Burgdorf (; ;
High Alemannic
High Alemannic is a branch of Alemannic German spoken in the westernmost Austrian state of Vorarlberg and in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Intelligibility of these dialects to non-Alemannic speakers tends to be limited.
Language area
The High ...
: ''Bùùrdlef'') is the largest
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
in the
Emmental
The Emmental (, ) is a valley in west-central Switzerland, forming part of the canton of Bern. It is a hilly landscape comprising the basins of the rivers Emme and Ilfis. The region is mostly devoted to farming, particularly dairy farming. The ...
in the
canton of Bern
The canton of Bern, or Berne (; ; ; ), is one of the Canton of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. Its capital city, Bern, is also the ''de facto'' capital of Switzerland. The bear is the heraldic symbol of the c ...
in
Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
. It was the
capital
Capital and its variations may refer to:
Common uses
* Capital city, a municipality of primary status
** Capital region, a metropolitan region containing the capital
** List of national capitals
* Capital letter, an upper-case letter
Econom ...
of the
district of the same name until 2010, when it became part of the new
Emmental district.
Name
Burgdorf it is called in the German language, Berthoud in French which is not a literal translation of Burgdorf.
Berthoud is in memory of
Berchthold V. Duke of Zähringen who added a plaque to the city entrance for his victory against the
Burgundese.
As a Latinized form of Burgdorf, Castrovilla is known, but a Villa Berchtoldi or similar has not been found to date.
History

Scattered archeological finds indicate that the area around Burgdorf was inhabited during the
Neolithic
The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
era, the Late
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
and the
Hallstatt
Hallstatt () is a small town in the district of Gmunden District, Gmunden, in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. Situated between the southwestern shore of Hallstätter See and the steep slopes of the Dachstein massif, the town lies in the Sa ...
.
During the
High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the periodization, period of European history between and ; it was preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended according to historiographical convention ...
the land that would become Burgdorf was owned by the
Kingdom of Burgundy
Kingdom of Burgundy was a name given to various successive Monarchy, kingdoms centered in the historical region of Burgundy during the Middle Ages. The heartland of historical Burgundy correlates with the border area between France and Switze ...
and then after 1080 by the Dukes of
Zähringen. Either the kings or the dukes built a castle on the left bank of the
Emme river
The Emme () is a Rivers of Switzerland, river in Switzerland. It rises in the Alps between the peaks of Hohgant and Augstmatthorn in the canton of Bern. The Emme is long and flows through the Emmental and between Zuchwil and Luterbach into the Aar ...
. Burgdorf is first mentioned in 1236 as ''in oppido Burchtorff'', while
Burgdorf Castle is mentioned in 1080 as ''castellum Bertoldi ducis''.
The Zähringen dukes built a city (upper-west city section) around the castle in the last quarter of the 12th century. After the extinction of the Zähringen line, Burgdorf passed to the Counts of
Kyburg. They expanded the city in 1278 with the upper-east section and between 1278 and 1300 absorbed the Holzbrunnen settlement which became the lower town. By 1300 the city had expanded to fill the town walls. Starting in 1323 there was a ban on construction within the walls, which marked the border of the city until 1800. Under the Kyburg or Neu-Kyburg Counts, Burgdorf Castle was the capital of the county, and the Counts were the mayors of Burgdorf town.
In the 14th century, the Neu-Kyburgs became increasingly indebted. On 11 November 1382, Count Rudolf II of Neu-Kyburg, launched a raid against the city of
Solothurn
Solothurn ( ; ; ; ; ) is a town, a municipality, and the capital of the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. It is located in the north-west of Switzerland on the banks of the Aare and on the foot of the Weissenstein Jura mountains.
The town is ...
to try and force the city to forgive his debts. For the city of Bern, this attack on an allied city represented an excellent opportunity for the city to break its ties with the Neu-Kyburgs. In March 1383 the Bernese-Solothurn army marched on Burgdorf. This army was supported with troops from the
Forest Cantons,
Lucerne
Lucerne ( ) or Luzern ()Other languages: ; ; ; . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking portion of the country. Lucerne is the capital of the canton of Lucerne and part of the Lucerne (district), di ...
