Château de Courtelary
Origin of the name Château de Courtelary
The castle bears the name of the village where the prince-bishop settled his bailiffs. Documents also call it the bailiff's castle or « châtellenie », and it has become the prefecture.[1][4]
Founding of Château de Courtelary
Prince-bishop Jacques-Christophe Blarer de Wartensee of Basel wanted to make Courtelary the political centre of Erguël. He allowed the people of Erguël to bring their appeals to the local court house instead of Biel/Bienne, then installed his bailiffs here in 1606 and had this castle built for them, the seat of the bishop's temporal power in the lordship. The building is surrounded by gardens to the south, a paved courtyard to the north and outbuildings, which long housed the prison and the state treasury.[1][2][3]
History of Château de Courtelary
1606. The bailiffs of Erguël move into the castle built for them. The first is Pétremand de Gléresse (Pétermann according to another source), in office until 1609.[1][2][3][4]
1609-1681. Jean Henri Thellung occupies the castle from 1609 to 1637, then again from 1655 to 1681.[1]
1650-1652. Bailiff for two years, Petremand d'Aulte is remembered as a kind man. His tombstone lies at the foot of the church.[1][2][3]
1733. Benoît-Aimé Mestrezat, bailiff since 1724, has to flee the castle during a stormy assembly.[1][2][3]
Mid-18th century. The building undergoes its first known alterations.[1]
1776. On 26 September, prince-bishop Frederick of Wangen is received at the castle with a great celebration.[1]
1792. Samuel Imer, in office since 1783, is the last bailiff.[1]
1793. The castle hosts an « Assemblée législative d'Erguël », which wants to turn the land into a republic. The attempt fails.[3]
1806. On 10 January a hurricane damages the « châtellenie ». The French prefect has the buildings assessed in March.[4]
1815-1831. Under Bern the castle houses the high bailiffs Albrecht Friedrich de May, then Niklaus Daxelhofer. It is restored and altered shortly after 1815.[1][4]
1832. The castle becomes the seat of the prefects of the district of Courtelary. The first is Charles-Auguste Langel.[1]
1843. The castle is restored.[4]
1890. New alterations, followed by several more in the 20th century.[1]
1981-1982. A general restoration combines old and new, with parquet floors and paintings on the panelling.[1]
1984-1985. The French formal garden is recreated.[1]
2006. The building turns 400. On 24 September, the administrative reform approved by voters keeps Courtelary as the seat of the prefecture from 2010.[1]
Historic sites in Château de Courtelary
The castle. The building is flanked by gardens to the south and a paved courtyard to the north. A floor was fitted out under the roof while keeping the original timber frame.[1]
French formal garden. Recreated in 1984-1985, south of the castle.[1]
Tombstone of Petremand d'Aulte. At the foot of the south front of Courtelary church lies the tombstone of this bailiff.[2][3]
Sources
- Mémoires d'Ici, « Des baillis aux préfets : l'exemple de Courtelary », Les dossiers de Mémoires d'Ici, octobre 2006
- Municipalité de Courtelary, « Notre histoire »
- Swisscastles, « Le château de Courtelary »
- Chronologie jurassienne, « Courtelary et district » (entrées datées avec renvois aux Archives de l'ancien Évêché de Bâle et aux Archives de l'État de Berne)
Other villages near Château de Courtelary
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