Burgdorf BE

Burgdorf
Coat of arms
Burgdorf Show map of Switzerland Burgdorf Show map of Canton of Bern
Location of Burgdorf
Coordinates: 47°03′N 7°37′E / 47.050°N 7.617°E / 47.050; 7.617Coordinates: 47°03′N 7°37′E / 47.050°N 7.617°E / 47.050; 7.617
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Bern
District	Emmental
Government
• Executive	Gemeinderat with 7 members
• Mayor	Stadtpräsident (list) Elisabeth Zäch SPS/PSS (as of February 2014)
• Parliament	Stadtrat with 40 members , instaured 1921)
Area
• Total	15.6 km2 (6.0 sq mi)
Elevation	533 m (1,749 ft)
Population (Dec 2015)
• Total	16,228
• Density	1,000/km2 (2,700/sq mi)
Postal code	3400
SFOS number	0404
Surrounded by	Hasle bei Burgdorf, Heimiswil, Kirchberg, Krauchtal, Lyssach, Mötschwil, Oberburg, Rüti bei Lyssach, Wynigen
Twin towns	Epesses (Switzerland), Burgdorf (Germany), San Pellegrino Terme (Italy)
Website	www.burgdorf.ch SFSO statistics

Burgdorf (French: Berthoud) is the largest city in the Emmental in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It was the capital of the district of the same name until 2010, when it became part of the new Emmental district.

Scattered archeological finds indicate that the area around Burgdorf was inhabited during the Neolithic era, the Late Bronze Age and the Hallstatt.

During the High Middle Ages the land that would become Burgdorf was owned by the Kingdom of Burgundy 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. 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 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 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, Zurich, Neuchatel and Savoy 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 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.