,
Zürich
Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...
,
Neuchâtel
Neuchâtel (, ; ; ) is a list of towns in Switzerland, town, a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality, and the capital (political), capital of the cantons of Switzerland, Swiss canton of Neuchâtel (canton), Neuchâtel on Lake Neuchâtel ...
and
Savoy
Savoy (; ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south and west and to the Aosta Vall ...
and were armed with
catapults and primitive guns. Because Count Rudolf II had died before the war began, Burgdorf was defended by Rudolf's uncle, Berchtold I. Under Berchtold, Burgdorf withstood a 45-day siege. An attempt to negotiate a cease-fire on 21 April 1383, between Bern and the citizens of Burgdorf against the Neu-Kyburgs was also unsuccessful. Beset by the enormous burdens of war and civil unrest at home, the Bernese Council sought Confederation mediation to end the war. On 5 April 1384, the Neu-Kyburgs agreed to sell the towns and castles of Burgdorf and Thun to Bern for 37,800 guilders.
File:Burghoff Matthaeus Merian 1650.jpg, Coloured version of Burgdorff by Merian 1650
As part of the peace treaty, Bern acknowledged the rights and privileges that the Kyburgs had granted to Burgdorf. Burgdorf enjoyed a unique amount of autonomy compared to the other cities in the Bernese city-state. The town had its own mayor, council and
high and low courts. Starting in 1394 the town began to buy courts, land and forests from the impoverished nobility. It began to acquire the surrounding villages and towns as well. In 1394
Rütschelen came under Burgdorf's authority. This was followed in 1395 by Grasswil, 1400 by Wil (now part of Rütschelen), 1402 by
Inkwil (until 1720), 1423 by
Niederösch, 1429 by
Bettenhausen, 1429 and 1509/10
Thörigen, 1431 by
Gutenburg and
Lotzwil
Lotzwil is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Oberaargau (administrative district), Oberaargau in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Bern (canton), Bern in Switzerland.
History
Lotzwil is first mentioned in 1194 ...
, 1435 by
Kleindietwil and at the start of the 16th century
Oberösch. The city created the
bailiwick
A bailiwick () is usually the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff, and once also applied to territories in which a privately appointed bailiff exercised the sheriff's functions under a royal or imperial writ.
In English, the original French combi ...
s of Grasswil (Grasswil, Ösch, Heimiswil) and Lotzwil (Thörigen, Lotzwil) under the administration of an alderman.
[
The city government consisted of a small council (12 members) and a large council (32 members) Starting in 1384 the '' Schultheiss'' was chosen by Bern. The small council was proposed by Burgdorf and approved by Bern, while the large council was appointed by the small council. By the 15th century, Burgdorf had about 900 residents which made it larger than most of the surrounding towns. The main industry remained agriculture until about 1798. Trade remained mostly regional and the products of the local industry (tannery, wool and linen weaving) only sold in the nearby region. Until the late 15th century, the town had a few ]guild
A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular territory. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradespeople belonging to a professional association. They so ...
s which remained without political or social power. They were mostly responsible for a few city obligations including supervising the fire and security watches. There were five guild houses in the upper city (blacksmiths-carpenters, butchers-shoemakers, bakers, weavers and tailors), one in the lower town (tanners). Each guild consisted of several trades, for example the blacksmiths-carpenters, allowed craftsmen working in 22 different jobs involving iron, stone and wood processing to join.[
The economic growth in the 15th century enabled the city to build municipal buildings and maintain the fortifications and public areas. The city hall, church and market were all built or expanded during this time. However, starting in the 1460s and 1470s the economy began to stagnate. The guilds gradually became more powerful and began to choke the economy. In the 16th century, the economies of the surrounding villages began to grow unfettered by guild rules. The guild controlled markets of Burgdorf attempted to compete with these small markets by banning the import of goods from the surrounding countryside. These bans (in 1619 and again in 1666–74) only served to undermined Burgdorf's position as a regional market and service center. Burgdorf remained hostile to new businesses and in some cases drove them to settle in neighboring towns.][
With the construction of the road on Kirchberg (1756–64) Burgdorf was no longer on any regional trade routes. The devastating fires (1706 upper town and in 1715 in the lower town) forced the city council to rebuild much of the city. Overall, the population stagnated and after 1655 it became increasingly hard to gain citizenship in Burgdorf. The percentage of non-citizen residents who could become citizens was less than 40% in 1764. As the number of artisans had declined, there were fewer and fewer families for that could serve on the town councils. At times, the large council only had 27 members instead of 32, due to a lack of candidates. During the ]Swiss peasant war of 1653
The Swiss peasant war of 1653 () was a popular revolt in the Old Swiss Confederacy at the time of the Ancien Régime. A devaluation of Bernese money caused a tax revolt that spread from the Entlebuch valley in the Canton of Lucerne to the E ...
