Walkringen

Geschichte

Walkringen is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.HistoryWalkringen is first mentioned in 1220 as Walcheringin.The oldest trace of a settlement in the area are scattered Bronze Age artifacts were found throughout the Walkringenmoos (Walkringen Bog). Other ancient artifacts include Roman era bricks and medieval fortification. Earthen fortifications have been found on the Adlisberg, in Wikartswil, in Bigenthal and at Jegerleenscheuer, indicating that one or several local noble families ruled over the area. The three villages that today make up Walkringen have been combined and split up throughout their history. In the 13th century, the Lords of Kien ruled over Walkringen, Wikartswil and Bigenthal along with the village church. However, in 1398 Verena von Seedorf gave Walkringen village and the church to Thorberg Abbey. The Abbey established a parish in Walkringen village between 1413-18. In 1528, Bern adopted the new faith of the Protestant Reformation and secularized Thorberg Abbey and all the Abbey lands. Walkringen village was placed under the Bernese bailiff of Thorberg. The three villages remained separated until the 19th century, when they merged into a single political municipality.