Münchenwiler

Münchenwiler
Coat of arms
Münchenwiler Show map of Switzerland Münchenwiler Show map of Canton of Bern
Location of Münchenwiler
Coordinates: 46°55′N 7°07′E / 46.917°N 7.117°E / 46.917; 7.117Coordinates: 46°55′N 7°07′E / 46.917°N 7.117°E / 46.917; 7.117
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Bern
District	Bern-Mittelland
Area
• Total	2.5 km2 (1.0 sq mi)
Elevation	508 m (1,667 ft)
Population (Dec 2015)
• Total	480
• Density	190/km2 (500/sq mi)
Postal code	1797
SFOS number	0669
Surrounded by	Courgevaux (FR), Courlevon (FR), Cressier (FR), Murten/Morat (FR), Salvenach (FR)
Website	http://www.muenchenwiler.ch SFSO statistics

Münchenwiler (French: Villars-Les-Moines) is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.

Münchenwiler is first mentioned in 1080-81 as Vilar. In 1228 it was mentioned as Vilar les Moinos. .

In 1080-81 the village was given by the brothers Gerold and Rudolf de Vilar to Cluny Abbey. Shortly thereafter a priory was founded, which served as a way station for pilgrims on the Way of St. James. The Priory church was built in 1100, using spolia from the Roman ruins at Avenches. The small priory community normally consisted of a prior and two to four monks. The priory suffered during the local wars of the 14th and 15th centuries. It was damaged during the Battle of Laupen in 1339. Over a century later, in 1448, it was damaged again during the Freiburgkrieg between the emergent city-states of Bern and Fribourg. In 1476 it was damaged a third time during the Burgundian Wars. During the 15th century, the small priory began to lose importance until the office of prior was reduced to a title without power. In 1484, by papal decree, leadership of the priory was transferred to the college of canons of the Munster of Bern. In 1528, Bern adopted the Protestant Reformation. Despite resistance from Fribourg, in 1530 Bern was able to retain control and secularize Münchenwiler.