Biel/Bienne (official bilingual wording;German:Biel[biːl]ⓘ;French:Bienne[bjɛn];locallyAlemannic German:[ˈb̥iˑəu];Italian:Bienna;Romansh:Bienna;Latin:Belna) is a bilingualcity in thecanton of Bern inSwitzerland. With over 55,000 residents, it is the country'stenth-largest city by population. The Biel urban area has a population of around 100,000 inhabitants.[3] Biel/Bienne is the capital of theBiel/Bienne administrative district. The city has been an industrial and watchmaking heart of Switzerland since the 19th century. With world-famous watch brands such asRolex,Omega andSwatch based in Biel/Bienne, the city is one of the main centres of the Swiss watch industry and is also referred to as the "world capital of watchmaking".[4][5]
Biel/Bienne lies on the language boundary between theFrench-speaking andGerman-speaking parts of Switzerland, and isbilingual throughout.Biel is the German name for the city whereasBienne is its French counterpart. The city is often referred to in both languages simultaneously. Since 1 January 2005, the official name has been "Biel/Bienne". Until then, the town was officially namedBiel orBienne.[6]
The city lies at the foot of the first mountain range of theJura Mountains area, guarding the only practical connection to Jura, on the northeastern shores ofLake Biel (Bielersee,Lac de Bienne), sharing the eastern tip of the lake with its sister town,Nidau. The cities ofNeuchâtel,Solothurn, andBern (thecapital of Switzerland) lie southwest, northeast and southeast of Biel/Bienne. They all can be reached within about 30 minutes by train or car. The cities ofZurich,Basel andLausanne can each be reached in about one hour by car or train.
The shoreline of Lake Biel has been inhabited since at least theNeolithic age. The remains of two neolithic settlements were found atVingelz in 1874. The remains of the settlements became the Vingelz / Hafen archaeological site, which is now part of aUNESCO World Heritage Site. East of the Vingelz site, a lateBronze Age settlement was also discovered.[7] After theRoman conquest, the region was part ofGermania Superior. During theRoman era theRoman road fromPetinesca toPierre Pertuis or Salodurum (nowSolothurn) passed through the village of Mett, which is now part of Biel/Bienne. The foundations of buildings and a 4th-century cemetery in Mett come from a late Roman or anearly medieval military guard station.[8]
A theory holds that the toponym is derived from the name ofBelenus, probably from a Roman era sanctuary of that deity at asacred spring nearby. However, no surviving records or inscriptions confirm this theory. Another theory states that the town grew up around a late Roman fortress. While no trace of the fortress has been found, the foundations of several Roman buildings have been found east of the medieval town.[9]
The town is mentioned in 1142 asApud Belnam,[9] which is taken as evidence for its derivation fromBelenus. Inpopular etymology, the name has been connected with the German name foraxe (Bernese Germanbieli), reflected in the two crossed axes in the town's coat of arms.
Biel/Bienne in 1642St Benedict's City Church is one of the most important late-gothic buildings in Switzerland
In the 5th century, the area was invaded by theBurgundians, and by the medieval period became part ofUpper Burgundy. During the 6th or 7th century, theGermanic speakingAlamanni moved into the area around Lake Biel, creating the language boundary that exists today. By the 8th century, the German-speaking population became the majority on the east end of the lake. In 999Rudolph III of Burgundy granted lands around Lake Biel to theBishopric of Basel, during the formative period of theHoly Roman Empire. Through the Bishop of Basel, the Counts of Neuchâtel and later the Counts of Neuchâtel-Nidau began to exercise their power in the foothills of theJura Mountains. In 1140 the counts builtNidau Castle in the neighboring village ofNidau to help secure their land on the eastern end of the lake. The town was probably built by the Bishop of Basel, Heinrich II von Thun, between 1225 (mention ofdomum de Bilne) and 1230 (mention ofin urbe mea de Beuna).Biel Castle was built either shortly before or shortly after the foundation of the town, to help support Nidau Castle.[9]
Officially, Biel remained under the jurisdiction of theBishop of Basel throughout the 11th to 18th centuries. However, the early history of the town is filled with conflict between the town council and the Bishop's representative. In 1252, the town council partly succeeded in becoming afree imperial city. In 1275King of GermanyRudolph of Habsburg granted Biel atown charter. The town's legal position was strengthened in 1296 when Bishop Peter Reich von Reichenstein signed an agreement with the town. This original agreement was strengthened in 1352 and remained in force until 1798.
