Brüttelen

Brüttelen
Coat of arms
Brüttelen Show map of Switzerland Brüttelen Show map of Canton of Bern
Location of Brüttelen
Coordinates: 47°1′N 7°8′E / 47.017°N 7.133°E / 47.017; 7.133Coordinates: 47°1′N 7°8′E / 47.017°N 7.133°E / 47.017; 7.133
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Bern
District	Seeland
Area
• Total	6.62 km2 (2.56 sq mi)
Elevation	449 m (1,473 ft)
Population (Dec 2015)
• Total	568
• Density	86/km2 (220/sq mi)
Postal code	3237
SFOS number	0491
Surrounded by	Finsterhennen, Ins, Lüscherz, Müntschemier, Treiten, Vinelz
Website	http://www.bruettelen.ch SFSO statistics

Brüttelen is a municipality in the Seeland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.

The earliest mention of Brüttelen is in 1142 when it was called Britinie. It also appears in 1148 as Britelgio and in 1183 as Britillo. In French it was known as Bretiège. Gäserz was first mentioned in 1250 as the curtis de Gesarz.

Archeologists have discovered scattered graves dating from the La Tène era up to the High Middle Ages in Brüttelen. Additionally, neolithic axe heads, Hallstatt grave mounds and Roman era brick have also been found. It is believed that there was a medieval settlement on the Schaltenrain, though little archeological evidence has been discovered. The Lords of Brüttelen appear in the records of the 12th and 13th century. Despite several fires between the 17th and 19th centuries, many of the old houses and buildings remain.

The village chapel was mentioned in 1142 as a filial chapel of Payerne Priory.

A gristmill was first mentioned in the village in 1255. The village remained completely agricultural until a quarry opened in the 17th century and in 1737 a health spa or mineral bath opened. The spa closed in 1886, but the building was used for a variety of purposes. In 1898 it became a girls boarding school. In 1982 it was converted into a home for the handicapped. In 1917 the electric narrow gauge Biel-Ins railway connected the village with the rest of the country. However, the village has remained generally agricultural. In 1990, almost half of the working population worked in agriculture.

Brüttelen has an area of 6.62 km² (2.56 sq mi). Of this area, 4.62 km² (1.78 sq mi) or 69.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 1.48 km² (0.57 sq mi) or 22.4% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.47 km² (0.18 sq mi) or 7.1% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.04 km² (9.9 acres) or 0.6% is either rivers or lakes.