Romont (BE)
Origin of the name Romont (BE)
The village is recorded in 1311 as « Redemont ». It also had a German name, « Rothmund ».[1]
Founding of Romont (BE)
Romont sits on the first spur of the Jura, above Pieterlen and the Aare valley. In the Middle Ages it belonged to the lordship of Erguël, in the prince-bishopric of Basel, and the Church of Basel held a fief here. A German-speaking village, Romont long belonged to the parish of Perles and the district of Büren, before turning, for geographical, linguistic and historical reasons, to Vauffelin and the district of Courtelary. Farming still provided most of the jobs in 2005.[1][2]
History of Romont (BE)
1311. The Church of Basel cedes its fief at Romont to Bourkard de la Roche.[1]
14th and 15th centuries. A noble family named Romont owns a castle between Romont and Vauffelin.[1]
1797-1813. French troops march in on 15 December 1797. Romont belongs to the canton of Biel/Bienne, in the department of Mont-Terrible, then Haut-Rhin.[1][2]
1815. With the former prince-bishopric, Romont passes to the canton of Bern.[1][2]
1827. A Bernese decree assigns Romont, a German-speaking municipality, to church services in German.[2]
1839. On 28 November the Grand Council moves Romont from the district of Büren to that of Courtelary.[1][2]
1840-1841. A decree of 30 November 1840 detaches Romont from the parish of Perles. The village joins that of Vauffelin on 1 January 1841 (from 1839 according to another source).[1][2]
1854. The cheese dairy is built.[2]
1863. Romont establishes a residents' commune and a burghers' commune.[1]
1878. A new school is built.[2]
1903. A stagecoach links Romont, Vauffelin and Biel/Bienne.[2]
1947. On 9 January the government approves the municipal arms: a crenellated tower on a hill, below a chief bearing a sparrowhawk.[2]
1955-1956. The Grand Council grants 125'617 francs for a new school, built in 1956.[2]
1966-1967. The project for a road tunnel between Court and Romont is abandoned.[2]
1971. Romont forms a joint school board with Vauffelin and Frinvillier.[1]
2003. On 26 November the Le Bain pond and its marshes are placed under protection.[2]
2008. On 1 June the Rondchâtel merger project fails because of the votes in Orvin and Péry. Romont had approved it by 79 votes to 25.[2]
Population of Romont (BE)
Sources and references: [1][2][3]
| 1809 | 111 |
| 1818 | 149 |
| 1850 | 195 |
| 1900 | 178 |
| 1950 | 175 |
| 1970 | 213 |
| 2000 | 197 |
| 2025 | 237 |
Historic sites in Romont (BE)
Le Bain pond. Pond and marshes protected as a nature reserve since 2003.[2]
Montagne-de-Romont farm. Farm of the burghers' commune, destroyed by fire on 1 September 1990 and later rebuilt.[2]
Remains in Romont (BE)
Castle of the Romont family. In the 14th and 15th centuries a noble family of the same name owned a castle between Romont and Vauffelin.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Romont (BE) » (Christine Gagnebin-Diacon), version du 03.10.2016
- Chronologie jurassienne, « Romont » (entrées datées avec renvois aux Archives de l'ancien Évêché de Bâle, aux Archives de l'État de Berne et à la presse régionale)
- Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, population résidante permanente au 31.12.2025
Other villages near Romont (BE)
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