Herzogenbuchsee
Encyclopedia
Herzogenbuchsee is a municipality
in the Oberaargau administrative district in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
.
The population is 6,646 (2009), counting the villages in the Oberaargau
. The traditional name was Buchsi.
of the Rhone Glacier
. The area has been settled for at least 10,000 years, with ancient settlements around the Inkwilersee
and Burgäschisee
. There is also evidence of Roman buildings from approximately 200 CE near the current Reformed Church.
The first documented use of the name puhsa ' onMouseout='HidePop("49529")' href="/topics/Latin">Latin
buxum, meaning "box
") is found in the writings of Saint Gall
us in 886 CE. In 1220 it was mentioned as Buchse and to distinguish it from Münchenbuchsee
, in 1301 it was first mentioned as Herzogenbuchze.
It was ruled by Burgundy
, the Zähringer, the Kyburger, and finally, brought under the Altberni sovereignty.
On January 1, 2008, the municipality of Oberönz
became part of the municipality of Herzogenbuchsee.
Following the merger of Oberönz into Herzogenbuchsee, the new municipality has an area, , of 9.83 km² (3.8 sq mi). Of this area, 3.7 km² (1.4 sq mi) or 37.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 3.38 km² (1.3 sq mi) or 34.4% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 2.66 km² (1 sq mi) or 27.1% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.02 km² (4.9 acre) or 0.2% is either rivers or lakes and 0.06 km² (14.8 acre) or 0.6% is unproductive land.
Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 3.1% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 14.2% and transportation infrastructure made up 7.5%. while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 1.5%. 34.0% of the total land area is heavily forested. Of the agricultural land, 30.9% is used for growing crops and 6.1% is pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. The elevation of the train station is 465 m (1,525.6 ft).
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP
which received 32.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SPS
(23.2%), the FDP
(20.8%) and the Green Party
(9.5%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 22% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 59.6% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 18.4%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Herzogenbuchsee about 71.2% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Herzogenbuchsee has an unemployment rate of 1.88%. , there were 31 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 9 businesses involved in this sector. 1344 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 78 businesses in this sector. 1931 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 249 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
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 Oberaargau administrative district 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 population is 6,646 (2009), counting the villages in the Oberaargau
Oberaargau
The Oberaargau is the region that encompasses the upper watershed of the Aar River in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. On the north, lie the Jura Mountains, and on the south the hills leading to the Emmental...
. The traditional name was Buchsi.
History
Herzogenbuchsee is built on a moraineMoraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
of the Rhone Glacier
Rhône Glacier
The Rhone Glacier, or sometimes Rhône Glacier is a glacier in the Swiss Alps and the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the Swiss canton of Valais...
. The area has been settled for at least 10,000 years, with ancient settlements around the Inkwilersee
Inkwilersee
Inkwilersee is a small lake on the border of the municipalities of Inkwil, Canton of Berne, and Bolken, Canton of Solothurn, Switzerland. Its surface area is 0.1016 km².-External links:* short introduction...
and Burgäschisee
Burgäschisee
Burgäschisee is a lake near Aeschi in Switzerland, on the border of the cantons of Berne and Solothurn. The lake has a surface of 21 ha and a maximum depth of 36 m.In 1941 and 1943, the waterlevel was lowered by 2 m. The current surface elevation is 465 m....
. There is also evidence of Roman buildings from approximately 200 CE near the current Reformed Church.
The first documented use of the name puhsa ' onMouseout='HidePop("49529")' href="/topics/Latin">Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
buxum, meaning "box
Buxus
Buxus is a genus of about 70 species in the family Buxaceae. Common names include box or boxwood ....
") is found in the writings of Saint Gall
Saint Gall
Saint Gall, Gallen, or Gallus was an Irish disciple and one of the traditionally twelve companions of Saint Columbanus on his mission from Ireland to the continent. Saint Deicolus is called an older brother of Gall.-Biography:...
us in 886 CE. In 1220 it was mentioned as Buchse and to distinguish it from Münchenbuchsee
Münchenbuchsee
Münchenbuchsee is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is famous as the birthplace of painter Paul Klee.-History:...
, in 1301 it was first mentioned as Herzogenbuchze.
It was ruled by Burgundy
Duchy of Burgundy
The Duchy of Burgundy , was heir to an ancient and prestigious reputation and a large division of the lands of the Second Kingdom of Burgundy and in its own right was one of the geographically larger ducal territories in the emergence of Early Modern Europe from Medieval Europe.Even in that...
, the Zähringer, the Kyburger, and finally, brought under the Altberni sovereignty.
On January 1, 2008, the municipality of Oberönz
Oberönz
Oberönz was a municipality in the district of Wangen in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.On January 1, 2008, the municipality of Oberönz became part of the municipality of Herzogenbuchsee.-Geography:...
became part of the municipality of Herzogenbuchsee.
Geography
Before the merger, Herzogenbuchsee had an area of 6.8 km² (2.6 sq mi). Of this area, 35.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while 35% is forested. The rest of the land, (29.9%) is settled.Following the merger of Oberönz into Herzogenbuchsee, the new municipality has an area, , of 9.83 km² (3.8 sq mi). Of this area, 3.7 km² (1.4 sq mi) or 37.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 3.38 km² (1.3 sq mi) or 34.4% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 2.66 km² (1 sq mi) or 27.1% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.02 km² (4.9 acre) or 0.2% is either rivers or lakes and 0.06 km² (14.8 acre) or 0.6% is unproductive land.
Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 3.1% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 14.2% and transportation infrastructure made up 7.5%. while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 1.5%. 34.0% of the total land area is heavily forested. Of the agricultural land, 30.9% is used for growing crops and 6.1% is pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. The elevation of the train station is 465 m (1,525.6 ft).
Demographics
Herzogenbuchsee has a population (as of ) of . , 1,036 are foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 6.1%. Most of the population speaks German (88.9%), with Italian being second most common ( 3.5%) and Albanian being third ( 2.6%).In the 2007 election the most popular party was 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...
which received 32.1% 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....
(23.2%), 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....
(20.8%) 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:...
(9.5%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 22% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 59.6% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 18.4%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Herzogenbuchsee about 71.2% 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...
).
Herzogenbuchsee has an unemployment rate of 1.88%. , there were 31 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 9 businesses involved in this sector. 1344 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 78 businesses in this sector. 1931 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 249 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1764 | 481 |
| 1850 | 1,525 |
| 1900 | 2,533 |
| 1950 | 3,790 |
| 2000 | 5,338 |