Meyriez
Origin of the name Meyriez
The village appears in 1162 as « de Meriaco », then as « Meriei » in 1178. Its German name is Merlach. These early forms have not been explained.[1]
Founding of Meyriez
Meyriez lies on Lake Morat (Murtensee), at the gates of Murten (Morat), on which it depended until 1536. Its church was built on the site of a probably Merovingian sanctuary. In the 15th and 16th centuries it had some fifteen hearths.[1]
History of Meyriez
1162. The village is mentioned as « de Meriaco », then as « Meriei » in 1178.[1]
1228. The church of St John the Evangelist is mentioned for the first time.[1]
1239. Pierre d'Oleyres, avoyer of Murten, hands the church over to the Premonstratensian abbey of Fontaine-André, which keeps it until the Reformation.[1]
1536. The village obtains the right to form a municipality. Until then it depended on the town of Murten.[1]
1665-1774. Meyriez shares a school with Courgevaux, before having its own.[1]
18th century. Wealthy burghers of Murten begin to build manors with parks near the lake.[1]
1820-1821. A school building is put up.[1]
1863. The Rougemont and Pourtalès families found the Bon-Vouloir hospice.[1]
Jura water correction. The first Jura water correction gains a strip of land 60 m wide along the lake. The works bring Neolithic shoreline settlements to light.[1]
1906. The Villa Mallet is built. Today it houses the Le Vieux Manoir hotel.[1]
After 1920. The Bon-Vouloir hospice becomes the district hospital.[1]
2000. The village has 84 % German speakers and 14 % French speakers.[1]
Population of Meyriez
Sources and references: [1][3]
| 15th-16th century | 15 hearths |
| 1811 | 87 |
| 1850 | 120 |
| 1900 | 244 |
| 1950 | 259 |
| 2000 | 547 |
| 2025 | 586 |
Historic sites in Meyriez
Reformed church of St John. The former parish church of St John the Evangelist, mentioned in 1228 and built over an older, probably Merovingian sanctuary. It is a cultural property of regional importance.[1][2]
House of Antoine Froment. Known as the Tscharner house, it is listed as a cultural property of regional importance.[2]
Chatoney estate. A former outbuilding of a country house that served as the summer residence of a family based in Paris. The estate is a cultural property of regional importance.[1][2]
Le Vieux Manoir hotel. Housed in the former Villa Mallet, built in 1906.[1]
Hospital. It grew out of the Bon-Vouloir hospice, founded in 1863, and became the district hospital after 1920.[1]
Remains in Meyriez
Neolithic shoreline settlements. Discovered during the first Jura water correction. An oak dugout canoe from them has been preserved.[1]
Gallo-Roman temple. The remains of a Gallo-Roman temple have been uncovered at the Merlachfeld.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Meyriez » (Hermann Schöpfer, version du 31.10.2008)
- Office fédéral de la protection de la population, « Révision Inventaire PBC 2021 : liste cantonale, canton de Fribourg » (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 Meyriez
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