Tavannes
Encyclopedia
Tavannes is a municipality
in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura
(Jura Bernois).
improved this road between 161 and 169 AD. The Roman administrator left an inscription in the cliff at Pierre-Pertuis to this effect.
Early mills were built along the Birse, utilizing its water as a source of power. Tavannes was one of the earliest inhabited locations in the district. Its name comes from the Celt
ic word tavan, which means tree trunk.
In the fourth century, as the Roman Empire crumbled, the Burgundians
moved into the area around Tavannes. In 630, a monastery was established at Moutier-Grandval, and Tavannes belonged to its possessions.
The first mention of Tavannes (or its Latin equivalent Theisvenna) dates to 866. In 999, King Rudolph III of Burgundy
gave the monastery of Moutier-Grandval and all its possessions to the Bishop of Basel
. At Rudolph's death, the district passed into the Holy Roman Empire
, to which it belonged for 760 years.
In the spring of 1530, Guillaume Farel preached the Reformation
in Tavannes and surrounding areas, with great success.
After the French Revolution
, the French Republican Army invaded the district in 1792 and forcibly recruited local soldiers to its ranks. Some were enthusiastic, among them Théophile Voirol
, who after rapid promotions, became a general. He later became a French noble and Governor of Algeria
.
The city government was not established until after the Bishopric of Basel was dissolved in 1797.
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SPS
which received 30.3% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SVP
(27.3%), the FDP
(15.6%) and the Green Party
(9.7%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 24.3% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 58.5% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 17.3%. In Tavannes about 61.5% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Tavannes has an unemployment rate of 3.16%. , there were 64 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 22 businesses involved in this sector. 403 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 48 businesses in this sector. 603 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 115 businesses in this sector.
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 Jura bernois 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....
. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura
Bernese Jura
Bernese Jura is the name for the French-speaking area of the Swiss canton of Bern, and from 2010 one of five administrative divisions of the canton....
(Jura Bernois).
History
The area around Tavannes was traversed by the early inhabitants of the Helvetic plain because of the natural tunnel through the Jura between the valley of the Suze and the valley of the Birse. Under the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the RomansRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
improved this road between 161 and 169 AD. The Roman administrator left an inscription in the cliff at Pierre-Pertuis to this effect.
Early mills were built along the Birse, utilizing its water as a source of power. Tavannes was one of the earliest inhabited locations in the district. Its name comes from the Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic word tavan, which means tree trunk.
In the fourth century, as the Roman Empire crumbled, the Burgundians
Burgundians
The Burgundians were an East Germanic tribe which may have emigrated from mainland Scandinavia to the island of Bornholm, whose old form in Old Norse still was Burgundarholmr , and from there to mainland Europe...
moved into the area around Tavannes. In 630, a monastery was established at Moutier-Grandval, and Tavannes belonged to its possessions.
The first mention of Tavannes (or its Latin equivalent Theisvenna) dates to 866. In 999, King Rudolph III of Burgundy
Rudolph III of Burgundy
Rudolf III of Burgundy was the last King of an independent Burgundy. He was the son of Conrad, King of Burgundy, and Matilda of France...
gave the monastery of Moutier-Grandval and all its possessions to the Bishop of Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
. At Rudolph's death, the district passed into the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, to which it belonged for 760 years.
In the spring of 1530, Guillaume Farel preached the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
in Tavannes and surrounding areas, with great success.
After the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, the French Republican Army invaded the district in 1792 and forcibly recruited local soldiers to its ranks. Some were enthusiastic, among them Théophile Voirol
Théophile Voirol
Théophile Voirol September 3, 1781, Tavannes, Canton of Bern – September 15, 1853) was a Swiss general in the French Republican Army, who later became a French nobleman and Governor of Algeria....
, who after rapid promotions, became a general. He later became a French noble and Governor of Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
.
The city government was not established until after the Bishopric of Basel was dissolved in 1797.
Geography
Tavannes has an area of 14.8 km² (5.7 sq mi). Of this area, 48.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 42.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 9.1% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.1%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).Demographics
Tavannes has a population (as of ) of . , 18.3% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 7%. Most of the population speaks French (84.0%), with German being second most common ( 6.0%) and Italian being third ( 3.6%).In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SPS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
which received 30.3% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were 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...
(27.3%), 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....
(15.6%) 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:...
(9.7%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 24.3% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 58.5% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 17.3%. In Tavannes about 61.5% 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...
).
Tavannes has an unemployment rate of 3.16%. , there were 64 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 22 businesses involved in this sector. 403 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 48 businesses in this sector. 603 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 115 businesses in this sector.