Signau

Signau village

Coat of arms

Signau

Location of Signau

Coordinates: 46°55′N 7°44′E / 46.917°N 7.733°ECoordinates: 46°55′N 7°44′E / 46.917°N 7.733°E

Country

Government

• Mayor

Martin Wyss

Area

• Total

22.08 km² (8.53 sq mi)

Elevation

683 m (2,241 ft)

Population (Dec 2015)

• Total

2,697

• Density

120/km² (320/sq mi)

Postal code

3534

SFOS number

0907

Surrounded by

Lauperswil, Langnau im Emmental, Eggiwil, Röthenbach im Emmental, Bowil, Oberthal

Website

www.signau.ch
SFSO statistics

Signau is a municipality in the administrative district of Emmental in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.

Signau is first mentioned between 1130 and 1146 as Sigenowo.

Scattered mesolithic, Bronze age and medieval artifacts indicate a long history of settlements in the area. By the High Middle Ages the Lords of Schweinsberg-Attinghausen had built their ancestral castle above the village. The remains of possibly four other earthen fortifications have been discovered around the area. Though the Schweinsberg-Attinghausen castle fell into ruins in 13th or 14th century, the village with Alt- and Neu-Signau Castles (today in Bowil municipality) formed the center of the Herrschaft of Signau. The Barons of Signau built St. Mary's Church in Signau as the parish church for the parish. In 1529 the city of Bern acquired the village and Herrschaft of Signau. In 1648, the village of Eggiwil left the Signau parish to form its own parish and eventually it politically split to become an independent municipality. The village church was renovated and rebuilt in 1850.

By 1622 Signau had a yearly market in the fall. Two other yearly markets were added in the 18th century. By 1800 the town was home to a number of industries and businesses in addition to the farmers and livestock herders who lived there. In 1856 the Schüpbach canal drained the swampy valley floor and opened up additional farm land. In 1864 the Bern-Langnau railroad connected Signau to the growing Swiss rail network. The first line was followed in 1875 by the Langnau-Lucerne line. The good rail and road connections encouraged industry to settle in the town. By 2005, agriculture provided about one-third of all jobs in the community.

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Wikipedia