the city remained loyal to Bern. While they feared an attack by the peasant armies, Burgdorf was bypassed. The invasion of the French in 1798 and the forced reforms of the Helvetic Republic
The Helvetic Republic (; ; ) was a sister republic of France that existed between 1798 and 1803, during the French Revolutionary Wars. It was created following the French invasion and the consequent dissolution of the Old Swiss Confederacy, ma ...
demolished much of the traditional, conservative power structure and privilege in Burgdorf.[
]
Geography
Burgdorf has an area, , of . Of this area, or 24.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 40.7% is forested. Of the rest of the land, or 32.3% is settled (buildings or roads), or 2.6% is either rivers or lakes and or 0.3% is unproductive land.[Swiss Federal Statistical Office-Land Use Statistics]
2018 data accessed 26 July 2020
Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 6.2% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 15.6% and transportation infrastructure made up 7.5%. while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 2.2%. 39.8% of the total land area is heavily forested. Of the agricultural land, 16.6% is used for growing crops and 7.1% is pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.[
]
Coat of arms
The blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct an accurate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The visual d ...
of the municipal coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...
is ''Per pale Sable and Argent all within a Border Or.''
Demographics
Burgdorf has a population () of . , 12.9% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (2000–2010) the population has changed at a rate of 5.2%. Migration accounted for 6.6%, while births and deaths accounted for -1.1%.[Swiss Federal Statistical Office]
accessed 6 February 2012
Most of the population () speaks Swiss-German (13,088 or 88.9%) as their first language, Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
is the second most common (402 or 2.7%) and Albanian
Albanian may refer to:
*Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular:
**Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans
**Albanian language
**Albanian culture
**Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
is the third (219 or 1.5%). There are 116 people who speak French and 8 people who speak Romansh.[
, the population was 48.3% male and 51.7% female. The population consisted of 6,335 Swiss men (41.2% of the population) and 1,083 (7.0%) non-Swiss men. There were 7,051 Swiss women (45.9%) and 905 (5.9%) non-Swiss women.][Statistical office of the Canton of Bern]
accessed 4 January 2012 Of the population in the municipality, 4,260 or about 29.0% were born in Burgdorf and lived there in 2000. There were 5,462 or 37.1% who were born in the same canton, while 2,176 or 14.8% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 2,352 or 16.0% were born outside of Switzerland.[
, children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 21.2% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 59.7% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 19.2%.][
, there were 5,932 people who were single and never married in the municipality. There were 6,856 married individuals, 1,067 widows or widowers and 859 individuals who are divorced.][STAT-TAB Datenwürfel für Thema 40.3 – 2000]
accessed 2 February 2011
, there were 6,637 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.1 persons per household.[ There were 2,567 households that consist of only one person and 353 households with five or more people. , a total of 6,507 apartments (91.9% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 371 apartments (5.2%) were seasonally occupied and 199 apartments (2.8%) were empty.][Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB – Datenwürfel für Thema 09.2 – Gebäude und Wohnungen]
accessed 28 January 2011 , the construction rate of new housing units was 2.5 new units per 1000 residents.[ The vacancy rate for the municipality, , was 1.85%.][
]
Historic Population
The historical population is given in the following chart:
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id:CA value:oceanblue legend:Catholic
id:SW value:red legend:Swiss
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bar:1850 from:start till:3636 text:"3,636" color:TO
