Gampelen

Gampelen
Coat of arms
Gampelen Show map of Switzerland Gampelen Show map of Canton of Bern
Location of Gampelen
Coordinates: 47°1′N 7°3′E / 47.017°N 7.050°E / 47.017; 7.050Coordinates: 47°1′N 7°3′E / 47.017°N 7.050°E / 47.017; 7.050
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Bern
District	Seeland
Government
• Mayor	Peter Dietrich
Area
• Total	10.83 km2 (4.18 sq mi)
Elevation	436 m (1,430 ft)
Population (Dec 2015)
• Total	864
• Density	80/km2 (210/sq mi)
Postal code	3236
SFOS number	0495
Surrounded by	Ins, Tschugg, Gals, Thielle-Wavre, Marin-Epagnier
Website	www.gampelen.ch SFSO statistics

Gampelen (French: Champion) is a municipality in the Seeland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. Gampelen should not be confused with the municipality Gampel in the canton of Valais.

Gampelen is first mentioned in 1179 as Champion and again in 1228 as Champlun.

The area around Gampelen was home to several mesolithic, neolithic and Bronze Age settlements. One of the largest was a Late Bronze Age lake front settlement on Witzwil Island. Bricks, money and a dam from Roman era settlements have been found stretching from Zihlbrücke in Gals through Gampelen to Witzwil in Ins. During the Middle Ages it was part of the Herrschaft of Erlach. In 1395 the area became part of the County of Savoy. Almost a century later, in 1474, it was acquired by Berne and was placed in the bailiwick of Erlach.

The village church of St. Martin was first mentioned in 1228. It was destroyed in a fire and rebuilt in 1513 and the nave was expanded and renovated in 1674-75. The church was probably built over a Roman inn and way station. During the Protestant Reformation it became the parish church of the local parish, which eventually grew to include the neighboring municipality of Gals.