Rüschegg | ||
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Coordinates: 46°46′N 7°23′E / 46.767°N 7.383°ECoordinates: 46°46′N 7°23′E / 46.767°N 7.383°E | ||
Country | Switzerland | |
Canton | Bern | |
District | Bern-Mittelland | |
Government | ||
• Mayor | Peter Krähenbühl | |
Area | ||
• Total | 57.28 km2 (22.12 sq mi) | |
Elevation | 890 m (2,920 ft) | |
Population (Dec 2015) | ||
• Total | 1,607 | |
• Density | 28/km2 (73/sq mi) | |
Postal code | 3153, 3154 | |
SFOS number | 0853 | |
Surrounded by | Därstetten, Guggisberg, Oberwil im Simmental, Rüeggisberg, Rüti bei Riggisberg, Wahlern | |
Website |
www SFSO statistics |
Rüschegg is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is also a Swiss Reformed Church parish.
Rüschegg is first mentioned around 1417-28 as Ruesseg. Until 1860 Rüschegg was part of Guggisberg. The village church was built in 1813. In 1860, when it became an independent municipality, it also became its own parish. Until the early-20th century it was known as the poorest municipality in the Canton of Bern. With Federal and Cantonal support and rising tourism the local economy improved. Today there are several hotels, hiking trails and ski slopes in the municipality as well as a ropes course in the hamlet of Längeneybad. However, in 2000 about two-thirds of the working population commuted to jobs in Bern and surrounding cities.
Rüschegg has an area of 57.28 km2 (22.12 sq mi). As of 2012, a total of 23.83 km2 (9.20 sq mi) or 41.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 28.51 km2 (11.01 sq mi) or 49.8% is forested. The rest of the municipality is 1.73 km2 (0.67 sq mi) or 3.0% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.84 km2 (0.32 sq mi) or 1.5% is either rivers or lakes and 2.5 km2 (0.97 sq mi) or 4.4% is unproductive land.
During the same year, housing and buildings made up 1.4% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.3%. A total of 45.7% of the total land area is heavily forested and 3.8% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 2.2% is used for growing crops and 11.5% is pasturage and 27.6% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is flowing water. Of the unproductive areas, 3.2% is unproductive vegetation and 1.1% is too rocky for vegetation.
The municipality is located in the Alpenvorland between the Schwarzwassergraben (elevation 714 m [2,343 ft]) and Ochsen peak (elevation 2,188 m [7,178 ft]) which is part of the chain. The Ochsen, Bürglen (2,165 m (7,103 ft)) and Gantrisch (2,175 m (7,136 ft)), form the southern border of the municipality. It includes the villages Heubach, Hirschhorn, Gambach and Graben.