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Marsens

Canton of Fribourg · District: Gruyère · 2'093 inhabitants (31.12.2025)
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Remains Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Marsens

The village is named « Curtis marsingus » in 851, « Marsingis » in 929 and « Marcens » in 1668. German speakers said « Marsing ». The name was once linked to a family name, Marso, but the excavations of 1974-1976 showed that it comes from the god Mars, to whom a temple ruined around 260 was dedicated.[1][2]

Founding of Marsens

The village revived under the influence of the Premonstratensian abbey of Humilimont, founded between 1136 and 1141 by William II of Corbières. Local tradition instead credits the lords Anselme, Guy and Boucard de Marsens, of the house of Everdes-Vuippens, with founding it in 1137. The lords of Corbières first held Marsens, which passed to the Everdes-Vuippens in 1224. In the 19th century, the cantonal psychiatric hospital, built on the abbey's lands, changed the character of the village. Since 2001 the municipality has also included Vuippens.[1][2][6]

History of Marsens

260. Around this date, the Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Mars Caturix fell into ruin.[1]

851. The estate appears under the name « Curtis marsingus ».[1][2]

1136-1141. William II of Corbières founded the Premonstratensian abbey of Humilimont, which enjoyed three centuries of prosperity. Tradition gives 1137 and credits the lords Anselme, Guy and Boucard de Marsens.[6][1][2]

1224. Marsens passed from the lords of Corbières to the Everdes-Vuippens family.[1]

1330. A chapel of Saint Nicholas existed in the village.[1]

1536. Marsens, until then in the parish of Bulle, joined that of Vuippens.[1]

1549. Fribourg took definitive possession of the village, which formed a bailiwick with Everdes and Vuippens until 1798.[1][2]

1580. On 21 February, Pope Gregory XIII suppressed Humilimont at the request of the nuncio Bonhomini and the Fribourg government. Its property went to the college sought by the Jesuits, and Peter Canisius took possession of the abbey on 21 December.[2][1]

1641-1642. The Jesuits built the chapel of Saint-Ignace, known as « la Rotonde ».[1][4]

1798. Marsens joined the district of Bulle, then in 1848 the Gruyère district.[1][2]

1852. Abbé Gremaud of Echarlens discovered the temple site, which he took for a Roman villa.[2]

1872-1880. The cantonal psychiatric hospital was built on land secularised in 1848. The asylum opened in 1875.[1][2]

1974-1976. Excavations carried out before the motorway was built established that the village name comes from Mars.[2]

2000. On 11 February, the Grand Council adopted the decree merging Marsens and Vuippens.[3]

2001. Marsens and Vuippens formed a single municipality, which kept the name Marsens.[1][2]

Population of Marsens

Sources and references: [1][5]

Population of Marsens
1811251
1850345
1900705
1950907
20001'123
20252'093

Historic sites in Marsens

Chapel of Saint-Ignace, « la Rotonde ». Built in 1641-1642 by the Jesuits, the chapel is a cultural property of national importance (category A).[1][4]

Former asylum. The general services building of the former asylum, now the cantonal psychiatric hospital, is listed in the cultural property inventory (category B).[4][2]

Vuippens. The former municipality of Vuippens keeps its bailiff's castle, in category A, and the church of Saint-Sulpice.[4][2]

Remains in Marsens

Temple of Mars. The Gallo-Roman temple of Mars Caturix, ruined around 260, belonged to the vicus of En Barras. Discovered in 1852 and excavated in 1974-1976, it was moved 18 metres west and now lies on the territories of Riaz and Echarlens. The site is in category A.[1][2][4]

Humilimont abbey. The Premonstratensian abbey founded between 1136 and 1141 declined from 1450 and disappeared in 1580. Its lands, secularised in 1848, carry the psychiatric hospital and a farm of the Grangeneuve agricultural institute.[1][2][6]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Marsens (FR) » (Alain-Jacques Czouz-Tornare, version du 17.09.2009)
  2. Commune de Marsens, « Histoire »
  3. État de Fribourg, « Liste chronologique des fusions, divisions et changements de nom des communes » (RSF 141.1.2), législation fribourgeoise
  4. Office fédéral de la protection de la population, « Révision Inventaire PBC 2021 : Liste cantonale Canton de FR » (état au 1.1.2026)
  5. 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
  6. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Humilimont » (Kathrin Utz Tremp, version du 22.01.2026)

Localities of the municipality with a page

Other villages near Marsens

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