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Villages / Fribourg / Lac district / Gempenach

Gempenach

Canton of Fribourg · District: Lac · 306 inhabitants (2021, former municipality of Gempenach, last figure before the merger)
Part of the municipality of Murten
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Remains Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Gempenach

The village is recorded in 1340 as « Champagnie », then « Gempenach » in 1408 and « Gempernach » in 1409. The French name is Champagny. Nothing sheds light on the origin of the name.[1]

Founding of Gempenach

Gempenach is a street village 6 km north-east of the small town of Murten (Morat), on the border with the canton of Bern. It belonged to the lordship of Murten. Its mostly Protestant population belongs to the mixed Bernese and Fribourg parish of Ferenbalm, and farming remains the main activity. Gempenach is now part of the municipality of Murten (merger of 1 January 2022).[1]

History of Gempenach

1340. First mention, as « Champagnie ».[1]

1408-1409. The name is written « Gempenach » in 1408, « Gempernach » in 1409.[1]

1475. With the lordship of Murten, the village comes under the rule of Fribourg and Bern.[1]

1803. After the Helvetic Republic, the municipality is assigned permanently to the canton of Fribourg.[1]

19th century. Gravel digging wipes out the Forstmatte cemetery.[1]

2000. About two thirds of the workforce of Gempenach work in the canton of Bern.[1]

2020. On 27 September Gempenach approves the merger with Murten and Galmiz by 140 votes to 45.[2]

2022. On 1 January Gempenach joins Murten, together with Galmiz and Clavaleyres.[1][2]

Population of Gempenach

Sources and references: [1]

Population of Gempenach
1850191
1900213
1950182
2000281
2010282
2020314
2021306

Historic sites in Gempenach

« Zum Kantonsschild » inn and old school. The country inn « Zum Kantonsschild », the old school and several farmhouses date from the 19th century.[1]

Remains in Gempenach

Forstmatte cemetery. The Forstmatte held one of the largest Early and Middle La Tène cemeteries in the canton of Fribourg. A gravel pit destroyed it in the 19th century, with no archaeological record. The grave goods, bronze and glass bracelets, bronze brooches and weapons, went to the museums of Bern and Murten.[1]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Gempenach » (Ursula Birchler, version du 25.10.2022)
  2. Conseil d'État du canton de Fribourg, message 2020-DIAF-10 accompagnant le projet de décret relatif à la fusion des communes de Galmiz, Gempenach et Morat (02.02.2021)

Other villages near Gempenach

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