The town's church, the Church of St. Benedict, was first mentioned in 1228. The current church was built in 1451–70 and is regarded, afterBern Cathedral, as the second most importantlate gothic building in the Canton of Bern.[9]
While it officially remained part of the lands of thePrince-Bishopric of Basel, starting in the 13th century Biel began making alliances with neighboring nobles and cities. In 1279 it allied withBern. This first alliance was followed in 1311 by an alliance withFribourg, a 1334 alliance with Solothurn, 1342 withMurten and 1395 withLa Neuveville. The alliance with Bern became an eternal alliance in 1352, as Bern itself joined theOld Swiss Confederacy. Contradictory obligations to the Bishop of Basel,Jean de Vienne, and to theImperial City of Bern led to a war in 1367. During the war, Biel was burned and the Bishop's castle was destroyed. After the extinction of the Counts of Neuchâtel-Nidau in 1375 the Bishop's power around the lake began to wane. In 1388, Bern gained control of Nidau Castle and the town of Nidau. However, the Bishop retained nominal power and influence in Biel. The two competing powers struggled for power in Biel for over 400 years and prevented the town from becoming completely independent from either powerful neighbor.[9]
Biel was considered anassociate of the Swiss Confederacy during the 15th century, and after its participation in theBurgundy Wars even came to be recognized as a full member by 1494.
Even though Biel remained nominally under the control of the Catholic Bishops of Basel, in 1528 it converted to the newProtestant faith.
Biel/Bienne in 1805, while part of the First French RepublicThe Volkshaus/Maison du Peuple (People's House) is a symbol of the Social Democratic era of the town in the 1930s
TheFrench Revolution changed the political situation in Biel/Bienne. In 1793, theFrench Revolutionary Army captured the Bishopric of Basel and brought the French into the lands near Biel. When they conquered theMoutier valley andErguel in 1797 it brought the French practically to the gates of Biel/Bienne. On 6 February 1798, French troops marched through the open city gate while the population celebrated their arrival. Bienne and its neighboring communities were incorporated as the "Canton de Bienne" into thedépartement du Mont-Terrible of theFirst French Republic. Two years later, in 1800, it went to the Département duHaut-Rhin. Under Mayor Sigmund Wildermeth (1765–1847) Biel strictly followed every dictate from Paris.
After the collapse of theFrench Empire, Biel sent Georg Friedrich Heilmann to theCongress of Vienna in 1814 to push for the creation of an independent Canton of Biel. However, he was unsuccessful and the Congress granted most of the territory of the Bishopric to the canton of Bern. Biel was able to resist unification until Bern agreed to retain some of Biel's historic privileges and rights. In 1815 Biel finally joined the Canton of Bern as part of the Oberamt of Nidau. The city council of Biel struggled to make it the capital of its own district. Finally in 1832 the Biel Amtsbezirk was created and Biel became the district capital. The democratic reforms of theRegeneration era helped the citizens of Biel to identify with and feel a part of the Canton of Bern.[9]
town map from 1906
By the beginning of the 20th centuryanarcho-syndicalist groups, which saw strikes and sabotage as legitimate means to bring about reform, began to influence the labor movement in Biel/Bienne. The first large scale strike was the construction workers strike of 1902. The following years were marked with bitterly fought labor disputes. The largest strike was the journeymen carpenters strike of 1907, which lasted almost a year. Also in 1907 labor secretary Gottfried Reimann from theSocial Democratic Party was elected mayor. His election marked the first time that a Social Democrat was elected to such a powerful office in Switzerland.