bar:1880 from:start till:6581 text:"6,581" color:TO
bar:1910 from:start till:9367 text:"9,367" color:TO
bar:1930 from:start till:9772 text:"9,772" color:TO
bar:1950 from:start till:11586 text:"11,586" color:TO
bar:1970 from:start till:15888 text:"15,888" color:TO
bar:1990 from:start till:15373 text:"15,373" color:TO
bar:2000 from:start till:14714 text:"14,714" color:TO
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points:(600,427)(680,417) color:GE
points:(200,92)(280,93) color:FR
points:(280,93)(360,94) color:FR
points:(360,94)(440,95) color:FR
points:(440,95)(520,94) color:FR
points:(520,94)(600,93) color:FR
points:(600,93)(680,93) color:FR
points:(200,246)(280,309) color:PR
points:(280,309)(360,317) color:PR
points:(360,317)(440,356) color:PR
points:(440,356)(520,412) color:PR
points:(520,412)(600,373) color:PR
points:(600,373)(680,338) color:PR
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Heritage sites of national significance
The entire old city, the former ''Grosse Apotheke'' and ''Diesbacher'' House, the former ''Mädchenschule'' (Girls' School), the former ''Niederspital'' (Hospital), the Gehöft Grafenscheuren, the Grosshaus (Large House) at Hohengasse 4 / Kronenplatz 4, the House ''zum Ochsen'' at Hohengasse 35, the Villa Schnell, the Kantonales Technikum (College), the Leinenweberei (Linen
Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant.
Linen is very strong and absorbent, and it dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. Lin ...
Spinning Plant) Schmid with Villa, the Museum Franz Gertsch, the Swiss Reformed City Church, the Sammlung Historisches Armeematerial Collection of Historical Military Equipment, which is shared between Thun
Thun () is a List of towns in Switzerland, town and a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the administrative district of Thun (administrative district), Thun in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Canton of Bern, Bern in Switzerland. ...
, Burgdorf and Dübendorf
Dübendorf is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Uster (district), Uster in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Zürich (canton), Zürich in Switzerland.
It is a suburb of Zürich in Switzerland with a population o ...
in Zurich
Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...
), Castle
A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...
, the Quarantine House and Chapel and the Villa Roth are listed as Swiss heritage site of national significance The entire town of Burgdorf is part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
The Federal Inventory of Heritage Sites (ISOS) is part of a 1981 Ordinance of the Swiss Federal Council implementing the Federal Law on the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage.
Sites of national importance
Types
The types are based on t ...
.
File:Burgdorf-02.jpg, Altstadt, Medieval and Early Modern City and Castle
File:Hohengasse_19_and_21_Burgdorf_Oct_2011.jpg, Former ''Grosse Apotheke'' and ''Diesbacher'' House
File:Mädchenschule_Burgdorf_Oct_2011.jpg, Former ''Mädchenschule'' (Girls' School)
File:Burgdorf_Niederspital_Frontseite.jpg, Former ''Niederspital'' (Hospital)
File:Hohengasse_4_Burgdorf_Oct_2011.jpg, Grosshaus (Large House)
File:Burgdorf_Haus_zum_Ochsen.jpg, House ''zum Ochsen''
File:Burgdorf Kant Technikum Haupteingang.jpg, Kantonales Technikum (College)
File:Burgdorf museum-franz-gertsch 171008 03.jpg, Museum Franz Gertsch
File:StadtkircheBurgdorf 8688.jpg, Swiss Reformed City Church
File:Kapellenweg_2_and_5_Burgdorf_Oct_2011.jpg, Quarantine House and Chapel
File:Villa_Roth_Burgdorf_Oct_2011.jpg, Villa Roth
Points of interest
*The old town centre, with alleyways, squares and many historical buildings
*Late Gothic church 1471/1490
* Burgdorf Castle
*The "Badi" (which means public swimming pool)
*Museum Franz Gertsch
*Kornhaus (cornhouse)
*Burgdorf Flüeh (4 huge rocks) and the river Emme
*Burgdorf Schützematte, a big field, meeting point of peoples
Twin towns
Burgdorf is twinned with the towns of
Politics
In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SPS which received 24.95% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SVP (23.02%), the FDP (16.48%) and the Green Party
A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as environmentalism and social justice.
