Uttigen

Uttigen
Coat of arms
Uttigen Show map of Switzerland Uttigen Show map of Canton of Bern
Location of Uttigen
Coordinates: 46°48′N 7°34′E / 46.800°N 7.567°E / 46.800; 7.567Coordinates: 46°48′N 7°34′E / 46.800°N 7.567°E / 46.800; 7.567
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Bern
District	Thun
Government
• Mayor	Andreas Epprecht
Area
• Total	3.79 km2 (1.46 sq mi)
Elevation	544 m (1,785 ft)
Population (Dec 2015)
• Total	1,940
• Density	510/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Postal code	3628
SFOS number	0885
Surrounded by	Heimberg, Jaberg, Kiesen, Kirchdorf, Uetendorf
Website	www.uttigen.ch SFSO statistics

Uttigen is a municipality in the administrative district of Thun in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. On 1 January 2014 the former municipality of Kienersrüti merged into the municipality of Uttigen.

Uttigen was first mentioned in 894 as Utingun.

The oldest traces of a settlement in the area include a grave mound that can not be accurately dated and what is probably a Roman era villa. Several graves from the Early Middle Ages have also been found.

By the 13th century Uttigen Castle had been built on a rocky plateau above the modern village. The large square keep was surrounded by a town and a high curtain wall. At the time, Uttigen Castle was one of the largest fortifications in the Canton of Bern. Uttigen Castle controlled both a major road and a navigable river that connected the Bernese Oberland with the towns of the Swiss Plateau. In 1271 the Freiherr von Wädenswil owned the castle, along with expansive holdings as the governors of Unspunnen, Frutigen and Mülinen. In 1285 the castle church was mentioned in the Strättliger Chronicle as one of the twelve churches surrounding Lake Thun. In the 14th century the von Wädenswil family died out and the Freiherr von Kramburg inherited Uttigen Castle and village. They held it briefly and then passed it on to Heinrich von Resti in 1355. In the 15th century the Castle, village and lands were divided into two shares and the von Speichingen of Thun and Michel von Schwertschwendi in Burgdorf each owned half. The two half shares were gradually purchased by or given as gifts to the Hospital in Thun between 1476-1521. In 1521 the Hospital combined both halves of Uttigen with Uetendorf to form a single court. Following the 1798 French invasion and the creation of the Helvetic Republic the Hospital lost their rulership over Uttigen. With the collapse of the Republic and the 1803 Act of Mediation the village became part of the District of Seftigen. Uttigen Castle was abandoned and left to decay.