Lützel from the left. In
Laufen it forms a waterfall, which was the source of power and of the name of the city.
At the gorge of
Angenstein
Angenstein Castle (german: Schloss Angenstein or simply ''Angenstein'') is a castle in the Duggingen, municipality of Duggingen in the Basel-Landschaft, canton of Basel-Land in Switzerland. It is a Swiss Swiss inventory of cultural property of nat ...
, the river runs into the ''Birseck'', the lowland by
Aesch. Between Aesch and
Dornach, the Birs is rich in fresh-water crabs, the native species of which are now threatened by the American red crab. Earlier, the Birs was polluted and dammed, but it has largely been restored to its original state.
The ''
Reinacherheide'' is a wildlife preserve with 83 species of bird.
The mouth of the Birs was hardly settled until the 18th century. Today, the city of
Münchenstein
Münchenstein ( Swiss German: ''Minggestai'') is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland.
Historical records
Münchenstein is first mentioned in 1196 as ''Kekingen''. In 1270, it was ment ...
stands there. The lower stretches of the Birs form the border between
Basel-Stadt
Basel-Stadt or Basel-City (german: Kanton ; rm, Chantun Basilea-Citad; french: Canton de Bâle-Ville; it, Canton Basilea Città) is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of three municipalities with Basel as t ...
and Basel-Landschaft. In 2004, it was restored from a concrete canal to a more natural river. Beavers have even been sighted along the river. The Birs also forms the border between the cities of
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...
and
Birsfelden
Birsfelden (Swiss German: ''Birsfälde'') is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Arlesheim (district), Arlesheim in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.
History
Birsfelden is first menti ...
. It flows into the Rhine at ''Birskopf'' after .
See also
*
Birsköpfli
The Birsköpfli (also called ''Birskopf'', German for ''Birs River Head'') is a leisure and bathing area in the Swiss city of Basel and its neighbouring municipality Birsfelden. It is located at the confluence of the Birs river with the Rhine riv ...
References
Birs in the ''Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz''
Picture gallery
Image:2010-09-05 Birsquelle bei Tavannes.jpg, The Birs Source south of Tavannes
Tavannes is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking part of the canton in the Jura mountains.
History
The area around Tavannes was traversed by ...
Image:Birs.JPG, Headwaters of the Birs by Tavannes
Tavannes is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking part of the canton in the Jura mountains.
History
The area around Tavannes was traversed by ...
Image:2010-09-05 Birs bei Court.jpg, The Birs south of Court
A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance ...
(Gorges de Court)
Image:Picswiss BE-97-02 Blick hin zur Klus von Moutier (Gorges de Moutier).jpg, Gorges de Moutier
Image:Birs bei Münchenstein.jpg, The restored Birs in Münchenstein
Münchenstein ( Swiss German: ''Minggestai'') is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland.
Historical records
Münchenstein is first mentioned in 1196 as ''Kekingen''. In 1270, it was ment ...
Image:Birs bei münchenstein (ebm).jpg, The Birs by the Elektra Birseck Münchenstein
Image:2009-09-13 birswasserfall.jpg, Birs waterfall in the ''Neue Welt
The Neue Welt is a sub-district of Münchenstein, in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.
Geographical location
The geographical area called the ''Neue Welt'' (new world) evolved in the 17th century as the industry started establishing ...
'', Münchenstein
Image:Picswiss BL-52-03.jpg, The Birs by Birsfelden
Birsfelden (Swiss German: ''Birsfälde'') is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Arlesheim (district), Arlesheim in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.
History
Birsfelden is first menti ...
File:London2007zurich img 5738.jpg, Aerial view of the Rhine, with Birs entering the Rhine
Rivers of Switzerland
Rivers of the canton of Bern
Rivers of the canton of Jura
Rivers of Basel-Landschaft
Rivers of the canton of Solothurn
Rivers of Basel-Stadt
Rivers of the Jura
{{Solothurn-geo-stub