Echarlens
Origin of the name Echarlens
The village is named as early as 855, as « Escarlingus » or « Escarlinges ». This very old name remains unexplained.[1]
Founding of Echarlens
Echarlens stretches along the Bulle-Fribourg road, near the A12. A Roman villa already stood at the place called aux Appraleys from the 1st to the 3rd century. The parish was probably founded in the late 11th century. In the Middle Ages the village belonged to the lordship of Everdes, created around 1269/1275 by the division of that of Vuippens, whose castle stood on a height above the Sarine crossing, opposite Corbières.[1][2]
History of Echarlens
1st-3rd century. A Roman villa stood at aux Appraleys.[1]
Late 11th century. Echarlens probably became a parish.[1]
Around 1269/1275. The lordship of Everdes, to which Echarlens belonged, arose from the division of that of Vuippens in favour of the younger branch.[2]
1349. Otto of Everdes attacked Mermeta, widow of the Fribourg avoyer Johann I of Maggenberg. Fribourg, backed by Bern, destroyed the castle in reprisal.[2]
1373. Françoise d'Everdes married Pierre de Langin, and the lordship passed to this Savoyard family.[2]
1475. During the Burgundian Wars the Fribourgeois took Everdes. The castle became the property of the State of Fribourg and the residence of a castellan until 1547.[1][2]
1506. The chapel of Saint-Garin is mentioned. Bishop Sébastien de Montfalcon granted 40 days' indulgence to those attending mass there on Easter Eve.[4]
1553. Echarlens joined the new bailiwick of Vuippens-Everdes, which lasted until 1798.[1][2]
1626. The village built a church, now deconsecrated.[1]
1679-1680. The chapel of Saint-Garin was rebuilt. Its Baroque altarpiece, with Saint Jerome and Saint Garin, came from a Bulle workshop in 1712.[4]
1798-1848. Echarlens belonged to the district of Bulle.[1][2]
1924-1927. Fernand Dumas built the new church from 1924 (or 1923) to 1927. It was the second work of the Groupe de Saint-Luc in the canton.[1][3]
Late 1980s. The Montmelley district started a building boom. Bocherens and Outre le Pont followed in the 1990s.[1]
2000. Of the 299 working residents of Echarlens, three quarters worked outside the municipality.[1]
2005-2008. The chapel of Saint-Garin was restored, for the second time after 1878.[4]
Population of Echarlens
Sources and references: [1][6]
| 1811 | 518 |
| 1850 | 440 |
| 1900 | 446 |
| 1950 | 426 |
| 1970 | 337 |
| 2000 | 552 |
| 2025 | 823 |
Historic sites in Echarlens
Church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption. Listed as cultural property of national importance, Fernand Dumas's church brings together the artists of the Groupe de Saint-Luc: stained glass and colour scheme by Alexandre Cingria, reliefs by François Baud, baptistery windows by Henri Broillet, installed in 1926. It keeps a Gothic bell of 1432 and, in a niche at the east end, a crucifix from the third quarter of the 15th century.[3][5]
Old church. The deconsecrated church of 1626 stands next to the new one.[1]
Chapel of Saint-Garin. Its windowless nave and three-sided choir are covered by a half-hipped roof topped by a small bell turret. The interior decoration dates from the 19th century. The chapel is listed in the inventory of cultural property (category B).[4][5]
Remains in Echarlens
Ruins of Everdes castle. On a height opposite Corbières, the ruins of the castle of the lords of Everdes overlook the Sarine crossing. Destroyed in 1349, the site belonged to Fribourg from 1475 and served as the residence of the castellan of Everdes until 1547.[1][2]
Appraleys villa. A Roman villa of the 1st to 3rd century occupied the place called aux Appraleys.[1]
En Barras vicus. The Gallo-Roman vicus of En Barras, with the temple of Tronche-Bélon, extends over Echarlens, Marsens and Riaz. It is listed as of national importance.[5]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Echarlens » (Alain-Jacques Czouz-Tornare, version du 28.07.2004)
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Everdes » (Ernst Tremp, version du 04.07.2013)
- Inventaire PBC, fiche KGS 09952, « Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption », Echarlens (texte du Guide artistique de la Suisse, SHAS)
- Vitrosearch, « Chapelle Saint-Garin », Echarlens (notice d'Uta Bergmann, 2017)
- 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
Other villages near Echarlens
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