The First World War meant a setback for the labor movement, even though Switzerland was not directly involved in the war. Wages were reduced significantly when the war started while inflation made everything more expensive. In July 1918, a demonstration of starving workers erupted into street riots that required military action to suppress.
In 1919 a Communist Party was founded in Biel, but it remained a minor party in the town. In 1921, the Social Democrats won a slim majority in the city councils. Under the leadership of the Social Democratic Mayor Guido Müller "Red Biel" began a series of socialist community experiments. During the 1930s the entire neighborhood around the train station was redeveloped according to the social planning theories of the era. The Volkshaus (People's House), built under the direction of Edward Lanz between 1928 and 1932, is an example of the "new building" style and a symbol of the Social Democratic era of the city.
In the years leading up to the Second World War, the Social Democrats began to lose power in the city. In the last year of the war, theSwiss Party of Labour gained nine seats on the city council and ended the Social Democrat majority. With the resignation of Mayor Müller in 1947, it would be almost thirty years (1976) before the Social Democrats had another mayor in Biel.[9]
On the occasion of the secession of thecanton of Jura in 1978, Biel had been asked to become its capital, but it remained with the canton of Bern.
The town was officially namedBiel orBienne until 2004, even though the bilingualBiel-Bienne was in common use. Since 2005, the official name has beenBiel/Bienne, withforward slash.[10]
At the beginning of the 20th century, the town's population was at 30,000 people. It doubled over the next 60 years, peaking at 65,000 in the mid-1960s. It declined gradually over the 1970s to 1990s, to below 49,000 in 2000, again rising slightly to just over 50,000 during the 2000s. Another 89,000 people live in the immediately surroundingurban agglomeration.
Lake Bienne with part of Biel/Bienne in the background
Biel/Bienne has an area of 21.19 km2 (8.18 sq mi).[11] Of this area, 1.7 km2 (0.66 sq mi) or 8.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while 9.63 km2 (3.72 sq mi) or 45.4% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 9.65 km2 (3.73 sq mi) or 45.5% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.13 km2 (32 acres) or 0.6% is either rivers or lakes and 0.14 km2 (35 acres) or 0.7% is unproductive land.[12]
Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 5.1% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 21.9% and transportation infrastructure made up 12.6%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 1.7% of the area while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 4.1%. Out of the forested land, all of the forested land area is covered with heavy forests. Of the agricultural land, 4.7% is used for growing crops and 2.0% is pastures. All the water in the municipality is flowing water.[12]
The municipality is at the southeastern foot of theJura Mountains on the northeast end ofLake Biel. It consists of the village of Biel/Bienne, Vingelz (since 1900), Bözingen (since 1917), Madretsch and Mett (both since 1920).