Green party platforms typically embrace Social democracy, social democratic economic policies and fo ...
(15.53%). In the federal election, a total of 5,046 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
In political science, voter turnout is the participation rate (often defined as those who cast a ballot) of a given election. This is typically either the percentage of Voter registration, registered voters, Suffrage, eligible voters, or all Voti ...
was 46.8%.
Economy
, Burgdorf had an unemployment rate of 4%. , there were 40 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 13 businesses involved in this sector. 4,027 people were employed in the secondary sector
In macroeconomics, the secondary sector of the economy is an economic sector in the three-sector theory that describes the role of manufacturing. It encompasses industries that produce a finished, usable product or are involved in constructi ...
and there were 137 businesses in this sector. 7,538 people were employed in the tertiary sector
The tertiary sector of the economy, generally known as the service sector, is the third of the three economic sectors in the three-sector model (also known as the economic cycle). The others are the primary sector (raw materials) and the ...
, with 691 businesses in this sector.[
the total number of ]full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent (FTE), or whole time equivalent (WTE), is a unit of measurement that indicates the workload of an employed person (or student) in a way that makes workloads or class loads comparable across various contexts. FTE is often use ...
jobs was 9,754. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 31, of which 24 were in agriculture and 7 were in forestry or lumber production. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 3,784 of which 3,168 or (83.7%) were in manufacturing and 567 (15.0%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 5,939. In the tertiary sector; 1,558 or 26.2% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 431 or 7.3% were in the movement and storage of goods, 255 or 4.3% were in a hotel or restaurant, 127 or 2.1% were in the information industry, 273 or 4.6% were the insurance or financial industry, 392 or 6.6% were technical professionals or scientists, 406 or 6.8% were in education and 1,566 or 26.4% were in health care.
, there were 7,353 workers who commuted into the municipality and 3,254 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 2.3 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving.[Swiss Federal Statistical Office – Statweb]
accessed 24 June 2010 Of the working population, 22.4% used public transportation to get to work, and 37.9% used a private car.[
Burgdorf has several engine works and some departments of the Bern University of Applied Sciences (e.g. Architecture and Civil Engineering). Burgdorf has a growing economy, several small companies called KMU (small and middle companies) are located and have their headquarters in Burgdorf, such as Ypsomed (former Disetronic), Aebi, Typon, Iverslee and Seewer.
Burgdorf is also known for its local beer. In 1871 Burgdorf had one of the most modern breweries is Switzerland. However, these local, small breweries closed during the 20th Century. In 1999, a brewery was opened, which brewed a local Burgdorf beer. This beer has won a number of awards at Beerdays in Solothurn.
]
Religion
From the , 1,993 or 13.5% were Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
, while 9,275 or 63.0% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church
The Protestant Church in Switzerland (PCS), formerly named Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches until 31 December 2019, is a federation of 25 member churches – 24 cantonal churches and the Evangelical-Methodist Church of Switzerland. The P ...
. Of the rest of the population, there were 211 members of an Orthodox church (or about 1.43% of the population), there were 14 individuals (or about 0.10% of the population) who belonged to the Christian Catholic Church, and there were 1,337 individuals (or about 9.09% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church. There were 3 individuals (or about 0.02% of the population) who were Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
, and 865 (or about 5.88% of the population) who were Islam
Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
ic. There were 39 individuals who were Buddhist
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
, 224 individuals who were Hindu
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
and 13 individuals who belonged to another church. 986 (or about 6.70% of the population) belonged to no church, are agnostic
Agnosticism is the view or belief that the existence of God, the divine, or the supernatural is either unknowable in principle or unknown in fact. (page 56 in 1967 edition) It can also mean an apathy towards such religious belief and refer to ...
or atheist
Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...
, and 413 individuals (or about 2.81% of the population) did not answer the question.[
]
Weather
Burgdorf has an average of 127.1 days of rain or snow per year and on average receives of precipitation
In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls from clouds due to gravitational pull. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, rain and snow mixed ("sleet" in Commonwe ...
