Corbières
Origin of the name Corbières
The place is mentioned in 1115 as « Corbere », the first written record of the village and of its feudal dynasty. German speakers called it « Korbers ». The name has received no explanation.[1][2]
Founding of Corbières
Corbières grew out of the lordship of the same name, on the road from Fribourg to Bulle, on the banks of the Sarine. A first castle, as old as the lordship, stood north of the church. A second was built after 1250 (or in the early 14th century), and a small settlement formed around it. The Black Death of 1348 ended this attempt at expansion. The village first belonged to the parish of Hauteville. Since 2011 the municipality has also included Villarvolard.[1][2]
History of Corbières
1301. A document already mentions the « bonnes coutumes » (good customs) of Corbières.[1]
1348. The Black Death struck the village, which entered a long decline.[2][1]
1375. Corbières became the seat of a castellany, which lasted until 1543.[1]
1390. The inhabitants received a charter of liberties modelled on the Handfeste of Fribourg.[1]
1543. Corbières became a Fribourg bailiwick, until 1798. The city of Fribourg bought the lordship in 1554.[1][2]
1560. The present castle was rebuilt. It would be restored in 1750.[1][2]
1636. Corbières separated from the parish of Hauteville. Its church, dedicated to the Virgin, dates from the early 17th century.[1]
1731. Bailiff Beat-Nicolas de Montenach questioned Catherine Repond of Villarvolard, accused of witchcraft, several times at the castle. Her confessions, extracted under torture, led to her death in Fribourg on 15 September.[3][2]
1798. Corbières became the seat of a district, which lasted until 1848.[1]
1837. A suspension bridge replaced the ferry and the wooden bridges over the Sarine.[1][2]
1848. Corbières joined the Gruyère district.[2]
1931. The present concrete bridge replaced the suspension bridge.[1][2]
1932. A tile works used the local clay. It operated until 1976.[1][2]
1947. The filling of the Lac de la Gruyère flooded part of the communal land.[1]
1951. The church was restored.[1]
2010. After a merger project for the whole shore had failed, Corbières and Villarvolard agreed to merge as a pair. The Grand Council passed the merger law on 12 November.[2][4]
2011. Villarvolard joined the municipality of Corbières.[1][2]
Population of Corbières
Sources and references: [1][6]
| 1811 | 194 |
| 1850 | 231 |
| 1900 | 220 |
| 1950 | 283 |
| 2000 | 341 |
| 2025 | 1'037 |
Historic sites in Corbières
Castle. The castle of the lords of Corbières, later the bailiff's residence, was rebuilt in 1560 and restored in 1750. It is a cultural property of national importance (category A).[2][5][1]
Church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Nativité. The parish church, from the early 17th century and restored in 1951, is listed in the cultural property inventory (category B).[5][1]
Corbières bridge. The 1931 concrete bridge crosses the Sarine where people mostly crossed by ferry in the Middle Ages.[2][1]
Remains in Corbières
First castle. The first castle of the lords of Corbières stood at the place called La Montagnetta, north of the church. Nothing of it survives.[2][1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Corbières (commune) » (Patrice Borcard, version du 26.09.2016)
- Commune de Corbières, « Histoire »
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Repond, Catherine » (Kathrin Utz Tremp, version du 19.08.2010)
- État de Fribourg, « Liste chronologique des fusions, divisions et changements de nom des communes » (RSF 141.1.2), législation fribourgeoise
- Office fédéral de la protection de la population, « Révision Inventaire PBC 2021 : Liste cantonale Canton de FR » (état au 1.1.2026)
- Service de la statistique du canton de Fribourg (SStat), « Population des communes, de 1900 à 2025 » (T01-02-03), population résidante permanente au 31.12.2025
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Corbières
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