Tavannes
Origin of the name Tavannes
Tavannes appears in 866 as « Tehisvenna » (or « Theisvenna »). The name is said to come from the Celtic word « Tavan », a tree trunk. In German the village was called Dachsfelden.[1][2]
Founding of Tavannes
Tavannes lies at the foot of the Pierre-Pertuis pass, where the Birse rises, on a route already used in Roman times. In 866 the village and its chapel belonged to the abbey of Moutier-Grandval, later to the provostry of that name in the prince-bishopric of Basel. The nobles of Tavannes were the most powerful lords of the valley. They extended their rights in the 12th century and split into three branches: the Tavannes de la Tour, extinct at the end of the 14th century, the Tavannes Ouldriot, extinct in 1546, and the Tavannes Macabré, whose last member died in 1549. Their castle stood on the hill of Le Châtelet, north-east of the village.[1][2]
History of Tavannes
866. Lothair II confirms the possessions of the abbey of Moutier-Grandval, among them Tavannes and its chapel.[1][2]
Around 1147. The bishop of Basel gives the parish of Tavannes, with others, to the abbey of Bellelay.[1]
1385. The church of Saint-Étienne is consecrated.[1]
1499. During the Swabian War, imperial mercenaries set fire to the castle and the entire village.[2]
1530. In the spring, Guillaume Farel preaches the Reformation in Tavannes, then throughout the provostry of Moutier.[1][2]
1728. The church of Saint-Étienne is enlarged.[1]
Around 1740. The stones of the ruined castle are used to build the church of Chaindon.[2]
1797. The French republican army enters the provostry. The mayoralty of the provostry of Moutier-Grandval comes to an end.[1][2]
1798-1813. Under French rule, Tavannes belongs to the department of Mont-Terrible, then to Haut-Rhin. In 1798 the abbey of Bellelay loses its right of collation.[1]
1815. Tavannes passes to the canton of Bern, in the bailiwick and later the district of Moutier.[1]
1865. A deed of classification divides the property between the burgher commune and the new municipality.[1][2]
1874. The railway reaches Tavannes.[1]
1895. The Tavannes Watch Co. is founded. Industry has been growing fast since the 1890s.[1]
1900-1930. A wave of building in the Art Nouveau and Heimatstil styles transforms the village.[1]
1908. The parish of Tavannes-Chaindon comes to an end.[1]
1918. The Royal cinema opens on 24 February.[1][3]
1930. The Catholics build the church of Christ-Roi.[1]
1966. The Tavannes Watch disappears.[1]
1986. The machine-tool factory closes.[1]
1996. The A16 motorway (Transjurane) opens. The population, which had been falling, starts to grow again.[1]
Population of Tavannes
Sources and references: [1][4]
| 1629 | 325 |
| 1745 | 287 |
| 1850 | 672 |
| 1900 | 1'591 |
| 1950 | 3'650 |
| 1960 | 3'939 |
| 2000 | 3'373 |
| 2010 | 3'425 |
| 2020 | 3'426 |
| 2025 | 3'469 |
Historic sites in Tavannes
Church of Saint-Étienne. Reformed church consecrated in 1385, enlarged in 1728 and renovated in 1972.[1]
Church of Christ-Roi. Catholic church built in 1930, during the village's industrial growth.[1]
Le Royal. Cinema built in 1917 by the architect Renck, who also designed the school of Courtelary, and opened in 1918. It was one of the largest halls in French-speaking Switzerland, with a 25 m² screen, the biggest in the region. Closed in 1985, it was bought by the Coopérative Le Royal, founded in 1991, and turned into a cultural centre by the architects Bakker and Blanc. It reopened on 9 September 1999 at 9.09 am.[3]
Source of the Birse. The Birse springs from a crack in the rock at the foot of the Pierre-Pertuis pass. It has driven several mills. The source can be visited on request through the public works department.[2]
Remains in Tavannes
Castle of Le Châtelet. The castle of the nobles of Tavannes stood on Le Châtelet, a hill north-east of the village. Burned in 1499, it has gone, but its ditches are still visible.[2]
Towers of Petit-Bâle and Pierre-Pertuis. A tower stood in the Petit-Bâle area, and a fortified tower guarded the Pierre-Pertuis passage.[2]
Road at La Tanne. At La Tanne, traces of a late medieval road survive.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Tavannes » (Christine Gagnebin-Diacon), version du 20.01.2026
- Commune de Tavannes, « Présentation et histoire »
- Commune de Tavannes, « Le Royal »
- Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, population résidante permanente au 31.12.2025
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Tavannes
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