. The wettest month is August during which time Burgdorf receives an average of of rain or snow. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 10.9 days. The month with the most days of precipitation is May, with an average of 13, but with only of rain or snow. The driest month of the year is February with an average of of precipitation over 10 days.[, the Burgdorf weather station elevation is 525 meters above sea level.]
Education
In Burgdorf about 5,950 or (40.4%) of the population have completed non-mandatory upper secondary education, and 1,918 or (13.0%) have completed additional higher education (either university
A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
or a ''Fachhochschule
A (; plural ), abbreviated FH, is a university of applied sciences (UAS), in other words a Hochschule, German tertiary education institution that provides professional education in many applied sciences and applied arts, such as engineering, te ...
''). Of the 1,918 who completed tertiary schooling, 65.9% were Swiss men, 25.1% were Swiss women, 5.0% were non-Swiss men and 4.0% were non-Swiss women.[
The Canton of Bern school system provides one year of non-obligatory ]Kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...
, followed by six years of Primary school. This is followed by three years of obligatory lower Secondary school where the students are separated according to ability and aptitude. Following the lower Secondary students may attend additional schooling or they may enter an apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulat ...
.
During the 2009–10 school year, there were a total of 1,767 students attending classes in Burgdorf. There were 14 kindergarten classes with a total of 247 students in the municipality. Of the kindergarten students, 13.8% were permanent or temporary residents of Switzerland (not citizens) and 23.5% have a different mother language than the classroom language. The municipality had 49 primary classes and 924 students. Of the primary students, 12.3% were permanent or temporary residents of Switzerland (not citizens) and 23.5% have a different mother language than the classroom language. During the same year, there were 30 lower secondary classes with a total of 548 students. There were 9.9% who were permanent or temporary residents of Switzerland (not citizens) and 21.2% have a different mother language than the classroom language.[Schuljahr 2009/10 pdf document]
accessed 4 January 2012
, there were 1,152 students in Burgdorf who came from another municipality, while 239 residents attended schools outside the municipality.[
Burgdorf is home to 2 libraries. These libraries are the Stadtbibliothek Burgdorf and the ''BFH Technik und Informatik TI und Architektur, Holz und Bau AHB Burgdorf''. There was a combined total () of 69,376 books or other media in the libraries, and in the same year a total of 266,590 items were loaned out.
]
Transportation
The municipality has four railway stations: , , , and . The first of these is a major railway junction, served by three different lines; the other three are located north and south of it on the Solothurn–Langnau line. Between them there is regular service to Zürich Hauptbahnhof
Zürich Hauptbahnhof, often shortened to Zürich HB or just HB, and known in English as Zurich Main Station, is the largest railway station in Switzerland and one of the busiest in Europe. It is a major railway hub, with services to and from a ...
, , , , , , and .
Notable people
; early times
* Jean Maritz (1680 in Burgdorf – 1743), a Swiss inventor, invented the vertical drilling machine
* Samuel Hieronymus Grimm
Samuel Hieronymus Grimm (18 January 1733 – 14 April 1794)''The Gentleman's Magazine'', 1794, p399 was an 18th-century Swiss landscape artist who worked in oils (until 1764), watercolours, and pen and ink media.
Grimm specialised in documenti ...
(1733 in Burgdorf – 1794), a landscape artist, worked in oils and watercolours
* Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (; ; ; 12 January 1746 – 17 February 1827) was a Swiss pedagogue and educational reformer who exemplified Romanticism in his approach.
He founded several educational institutions both in German- and French-speaking ...
(1746–1827) used to live and teach in Burgdorf Castle.
; 19th C
* Johann August Sutter (1803–1880), Californian pioneer, left Burgdorf for America in 1834
* Karl Eduard Aeschlimann (1808 in Burgdorf – 1893), an architect, court architect of the Russian royal family
* Jacques Burkhardt (1808–1867), scientific illustrator and associate of Louis Agassiz
Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz ( ; ) FRS (For) FRSE (May 28, 1807 – December 14, 1873) was a Swiss-born American biologist and geologist who is recognized as a scholar of Earth's natural history.
Spending his early life in Switzerland, he recei ...