On 31 December 2009 Amtsbezirk Biel, the municipality's former district, was dissolved. On the following day, 1 January 2010, it joined the newly createdVerwaltungskreis Biel/Bienne. It remained the capital of the new Verwaltungskreis.[6]
The Municipal Council (fr:Conseil municipal, de:Gemeinderat) constitutes theexecutive government of the City of Biel/Bienne and operates as acollegiate authority. It is composed of five councilors (French:Conseiller municipal/ Conseillère municipale,German:Gemeinderat/ Gemeinderätin), each presiding over a directorate. The president of the presidential directorate acts asmayor (fr:Maire, de:Stadtpräsident). In the mandate period 2021–2024 (législature,Legislatur) the Municipal Council is presided byMaire/ StadtpräsidentErich Fehr. Departmental tasks, coordination measures and implementation of laws decreed by the City Council (parliament) are carried by the Municipal Council. The regular election of the Municipal Council by any inhabitant valid to vote is held every four years. Any resident of Biel/Bienne allowed to vote can be elected as a member of the Municipal Council. The current mandate period is from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2024. The mayor is elected as such by public election by means of a system ofMajorz, while the heads of the other directorates are assigned by the collegiate. The delegates are selected by means of a system ofProporz.[15]
As of 2021[update], Biel/Bienne's Municipal Council is made up of two representatives of the PS/SP (Social Democratic Party, of whom one is also the mayor), one member of theGrünes Bündnis (GB) (Green Party), one of the PRR (Les Radicaux Romands), and one of the UDC/SVP (Swiss People's Party), giving the left parties a majority of three out of five seats. The last regular election was held on 27 September 2020. The mayor has been reelected with 6889 votes (57.16%) and the voter turnout was 39.4%.[16]
Civil Engineering and Construction, Energy, and Environmental Sustainability (Direction des travaux publics, de l'énergie et de l'environnement/Direktion Bau, Energie und Umwelt, 2021)
Barbara Labbé is Town Chancellor (chancelière municipale/Stadtschreiberin) since , and Bertrand Cottier is Deputy Town Chancellor (vice-chancelier/Vize-Stadtschreiber) since for the Municipal Council.
TheConseil de ville/Stadtrat of Biel/Bienne for the mandate period of 2021–2024
JS/JUSO (3.3%)
POP/PdA (1.7%)
SP (16.7%)
PSR (10%)
LesVerts/Grüne (13.3%)
Passarelle (3.3%)
pvl/glp (6.7%)
PEV/EVP (3.3%)
BDP / CVP (3.3%)
FDP (11.7%)
PRR (6.7%)
UDC/SVP/DE (18.3%)
UDF/EDU (1.7%)
The City Council (fr:Conseil de ville, de:Stadtrat), the city parliament, holdslegislative power. It is made up of 60 members, with elections held every four years. The City Council decrees regulations and by-laws that are executed by the Municipal Council and the administration. The delegates are selected by means of a system ofproportional representation.
The sessions of the City Council are public. Unlike members of the Municipal Council, members of the City Council are not politicians by profession, and they are paid a fee based on their attendance. Any resident of Biel/Bienne allowed to vote can be elected as a member of the City Council. The Parliament holds its meetings in theStadtratssaal.[18]
The last regular election of the City Council was held on 27 September 2020 for the mandate period (la législature) from 2021 to 2024. The voter turnout was 39.23%.[16]
In the2015 federal election the most popular party was theSP/PS which received 32.0% (+0.8) of the vote. The next five most popular parties were theSVP/UDC (22.0%, +2.1), theGreen Party (13.9%, -0.8),PLR/FDP (9.4%, +1.4), theglp/pvl (8.9%, +3.3), and theBDP/PBD (7.0%).[19] In the federal election a total of xxx votes were cast, and thevoter turnout was 36.9%.[20]
In the2011 federal election the most popular party was theSP/PS which received 31.2% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were theSVP/UDC (19.9%), theGreen Party (14.7%) and thePLR/FDP (8.8%). In the federal election, a total of 12,363 votes were cast, and thevoter turnout was 39.0%.[21]
Apartments and street market near the train stationSmall apartments in the Mösliquartier/Petit-Marais
Biel/Bienne has a population (as of December 2020[update]) of 55,206.[22] As of 2010[update], 28.1% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (2000–2010) the population has changed at a rate of 3.8%. Migration accounted for 7.8%, while births and deaths accounted for −1.4%.[23]
Of the population in the municipality, 15,339 or about 31.5% were born in Biel/Bienne and lived there in 2000. There were 8,990 or 18.5% who were born in the same canton, while 9,170 or 18.8% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 12,244 or 25.2% were born outside of Switzerland.[24]
As of 2010[update], children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 18.8% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 61.9% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 19.3%.[23]
As of 2000[update], there were 19,980 people who were single and never married in the municipality. There were 21,188 married individuals, 3,727 widows or widowers and 3,760 individuals who are divorced.[24]
As of 2000[update], there were 11,014 households that consist of only one person and 797 households with five or more people. In 2000[update], a total of 23,367 apartments (86.8% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 2,169 apartments (8.1%) were seasonally occupied and 1,398 apartments (5.2%) were empty.[25] As of 2010[update], the construction rate of new housing units was 3.2 new units per 1000 residents.[23]
As of 2003[update] the average price to rent an average apartment in Biel/Bienne was 935.83Swiss francs (CHF) per month. The average rate for a one-room apartment was 463.73 CHF, a two-room apartment was about 706.49 CHF, a three-room apartment was about 846.98 CHF and a six or more room apartment cost an average of 1749.16 CHF. The average apartment price in Biel/Bienne was 83.9% of the national average of 1116 CHF.[26] The vacancy rate for the municipality, in 2011[update], was 2%.
