Wünnewil-Flamatt
Origin of the name Wünnewil-Flamatt
The name appears in 1228 as « Vilar Vuinum ». The Latin spelling « vilar winum », which would make Wünnewil a « Weinwil », a wine village, is probably mistaken: the old name Wunnenwil more likely goes back to an Alemannic man called Wuno. The municipality was officially called Wünnewil until 1973 and Wünnewil-Flamatt since 1974 (Flamatt is also said to have been added to the name in 1972).[1][2]
Founding of Wünnewil-Flamatt
The municipality brings together the clustered village of Wünnewil, on the Taferna, the street village of Flamatt, on the Sense, and many scattered hamlets. The first inhabitants of the Wünnewil area date back to Roman times. Between the 8th and 10th centuries the territory became Alemannic in speech. In the 11th century it came within the sphere of the Zähringen, and the parish, which covered the village and the hamlets of Dietisberg and Elswil, is said to date from their time. From the mid-15th century Wünnewil belonged to the Old Territories of the city of Fribourg.[1][2]
History of Wünnewil-Flamatt
Roman period. First settlement of the Wünnewil area.[2]
8th-10th century. The territory becomes Alemannic.[1]
1225. The parish, in the deanery of Fribourg, is first recorded (a first mention of the church is also placed in 1128).[1][2]
13th century. Wünnewil builds its church, whose dedication to St Margaret is recorded in 1264.[1]
Mid-15th century. Wünnewil becomes part of Fribourg's Old Territories.[1]
1467. A boundary settlement makes Flamatt part of Fribourg. Flamatt, Eggelried and Sensebrücke join the parish of Wünnewil, in 1534 according to another date, after the Reformation.[1][2]
1529. Bern adopts the Reformation while Fribourg keeps the old faith, which leads to serious conflicts in the area.[2]
Mid-18th century. The cantonal road through the Mühletal serves the municipality (it is also dated to 1850).[1][4]
1776. A new church is consecrated in mainly Catholic Wünnewil. It will be blown up and demolished in 1968.[1][2]
1831. The political municipality of Wünnewil is created. In 1848 property and duties are divided between parish and municipality, which takes over the territory of the old parish.[1][2]
1853. The Bernese Protestants, settled in Flamatt since the early 19th century, open a denominational school there, merged with the public school in 1976.[1]
1856-1862. The Bern-Fribourg-Lausanne railway is built.[1]
1930. The municipal coat of arms is created: a golden bunch of grapes refers to the spelling « vilar winum », a silver bar to the division of the territory by Bösingen.[2]
1932-1933. The present church of Wünnewil is built.[1]
1960s. Many industrial and service firms settle in Flamatt and the Taferna valley.[1]
1969. Wünnewil opens a secondary school, which becomes an orientation school in 1973.[1]
1977. On 1 January a boundary correction with Bösingen and Schmitten joins the two parts of the municipality (1976 is also given). Oberbösingen moves from Bösingen to Wünnewil-Flamatt. The aim is to align the boundaries of municipality, parish and school districts.[1][2][3]
1980s. The still largely farming municipality sees heavy housing construction.[1]
1981. The A12 motorway opens (or 1973).[1][4]
1999. The Protestant parish of Wünnewil-Flamatt-Ueberstorf is founded.[1]
Population of Wünnewil-Flamatt
Sources and references: [1][5]
| 1811 | 594 |
| 1850 | 885 |
| 1900 | 1'160 |
| 1950 | 2'153 |
| 1970 | 3'652 |
| 2000 | 4'916 |
| 2025 | 5'848 |
Historic sites in Wünnewil-Flamatt
Wünnewil parish church. The present church dates from 1932-1933. It replaced the church of 1776, demolished in 1968, which had itself succeeded the 13th-century church dedicated to St Margaret.[1]
Remains in Wünnewil-Flamatt
Altschloss and Dietisberg. Remains of former fortifications survive at the Altschloss in Wünnewil and at Dietisberg. They are linked to the period when the area lay within the Zähringen sphere, from the 11th century.[2]
Church of 1776. Consecrated in 1776, the old parish church was blown up and demolished in 1968.[1][2]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Wünnewil-Flamatt » (Moritz Boschung, version du 26.11.2013)
- Commune de Wünnewil-Flamatt, « Geschichte & Wappen »
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Bösingen » (Jean-François Steiert, version du 07.01.2003)
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Flamatt » (Olivier Aebischer, version du 23.07.2015)
- 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
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Wünnewil-Flamatt
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