* Max Schneckenburger (1819 – 1849 in Burgdorf), a poet, lived and died in Burgdorf
* John Augustus Sutter Jr. (1826 in Burgdorf – 1897), founder and planner of Sacramento, California
Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat, seat of Sacramento County, California, Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento Rive ...
* Emil Theodor Kocher
Emil Theodor Kocher (25 August 1841 – 27 July 1917) was a Swiss physician and medical researcher who received the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work in the physiology, pathology and surgery of the thyroid. Among his many a ...
(1841–1917), a Swiss physician and medical researcher, received the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine () is awarded yearly by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute for outstanding discoveries in physiology or medicine. The Nobel Prize is not a single prize, but five separate prizes that, acco ...
, grew up im Burgdorf
* Ferdinand Schiess VC, (1856 in Burgdorf – 1884), Swiss Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...
recipient at Rorke's Drift
; 20th C
* Franz Schnyder
Franz Schnyder (5 March 1910 – 8 February 1993) was a Swiss film director and screenwriter. He directed 15 films between 1941 and 1968. His film '' Der 10. Mai'' was entered into the 8th Berlin International Film Festival.
Filmography
* ...
(1910 in Burgdorf – 1993), a Swiss film director and screenwriter
* Hermann Haller (1914 in Burgdorf – 2002), a Swiss composer
* Lisa della Casa (1919 in Burgdorf – 2012), a Swiss soprano
* Fritz Hofmann (1924 – 2005 in Burgdorf), a Swiss politician
* John Mbiti (born 1931 in Kenya), an African theologian and philosopher, is parish minister in Burgdorf
* Willy Michel, (born 1947 in Burgdorf), co-founder of Museum Franz Gertsch[ German Wiki, Willy Michel]
* Annemarie Buchmann-Gerber (1947 in Burgdorf – 2015), a Canadian artist, worked with textiles and fiber materials
* Res Ingold
Res Ingold (born 1954 in Burgdorf, Switzerland) is a Swiss contemporary artist.
He is known for his superfiction airline company Ingold Airlines he started in 1982.
Res Ingold is a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich.
Exhibitions and ...
(born 1954 in Burgdorf), a contemporary Swiss artist
* Christine Brand (born 1973 in Burgdorf), a Swiss writer and journalist
* Christa Markwalder (born 1975 in Burgdorf), a Swiss politician, former President of the National Council
; Sport
* Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber (born 3 September 1974) is a Swiss former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted in the eighth round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft (232nd overall) by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He played in the National Hockey League ...
(born 1974 in Burgdorf), a Swiss former professional ice hockey goaltender
* Nuri Seferi (born 1976), a professional boxer, brought up and lives in Burgdorf
* Simone Niggli-Luder
Simone Niggli-Luder (born 9 January 1978) is a Swiss orienteering athlete who has twice won (in 2003 and 2005) all four women's competitions at the world championships. She is widely seen as one of the greatest orienteers of all time.
Personal ...
(born 1978), a Swiss Orienteering World Champion, brought up in Burgdorf
* Martina Moser (born 1986 in Burgdorf), a Swiss footballer, played 126 games for Swiss national team
* Alain Berger
Alain Berger (born 13 January 1970) is a Swiss orienteering competitor
Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero- ...
(born 1990 in Burgdorf), a Swiss professional ice hockey forward
Special events
*Solätte – #1 event in Burgdorf, old tradition child event (last Monday of June)
*Gymfest – big party organized by a group of students of Gymnasium Burgdorf (January)
*Pogoschütz – an openair concert on the Schützenmatte (September)
*Cinete – an openair movie theater, every year during summer
*Kalter Märt – the largest fair in Burgdorf; every year 10,000 people come to shop in the old city of Burgdorf (cold winter time)
*Burgdorfer Stadtlauf – Burgdorf running race through the city of Burgdorf
References
External links
*
*https://web.archive.org/web/20170210040554/http://www.burgdorf.ch/
*http://www.schloss-burgdorf.ch
*
{{Authority control
Cities in Switzerland
Municipalities of the canton of Bern
Cultural property of national significance in the canton of Bern