In 2000, a majority of the population spokeGerman (26,957 or 55.4%) as their first language.French was the second most common (13,695 or 28.1%) andItalian was third (2,925 or 6.0%). There were 37 people who spokeRomansh.[24] German and French are both official languages of Biel/Bienne, which is the largest bilingual city in Switzerland.
In 2020, when asked specifically about the two official languages, 32,154 residents (56.8% of the population) mentioned German as their principal language, while 24,376 (43.2%) mentioned French.[27]
In recent years the city has used its linguistic assets as an economic advantage, becoming the SwissCity of Communication. Several call centres have been created in or around Biel, in addition to the traditional businesses established in the city and surrounding area, which have always exported most of their production worldwide.
According to the 2000 census[update], 19,191 people or 39.4% of the total population, belonged to theSwiss Reformed Church, while 14,241 or 29.3% wereRoman Catholic. Of the rest of the population, there were 613members of an Orthodox church (or about 1.26% of the population), there were 87 individuals (or about 0.18% of the population) who belonged to theChristian Catholic Church, and there were 2,870 individuals (or about 5.90% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church. There were 61 individuals (or about 0.13% of the population) who wereJewish, and 3,156 (or about 6.49% of the population) who wereMuslim. There were 329 individuals who wereBuddhist, 235 individuals who wereHindu and 68 individuals who belonged to another church. 6,012 (or about 12.36% of the population) belonged to no church, areagnostic oratheist, and 3,180 individuals (or about 6.54% of the population) did not answer the question.[24]
Biel/Bienne is located near the watch-making cities ofLa Chaux-de-Fonds andLe Locle, which together form a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site. The city is home to numerous watchmaking factories. TheSwatch Group has its worldwide headquarters in the oldASUAG building. The old city of Biel/Bienne includes a 15th-century Gothic church, guild halls, and fountains. Outside the old city, the Biel "Cultural Quarter" is home to theNeuhaus [Wikidata] and Schwab Museums and the CentrePasquArt.
The Alte Krone/La vieille Couronne, the artist's studioAtelier Robert, the former RockhallManor, the main train station, the Jordi-Kocher House, theCatholicparish Church of St. Maria Immaculata, theKongresshaus/Palais des Congrès (Convention Center), the Kontrollgebäude at Zentralstrasse 49 / Oberer Quai 2, theNeuhaus Museum with the Robert Foundation Collection, the Schwab Museum, theSwiss Reformed City Church, the administration building and montage hall for General Motors, the Volkshaus Building and theWaldleute Zunft Building are listed as Swissheritage site of national significance. The entire town of Biel/Bienne and the Taubenlochschlucht canyon are both part of theInventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.[29]
Alte Krone, Vieille Couronne
Atelier Robert
The former Rockhall Manor building
Main Train Station
Jordi-Kocher House
Catholic parish church of St. Maria Immaculata
Kongresshaus,Palais des congrès, (Convention Center)
Kontrollgebäude at Zentralstrasse 49 / Oberer Quai 2
MuseumNeuhaus
Museum Schwab
Swiss Reformed City Church
Administration Building and Montage Hall for General Motors
The Vingelz / Hafen site is buried under mud near the shore of Lake Biel. It is one of the best preserved sites on the lake and has had minimal research. Based on the limited studies done on the village, it was occupied around 2970–2820 BC and again in 2780–2695 BC. About 60 wood samples have beendendrochronologically dated. The site was discovered in 1874 by Eduard von Fellenberg while he was excavating adug-out canoe. In 1985 a series of test borings identified the two archaeological layers with a total thickness of about 90 cm (2 ft 11 in). A text excavation in 1998 found textile remains and a complete axe handle and blade.[31]
The city and surrounding area are home to companies that design and manufacture specialised machinery and precision tools. Between 1936 and 1975General Motors Suisse SA assembled over 300,000General Motors automobiles here, mainly for the Swiss domestic market but also for export to neighboring countries andYugoslavia.[32]
Rolex produces movement and technical parts in the city.
