Spiez
Encyclopedia
Spiez is a city
in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district
in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
.
Spiez has an area of 16.8 km² (6.5 sq mi). Of this area, 38.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 29.1% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 29.1% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (3.3%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).
It is located at the south bank of Lake Thun. It comprises five villages (Bäuerte): Spiez, Einigen, Hondrich, Faulensee and Spiezwiler (formerly Wyler).
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP
which received 32.9% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SPS
(21%), the Green Party
(12.9%) and the FDP
(11.8%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 22.1% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 58.6% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 19.3%. In Spiez about 77.9% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Spiez has an unemployment rate of 2.43%. , there were 251 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 62 businesses involved in this sector. 856 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 98 businesses in this sector. 3572 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 412 businesses in this sector.
The Hotel Belvédère in Spiez accommodated the German national football team during the 1954 World Cup (soccer) held in Switzerland. "The Spirit of Spiez", developed there among the players, is regarded as important factor that helped the German team to win the world championship.
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 Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district
Frutigen-Niedersimmental (administrative district)
Frutigen-Niedersimmental District in the Canton of Bern was created on 1 January 2010. It is part of the Oberland administrative region. It contains 13 municipalities with an area of and a population of 38,871....
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....
.
Geography
It is located at the south bank of Lake Thun. It comprises five villages (Bäuerte): Spiez, Einigen, Hondrich, Faulensee and Spiezwiler (formerly Wyler).
Demographics
Spiez has a population (as of ) of . , 7.4% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 6.8%. Most of the population speaks German (94.0%), with Serbo-Croatian being second most common (1.1%) and French being third (0.8%).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 32.9% 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....
(21%), 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:...
(12.9%) and 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....
(11.8%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 22.1% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 58.6% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 19.3%. In Spiez about 77.9% 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...
).
Spiez has an unemployment rate of 2.43%. , there were 251 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 62 businesses involved in this sector. 856 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 98 businesses in this sector. 3572 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 412 businesses in this sector.
Sights
The medieval castle in the town dates from the 15th and 16th Centuries. Visitors can visit the grand halls within the castle, including the Baroque Banquet Hall built in 1614.The Hotel Belvédère in Spiez accommodated the German national football team during the 1954 World Cup (soccer) held in Switzerland. "The Spirit of Spiez", developed there among the players, is regarded as important factor that helped the German team to win the world championship.