Grand Marais, Seeland
Encyclopedia
Grand Marais, Seeland is a region in Switzerland
, at the foot of the first mountain range of the Jura Mountains
contained by the three lakes of Morat (Murten)
, Neuchâtel and Bienne (Biel). Before the huge hydrological works Jura water correction
, it was a 62.5 sq km Big Marshlands, "Grand Marais" in French and "Grosses Moos" in German, and the whole Seeland
was prone to very severe recurring floods.
After , the whole area of marshlands, once drained out, has become very valuable agricultural land
and made the whole area the most important region in Switzerland for growing vegetables.
The main town and centre of vegetable trading is Müntschemier
.
The authorities have established in the area two penitentiaries
with surrounding agricultural compounds, where the primary, respectively "light" delinquent
s quartered there can be productively occupied: Bellechasse (Witzwil
) and St. Johannsen.
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....
, at the foot of the first mountain range 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...
contained by the three lakes of Morat (Murten)
Lake Murten
Lake Morat is a lake located in the cantons of Fribourg and Vaud in the west of Switzerland. It is named after the small town of Murten/Morat on its southern shore...
, Neuchâtel and Bienne (Biel). Before the huge hydrological works Jura water correction
Jura water correction
The correction of the waters of the Swiss Jura consisted in a wide series of hydrological undertakings carried out in Switzerland in the region of the three lakes: Lake Morat connected to Lake Neuchâtel by the Broye canal, the latter connected to Lake of Bienne by the Thielle canal, an area so...
, it was a 62.5 sq km Big Marshlands, "Grand Marais" in French and "Grosses Moos" in German, and the whole Seeland
Seeland (Switzerland)
Seeland is a region in Switzerland, at the foot of the first mountain range of the Jura Mountains containing the 3 lakes of Morat , Neuchâtel and Bienne . In previous aeras, it was the floodplain of the Aare and is thus swampy. After the huge hydrological works Jura water correction, the area...
was prone to very severe recurring floods.
After , the whole area of marshlands, once drained out, has become very valuable agricultural land
Agricultural land
Agricultural land denotes the land suitable for agricultural production, both crops and livestock. It is one of the main resources in agriculture...
and made the whole area the most important region in Switzerland for growing vegetables.
The main town and centre of vegetable trading is Müntschemier
Müntschemier
Müntschemier is a municipality in the Seeland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-Geography:Müntschemier has an area of . Of this area, 80.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while 2.5% is forested...
.
The authorities have established in the area two penitentiaries
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
with surrounding agricultural compounds, where the primary, respectively "light" delinquent
Delinquent
Delinquent or delinquents may refer to:* Law** A person who commits a misdemeanor** A person who commits a felony** A juvenile delinquent, often shortened as delinquent is a young person who fails to do that which is required by law; see juvenile delinquency* A person who fails to pay a debt or...
s quartered there can be productively occupied: Bellechasse (Witzwil
Witzwil
The penitentiary systems Witzwil are a men's prison with a huge farm on the territories of the municipalities Erlach Gampelen and Ins in Canton of Berne and the municipality of Haut-Vully in Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland...
) and St. Johannsen.