Swatch Group has several of its brand headquarters here, especiallyOmega SA and Swatch.
Glycine Watch SA manufacturing and administration are located here.
As of 2011[update], Biel/Bienne had an unemployment rate of 3.95%. As of 2008[update], there were a total of 33,799 people employed in the municipality. Of these, there were 56 people employed in theprimary economic sector and about 10 businesses involved in this sector. 9,421 people were employed in thesecondary sector and there were 451 businesses in this sector. 24,322 people were employed in thetertiary sector, with 2,267 businesses in this sector.[23]
In 2008[update] there were a total of 28,144full-time equivalent jobs. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 43, of which 21 were in agriculture and 22 were in forestry or lumber production. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 8,945 of which 7,405 or (82.8%) were in manufacturing and 1,388 (15.5%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 19,156. In the tertiary sector; 4,371 or 22.8% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 1,745 or 9.1% were in the movement and storage of goods, 1,092 or 5.7% were in a hotel or restaurant, 812 or 4.2% were in the information industry, 648 or 3.4% were the insurance or financial industry, 1,708 or 8.9% were technical professionals or scientists, 1,293 or 6.7% were in education and 3,591 or 18.7% were in health care.[33]
In 2000[update], there were 17,680 workers who commuted into the municipality and 7,990 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 2.2 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving.[34] Of the working population, 31.2% used public transportation to get to work, and 37.8% used a private car.[23]
Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) Bienne, building of the architecture, wood and civil engineering department, rue de Soleure in Bienne
In Biel/Bienne about 17,768 or (36.5%) of the population have completed non-mandatoryupper secondary education, and 5,492 or (11.3%) have completed additional higher education (eitheruniversity or aFachhochschule). Of the 5,492 who completed tertiary schooling, 56.6% were Swiss men, 26.4% were Swiss women, 10.5% were non-Swiss men and 6.5% were non-Swiss women.[24]
The Canton of Bern school system provides one year of non-obligatoryKindergarten, followed by six years of Primary school. This is followed by three years of obligatory lower Secondary school where the students are separated according to ability and aptitude. Following the lower Secondary students may attend additional schooling or they may enter anapprenticeship.[35]
During the 2009–10 school year, there were a total of 5,733 students attending classes in Biel/Bienne. There were 27 kindergarten classes with a total of 497 students in the municipality. Of the kindergarten students, 36.2% were permanent or temporary residents of Switzerland (not citizens) and 66.0% have a different mother language than the classroom language. The municipality had 79 primary classes and 1,470 students. Of the primary students, 32.9% were permanent or temporary residents of Switzerland (not citizens) and 53.4% have a different mother language than the classroom language. During the same year, there were 53 lower secondary classes with a total of 981 students. There were 23.6% who were permanent or temporary residents of Switzerland (not citizens) and 29.6% have a different mother language than the classroom language.[36]
As of 2000[update], there were 3,008 students in Biel/Bienne who came from another municipality, while 517 residents attended schools outside the municipality.[34]
Biel/Bienne is home to 3 libraries. The Stadtbibliothek Biel, theBFH Technik und Informatik TI Biel and theBFH Architektur, Holz und Bau AHB Biel. There was a combined total (as of 2008[update]) of 233,171 books or other media in the libraries, and in the same year a total of 501,646 items were loaned out.[37]
The newspapersBieler Tagblatt andJournal du Jura as well as the only totally bilingual German/French newspaperBiel-Bienne with its large free distribution within the greater area, are published in Biel.
