Gland

Origin of the name Gland

The name appears between 994 and 1049 in the form "de Glans". It is said to come from a Gaulish word "glana", "the clear one", which first referred to the river before being applied to the village; the link with the acorn (French "gland") is folk etymology (to be cross-checked). The inhabitants, called Glandois, are nicknamed "Croque-Raves" (turnip-eaters) (single source, to be cross-checked).

Founding of Gland

Gland has no known founder. The site has been occupied since the Bronze Age, with a lakeshore settlement near the Dullive, and a dozen Roman sites (villas, tile works, cemeteries, a hoard from the early 4th century) reflect the proximity of the Roman colony of Nyon. In the Middle Ages the village belonged to the lordship of Prangins and long depended on the parish of Vich. It remained a farming village until the middle of the 20th century; it was the building of the motorway in 1964 that turned it into a town.

History of Gland

Bronze Age. Lakeshore settlement near the Dullive.

La Tène period. Burial at La Lignière.

Roman period. A dozen Roman sites: villas, tile works, cemeteries and a hoard from the early 4th century.

994-1049. First mention, in the form "de Glans".

Middle Ages. Gland belongs to the lordship of Prangins and to the parish of Vich.

1536. Bernese conquest of Vaud.

1673. The hamlet of Marcins is attached to Gland.

18th century. The commune is run by a nine-member council; it takes in Huguenot refugees.

1764. The village has 324 inhabitants.

1858. A station opens on the Lausanne-Geneva line.

1906-1954. A tramway links Gland to Begnins.

1950. The village has 1'180 inhabitants.

1964. Construction of the motorway, which triggers strong growth; a Philips factory arrives, followed by many businesses.

1968. Construction of the Protestant church.

1973. Construction of the Catholic church.

2000. The commune has 9'663 inhabitants.

2010. Opening of the IUCN Conservation Centre, shared with WWF and other nature conservation organisations.

Population of Gland

Population of Gland

1764	324
1850	425
1900	676
1950	1'180
1970	2'404
2000	9'663
2025	13'978

Historic sites in Gland

IUCN and WWF headquarters. Gland is home to the headquarters of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and of WWF International, making the town a global centre for nature conservation.

Lakeshore and La Lignière. The commune borders Lake Geneva; La Lignière has yielded a La Tène period burial.

Churches. The Protestant church (1968) and the Catholic church (1973) are the seat of the parish of Gland-Vich-Coinsins.

Remains in Gland

Roman sites. A dozen Roman sites have been identified in the commune, including villas, a tile works, cemeteries and a coin hoard from the early 4th century.

Dullive lakeshore settlement. Remains of a Bronze Age village on the lakeshore.

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Gland »
• Wikipédia FR, « Gland (Vaud) »
• Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »

Other villages near Gland

• Clarens (Vich) (VD)
• Vich (VD)
• Luins (VD)
• Dully (VD)
• Le Vernay (VD)