Pieterlen | ||
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Coordinates: 47°11′N 7°20′E / 47.183°N 7.333°ECoordinates: 47°11′N 7°20′E / 47.183°N 7.333°E | ||
Country | Switzerland | |
Canton | Bern | |
District | Biel/Bienne | |
Government | ||
• Mayor | Ueli Anliker | |
Area | ||
• Total | 8.32 km2 (3.21 sq mi) | |
Elevation | 436 m (1,430 ft) | |
Population (Dec 2015) | ||
• Total | 4,034 | |
• Density | 480/km2 (1,300/sq mi) | |
Postal code | 2542 | |
SFOS number | 0392 | |
Surrounded by | Lengnau, Meinisberg, Safnern, Biel/Bienne, Vauffelin, Romont | |
Website |
www SFSO statistics |
Pieterlen (French: Perles) is a municipality in the Biel/Bienne administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.
Pieterlen is first mentioned in 1228 as Perla. In 1268 it was mentioned as Bieterlo.
The Vorem Holz 3 archeological site contains the remains of a Bronze Age settlement in the Pieterlen municipality. A 1st to 3rd century Roman estate has also been discovered. During the Middle Ages there were several settlements in the modern municipal borders. A medieval bath house was found at Thürliweg. The early medieval Totenweg cemetery served two different settlements during the 7th-8th centuries. A medieval fortification at Gräuschenhubel has also been discovered. During the Late Middle Ages the village was mentioned as the personal property of the Lords of Pieterlan. By the end of the 13th century, the village passed through the hands of a number of nobles before ending up under the Prince-Bishop of Basel. Under the Prince-Bishops the village was combined with Romont, Reiben (now part of Büren an der Aare and Meinisberg) to form the southern-most ecclesiastical district of the Erguel seigniory. The low court met in Pieterlen while the high court was in Reiben and was held on the bridge over the Aare river. Militarily it was part of the banner of Biel.
In 1797 the region was invaded and annexed by France. It was initially part of the Département of Mont-Terrible, but in 1800 it was transferred to the Département of Haut-Rhin. After the collapse of Napoleonic France in 1815, the village was assigned to the Canton of Bern and in the following year it became part of the newly created Büren District. In 1833 the old parish was divided into four new political municipalities; Pieterlen, Meinisberg, Reiben (joined Büren an der Aare in 1911) and Romont (joined the Courtelary District in 1840).