*** Welcome to piglix ***

Riggisberg

Riggisberg
Riggisberg village
Riggisberg village
Coat of arms of Riggisberg
Coat of arms
Riggisberg is located in Switzerland
Riggisberg
Riggisberg
Riggisberg is located in Canton of Bern
Riggisberg
Riggisberg
Coordinates: 46°49′N 7°29′E / 46.817°N 7.483°E / 46.817; 7.483Coordinates: 46°49′N 7°29′E / 46.817°N 7.483°E / 46.817; 7.483
Country Switzerland
Canton Bern
District Bern-Mittelland
Government
 • Mayor Christine Bär-Zehnder
Area
 • Total 29.85 km2 (11.53 sq mi)
Elevation 762 m (2,500 ft)
Population (Dec 2015)
 • Total 2,452
 • Density 82/km2 (210/sq mi)
Postal code 3132
SFOS number 0879
Surrounded by Burgistein, Kirchenthurnen, Lohnstorf, Mühlethurnen, Rüeggisberg, Rümligen
Website www.riggisberg.ch
SFSO statistics

Riggisberg is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.

On January 1, 2009, the municipality of Rüti bei Riggisberg became part of the municipality of Riggisberg.

Riggisberg is first mentioned in 1239 as Ricasperc. In 1270 it was mentioned as Riggesberg.

The oldest trace of a settlement in the area are several Iron Age graves at Kreuzbühlhölzli. During the Roman era there was a settlement at Muriboden. During the Middle Ages the Fribourg noble family of Riggisberg was established with a seat in Riggisberg. However, the family soon lost or sold all their rights and land in the village and by the 13th century other nobles and monasteries owned parts of the village. It passed through several noble landowners until it was acquired by Petermann von Wichtrach when he married Agnes von Burgistein in 1354. In 1358 Rudolph of Neuchâtel-Nidau acquired the high court and rulership over the Herrschaft of Riggisberg that included the castle of Uf Gsteig, the village of Riggisberg, scattered farms and the courts of Riggisberg and Ruti. In 1387 the powerful Erlach family of Bern acquired the village and Herrschaft. In 1700 the Erlachs built a new and more comfortable castle near the old castle.

Following the 1798 French invasion, the old landowners lost their right to personally own villages. Riggisberg became part of the Helvetic Republic district of Seftigen under Bern. In the following year the Erlachs sold the castles and surrounding lands to Karl Friedrich Steiger. In 1869, his cousin, Robert Pigott from Ireland, inherited the estate. About a decade later, in 1880, he sold the castles to the Canton of Bern, who converted it into a poorhouse. In 1939 the old castle was demolished. In 1965-70 the new castle was renovated and converted into a district administration building.


...
Wikipedia

...