Muri bei Bern
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| Muri bei Bern | ||||||||||
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| Population | 12,334 (2005) | |||||||||
| - Density | 1,623 /km² (4,203 /sq.mi.) | |||||||||
| Area | 7.6 km² (2.9 sq mi) | |||||||||
| Elevation | 558 m (1,831 ft) | |||||||||
| Postal code | 3074 | |||||||||
| SFOS number | 0356 | |||||||||
| Mayor | Hans-Rudolf Saxer (as of 2008) FDP/PRD | |||||||||
| Surrounded by | Allmendingen, Belp, Berne, Kehrsatz, Köniz, Ostermundigen, Stettlen, Vechigen and Worb | |||||||||
| Website | www.muri-guemligen.ch | |||||||||
  Muri bei Bern
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Muri bei Bern is a municipality in the district of Bern in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.
The municipality is clearly divided into two parts, each with about 6,000 people. The towns are known as Muri, which has been the name to the municipality for a long time, and Gümligen.
The municipal area of 7.6 square kilometres consists of 1.5 km² forest, 1.90 km² fallow land, and 3.39 km² developed land. The highest point is 727 m on the Dentenberg Mountain; the lowest point is 508 m at the Aare River.
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[edit] History
Archaeological finds at Schlosshügel in 1832 unearthed show that Muri was already settled in the era of the Roman Empire. The earliest documentary evidence for the name was in 1180, when a clergyman named Burkhard made transactions with wealthy residents.
At that time Muri belonged to the dominion of Geristein, which in 1298 was conquered by the city of Bern. The holdings consisted of the four so-called parishes Bolligen, Muri, Stettlen, and Vechigen. As the emerging Bern conquered the territories, it left the municipalities untouched, beginning the long-standing tradition of municipal autonomy.
In the course of the centuries the residents of the municipality lived in relative stability, in which the major changes in European and Swiss history seemed to pass them by. Major structural and commercial changes began to take place in the beginning of the 20th century. It followed industrialization and the trains from the city to the countryside. In the decade between 1920 and 1930, the municipal population grew from 2435 to 3938, or 62%.
[edit] Notable sights and recreation
- Aarebad Muri, popular site for swimming
- Muri Castle (privately owned)
- Gümligen Castle (privately owned)
- Villa Mettlen, country estate
- Muri Church, a Swiss Reformed Church
- Auguetbrücke, bridge across the Aare finished in 1836.
- Natural Protected Area along the Aare
- Between Belp and Köniz there are still ferries between Bern and Thun along the Aare
[edit] Demographics
On December 31, 2004, 12,334 people lived in Muri, including 9.5% foreigners. In the 2000 census, 88.93% of the population spoke German as their primary language, 3.05% French, and 1.48% English. The population under 20 was 18.2%, 20-64 was 61.3%, and over 64 was 20.5%.
[edit] Politics
The greater municipal council is the legislature of the municipality. It has 40 members, elected every four years by proportional representation.
The municipal council is the executive. It has seven members. With the exception of the mayor, the other members keep other jobs. The council is chosen every four years at the same time and in the same manner as the greater council. The mayor is chosen by majority.
[edit] Economy
In January 2003 the trade and industry association of the canton of Bern ranked 51 major municipalities in the Bern metropolitan area and Biel-Seeland region according to favorable economic practices. Muri led the list, followed by Lyss and Belp. Muri is known as a tax haven within the canton.
Space for new enterprises is being made available with authorized construction plans. The areas designated Gümligen Station and Gümligen Field are currently centers of development within the canton.
[edit] Education
Within the municipality there are six primary schools. There are also two private schools, which conduct classes in English.
[edit] Further reading
- Muri bei Bern: eine Gemeinde, zwei Dörfer, ed. by the municipality of Muri bei Bern, 1993
[edit] External links
- Website of Villa Mettlen (German)
- Bärtschihus recreation and youth center (German)
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