Rechthalten
Origin of the name Rechthalten
Dirlaret in French. The name appears in 1142 as «Drallaris», then as «de Recto Clivo» in 1173, «Dreitlaris» in 1180 and «Rehthalton» in 1250.[1]
Founding of Rechthalten
Rechthalten (Dirlaret), 8 km south-east of Fribourg, is a clustered village surrounded by hamlets and scattered farms. In the 12th century it was the seat of the knights of Rechthalten, the «de Drallaris», often named as benefactors of Hauterive Abbey. Shortly after the founding of Fribourg the family died out. Its last member became a canon in Lausanne, and William, knight of Rechthalten, entered Hauterive. The large parish took in the Schrote of Oberschrot, Zumholz and Brünisried, and apparently also Plaffeien and Plasselb.[1][2]
History of Rechthalten
1142. On 21 March Bishop Guy of Lausanne confirms the possessions of Hauterive Abbey. Petrus de Drallaris signs as a witness, making the charter the earliest record of the place.[1][2]
1190. The church of Saint German is first recorded.[1]
1228. The parish appears in the cartulary of Conon d'Estavayer.[1][2]
XIIIe siècle. The lordship belongs to the knights of Maggenberg.[1][2]
XIVe siècle. The counts of Thierstein hold it from the middle or second half of the century, and Peter von Pont receives it from them as a fief.[1][2]
1442. With the Thierstein possessions, Rechthalten passes to the city of Fribourg. The village remains part of the Old Territories (Bourg banner) until 1798.[1][2]
Vers 1445. The community reaches as far as the Dütschbach, in the middle of Plaffeien, and takes in today's Rechthalten, Brünisried, Zumholz and Oberschrot.[2]
1831-1835. The parish community is divided into political municipalities.[2]
Milieu du XIXe siècle. The Weissenstein church becomes the Reformed centre of the Senseoberland.[1]
Milieu du XXe siècle. Peat cutting ends in the Entemoos and Rotmoos raised bogs.[1]
1988. A cooperative revives straw hat sewing, widespread in the area in the 19th century.[1]
2000. Half of the working population is in services, and more than two thirds commute out.[1]
Population of Rechthalten
Sources and references: [1][4]
| 1850 | 808 |
| 1900 | 1'088 |
| 1950 | 1'016 |
| 1970 | 878 |
| 2000 | 1'025 |
| 2025 | 1'161 |
Historic sites in Rechthalten
Church of Saint German. Recorded from 1190, the parish church is listed in the federal inventory of cultural property as an object of regional importance (B). Brünisried still belongs to its parish.[1][3]
Weissenstein church. Reformed church, the Protestant centre of the Senseoberland since the mid-19th century.[1]
Entemoos and Rotmoos. These two raised bogs, worked for peat until the mid-20th century, are nature reserves of national importance.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Rechthalten » (Olivier Aebischer, version allemande du 08.05.2017)
- Commune de Rechthalten, « Geschichtliches über Rechthalten »
- 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 Rechthalten
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