Kirchberg (Berne)

Geschichte

Kirchberg is a municipality in the administrative district of Emmental in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.HistoryKirchberg is first mentioned in 994 and again in 1182 as Chilcberc. In 1704 the village of Guetisberg (now part of Heimiswil) separated from Kirchberg. In 1911 Bickigen separated from Kirchberg and became part of Wynigen. In 1953 Rumendingen separated from Kirchberg.Traces of prehistoric settlements in the area include Neolithic artifacts at Rüti, Bronze Age items at Emmenbett and La Tene era artifacts in Kirchberg village. No prehistoric villages have been found in the municipality. The village and its church are first mentioned in 994 when they were given to Selz Abbey in Alsace by the noble woman Adelheid, the grandmother of Emperor Otto III. In the 13th century the Barons of Thornberg were the vogts over the bailiwick of Kirchberg. In 1278 Ulrich von Thornberg freed the Abbey's officials in Kirchberg from paying taxes and fortified the growing town. Five years later, in 1283, he got King Rudolph I to grant Kirchberg a town charter based on Bern's charter and to allow the town to hold a weekly market. Ulrich was also able to get complete jurisdiction over the town from the King. However, the new town remained small and never produced the hoped for money.