The domicile of theTheater Biel Solothurn is situated in the old town.
The fare network includes any mode of public transport, such as any kind of train (including the urbanS-Bahn),PostAuto buses,trams, buses (eithertrolleybuses or motorized buses) and others. Fares are based on the number of zones crossed during a specified time and are independent of the mode of transport or the number of connections. Most part of Biel/Bienne and includingNidau belong to fare zone300, includingVingelz/Vigneules in the southwest at the lake, but excludingHohfluh on the Magglingen funicular and theBözigerfeld/Champs-de-Boujean in the northeast, which belong to zone301.
Biel/Bienne railway station is not only the central network nucleus of Biel/Bienne, but also of the whole urban and inter-regional region. It connects the town to the regional, national and international railways network (Neuchâtel –Lausanne -Geneva,La Chaux-de-Fonds,Bern,Grenchen –Delémont –Basel,Solothurn –Olten –Luzern/Zürich –St. Gallen, and thecanton of Jura). It is a central railway junction on the fast east–(south-)west line and on the Basel–Bern line. The station is Switzerland's thirteenth most busy railway station (about 52,0000 passengers per working day in 2016).
Onefunicular railways leads to the national sports center ofMagglingen/Macolin on the 500 metres (1,600 ft) higher Jura mountain in the west, and the other, theBienne-Evilard Funicular, to the city hospital and to neighbouring municipalityEvilard to northwest, both above the town on the eastern range of theJura Mountains. The high, flat pastures and wood of Magglingen/Macolin span about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from northeast to southwest at an altitude between 800 and 1,031 metres (2,625 and 3,383 ft). TheMagglingen/Macolin Funicular often leads to sunshine while Biel/Bienne is covered by low hanging clouds.
The port at the north-eastern end ofLake Biel is a starting point for leisurely journeys to the three lakes of Biel,Neuchâtel, andMurten/Morat through theThree-Lakes Landscape, which are all connected by navigable channels and rivers. The port is situated on the west side of the main railway station between the exit of the riverSchüss/La Suze arriving from the Jura in the west through theTaubenlochschlucht (Swiss German for pigeon hole gorge) and the navigableNidau-Büren Canal with connections as far as Solothurn.
Several bridges over the Nidau-Büren Canal connect the town to its south/eastern suburbs.
Biel/Bienne is well connected to other Swiss cities by severalmotorways (A6 to Bern, and viaA5 to both, the Jura and Basel, Luzern, Zurich, St. Gallen).
The town is very well connected to all Swiss international airports:Geneva Airport (1:40h),EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg (1:30h), andZurich Airport (1:30h), also serve as international gateways, all reachable within about the same time by directtrain from Biel/Bienne.
Nicolas Hayek (1928–2010), Lebanese-American Swiss businessman, co-founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board ofThe Swatch Group. Promoted to honourable citizenship in 2004, official ceremony held on 19 February 2005[38]
Eduard BloeschRené FelberFranz Hohler, 2008Ares, 2010Martina Kocher, 2016
Jean-Louis Jeanmaire (1910–1992), brigadier in the Swiss army who passed highly classified Swiss military secrets to the Soviet Union from 1962 until he retired in 1975
Roland Kuhn (1912–2005), Swiss psychiatrist who discovered that the drugimipramine had antidepressant properties
Walter Kistler (1918–2015), physicist, inventor and philanthropist
Maurice Edmond Müller (1918–2009), orthopedic surgeon, developed internal fixation techniques to fix bone fractures
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