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Villages / Fribourg / Glâne district / Sommentier

Sommentier

Canton of Fribourg · District: Glâne · 234 inhabitants (2000, former municipality of Sommentier, last figure before the merger)
Part of the municipality of Vuisternens-devant-Romont
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Legends Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Sommentier

The village appears in 1247 as « Somentier ». The meaning of the name is unexplained.[1]

Founding of Sommentier

Sommentier is a farming village in the Glâne, living from livestock and fodder crops. In the 13th century the Cistercians of Hautcrêt and Hauterive held land here, and in 1262 Rodolphe d'Ecublens sold his estates in the village to Peter II of Savoy. For centuries the inhabitants belonged to the parish of Vuisternens-devant-Romont. Sommentier is now part of the municipality of Vuisternens-devant-Romont (merger of 2003).[1]

History of Sommentier

1247. Sommentier is first mentioned, as « Somentier ».[1]

13th century. The Cistercian abbeys of Hautcrêt and Hauterive own property at Sommentier.[1]

1262. Rodolphe d'Ecublens sells Peter II of Savoy the estates he holds at Sommentier.[1]

1536. The village comes under the rule of Fribourg.[1]

1798-1803. Sommentier belongs to the district of Rue.[1]

1803-1848. The municipality is attached to the district of Romont.[1]

1848. It joins the district of the Glâne.[1]

1918-1920. The chapel of Sainte-Anne is built.[1]

1933-1934. The parish church is built.[1]

1934 (or 1936). Sommentier leaves the parish of Vuisternens-devant-Romont and forms an independent parish with Lieffrens.[1][2]

2003. Sommentier merges with Vuisternens-devant-Romont and six other neighbouring municipalities, under a decree of the Grand Council of 17 September 2002.[1][4]

Population of Sommentier

Sources and references: [1]

Population of Sommentier
1811177
1850212
1900274
1950276
2000234

Historic sites in Sommentier

Parish church. Built in 1933-1934, when Sommentier became a parish together with Lieffrens.[1]

Chapel of Sainte-Anne. Built from 1918 to 1920, it now belongs to the parish of Sommentier.[1][2]

Oratory of Mottex. A small oratory of the parish of Sommentier.[2]

Legends of Sommentier

The plague dead. When plague struck the region in the 16th and 17th centuries, Sommentier is said to have been wiped out except for a single family. Tradition holds that the victims were buried near the present chapel of Sainte-Anne.[3]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Sommentier » (Marianne Rolle, version du 20.01.2011)
  2. Unité pastorale Sainte Marguerite Bays, « Paroisse de Sommentier »
  3. Commune de Vuisternens-devant-Romont, « Histoire »
  4. État de Fribourg, Recueil systématique (RSF 141.1.2), « Liste chronologique des fusions, divisions et changements de nom des communes »

Other villages near Sommentier

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