Lucens
Origin of the name Lucens
First written mention in 964, in the form «in villa Losingus»; the old German name is «Losingen». The name is thought to be of Germanic origin, formed from a personal name with the suffix «-ingos» («among the people of»), which spread in the Gallo-Roman area from the 6th century (etymology to be cross-checked).
Founding of Lucens
None of the sources consulted describes a founding act. Lucens appears in 964 as a «villa», that is, a rural estate. Its development is linked to the bishop of Lausanne, who was its lord: at the end of the 12th century, the episcopal fortress until then located at Curtilles was moved to the spur of Lucens, a strategic point overlooking the Broye valley and defending the episcopal territory against Savoy (to be cross-checked). The castle became a residence of the bishops until 1536, and a small town, whose ramparts are still visible, grew up at its foot. No charter of franchises for Lucens was found in the sources consulted.
History of Lucens
964. First mention of the locality, «in villa Losingus».
12th century. The castle, property of the bishop of Lausanne, is ruined and rebuilt several times; it watches over the Broye valley and the episcopal possessions.
13th century. Construction of the oldest parts of the present castle (keep, curtain wall); the great round tower dates from around 1275 (to be cross-checked). The castle becomes a residence of the bishops of Lausanne.
around 1350. A hospital and a leper house are recorded in Lucens.
1365. First mention of the Sainte-Agnès chapel.
1406. The bishop of Lausanne Guillaume de Menthonay is murdered in the castle by one of his servants.
1476. During the Burgundian Wars, the castle is sacked by the Confederates.
1536. Bernese conquest of the Pays de Vaud: end of the episcopal period; the castle becomes the seat of the bailiff's court.
1542. The Bernese bailiff of Moudon takes up residence in the castle of Lucens.
1548. Creation of a school for the children of the castellany.
1579-1586. Enlargement of the castle by the Bernese, who also make it an arsenal and a stronghold.
1612. The bridge over the Broye is built in stone; it will be rebuilt many times.
1647. Construction of the Belle-Maison, the former tithe house.
1798. Vaudois Revolution: the castle is taken despite the resistance of the last bailiff, François Rodolphe de Weiss.
1801. The State sells the castle to private owners.
1862. Louis-Édouard Junod opens the first factory of jewel bearings for watchmaking, which makes Lucens a centre of this industry.
1925. The castle houses a Protestant institute for girls.
1939. Creation of a glass fibre factory.
1965-1970. The castle is the seat of the Fondation Conan Doyle, created by Adrian Conan Doyle, son of the creator of Sherlock Holmes.
1968-1969. Commissioning on 10 May 1968 of the experimental underground nuclear power plant of Lucens; on 21 January 1969, a partial core meltdown contaminates the cavern (level 4 on the INES scale), and the facility is abandoned and then dismantled (last waste removed in 2003).
2011. Merger with Oulens-sur-Lucens (in force on 1 July 2011).
2017. Merger with Brenles, Chesalles-sur-Moudon, Cremin, Forel-sur-Lucens and Sarzens (1 January 2017); the last jewel bearing factory closes the same year.
2025-2027. Merger with Curtilles approved in a popular vote on 18 May 2025, with entry into force planned for 1 January 2027.
Population of Lucens
| 1850 | 892 |
| 1900 | 1'517 |
| 1950 | 1'621 |
| 2000 | 2'221 (former municipality, before the mergers) |
| 2025 | 4'892 (merged municipality, 31 December) |
Historic sites in Lucens
Lucens Castle. Former residence of the bishops of Lausanne, then seat of the Bernese bailiffs of Moudon from 1542 to 1798, enlarged between 1579 and 1586. Sold to private owners in 1801, it housed an institute for girls and then the Fondation Conan Doyle. It is listed as a cultural property of national significance and remains privately owned.
Sainte-Agnès chapel. Chapel first mentioned in 1365, with a pointed vault, which preserves remains of painted decoration from the mid-15th century and from 1588. Lucens has always belonged to the parish of Curtilles.
Old town. Small town built at the foot of the castle, whose ramparts remain visible; the locality as a whole is listed in the Federal Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites of national importance (ISOS).
Belle-Maison. Former tithe house, built in 1647.
Bridge over the Broye. Stone bridge since 1612, rebuilt many times.
Remains in Lucens
Traces of a Roman road. Aerial prospecting has revealed traces of a Roman road on the territory of Lucens.
Medieval fortifications of the vallon des Vaux. Remains of medieval fortifications identified in the vallon des Vaux.
Cavern of the former nuclear power plant. The cavern dug for the experimental reactor (about 25 metres high and 20 metres in diameter), contaminated in the 1969 accident, was decontaminated, partly filled with concrete in 1992, then emptied of its last waste in 2003.
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Lucens »
- Wikipédia, « Lucens »
- Wikipédia, « Château de Lucens »
- Wikipédia, « Centrale nucléaire de Lucens »
- Commune de Lucens, « Château de Lucens »
- Commune de Lucens, « Fusions de communes »
- Feuille des avis officiels du canton de Vaud, « Alphabet des communes vaudoises : Lucens »
- swisscastles.ch, « Le château de Lucens »
- Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Lucens
Missing information, or do you have a source? Suggest a correction or addition. Every submission is checked before it's published.
Suggest a change