Saint-Imier
| Saint-Imier | ||
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 Saint-Imier
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Location of Saint-Imier
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| Coordinates: 47°9′N 7°0′E / 47.150°N 7.000°ECoordinates: 47°9′N 7°0′E / 47.150°N 7.000°E | ||
| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Jura bernois | |
| Government | ||
| • Executive |
Conseil municipal with 7 members |
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| • Mayor | Maire | |
| • Parliament |
Conseil de Ville with 31 members |
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| Area | ||
| • Total | 20.89 km2 (8.07 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 820 m (2,690 ft) | |
| Population (Dec 2015) | ||
| • Total | 5,101 | |
| • Density | 240/km2 (630/sq mi) | |
| Postal code | 2610 | |
| SFOS number | 0443 | |
| Surrounded by | Sonvilier, Villeret, Muriaux, Le Noirmont, Les Bois, Le Pâquier(NE), Villiers(NE) | |
| Website |
www SFSO statistics |
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Saint-Imier is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura (Jura Bernois).
The Observatoire Astronomique de Mont-Soleil is located above the village.
Saint-Imier is first mentioned in 884 as cella de sancti Himerii. The municipality was formerly known by its German name St. Immer, however, that name is no longer used. Its name refers to Imerius of Immertal, a 7th-century saint.
According to the legend of St. Imerius, he settled in the valley as a hermit in the late 6th or early 7th century on a piece of land that bishop Marius of Lausanne gave him as a present. In 884 a cella (probably a church, farm and monastery) was mentioned on the site. Archeological excavations around the former Church of St. Martin indicate that a village grew up around the cella around the same time. Two of the 142 graves from the church have been dated to the Early Middle Ages and the church was rebuilt at least three times before the 14th or early 15th century.
In 884 the cella with its outbuildings belonged to Moutier-Grandval Abbey. In 999, the Abbey donated Saint-Imier and a number of surrounding villages to the Prince-Bishop of Basel. In 1264, the Bishop appointed Otto of Arguel (or Erguel) as the vogt over the Saint-Imier valley fief. Otto raised the valley to become a seigniory and parish of the Diocese of Basel. By the end of the 15th century, Saint-Imier included the villages of Villeret, Sonvilier, Renan and La Ferriere.
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