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Lake Neuchâtel

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Lake Neuchâtel ( French : Lac de Neuchâtel [lak də nøʃɑtɛl] ; Arpitan : Lèc de Nôchâtél ; German : Neuenburgersee ) is a lake primarily in Romandy , the French-speaking part of Switzerland . The lake lies mainly in the canton of Neuchâtel , but is also shared by the cantons of Vaud , Fribourg , and Bern . It comprises one of the lakes in the Three Lakes Region (French: Pays des Trois-Lacs , German: Drei-Seen-Land ), along with lakes Biel /Bienne and Morat /Murten.

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56-553: With a surface of 218.3 km (84 sq mi), Lake Neuchâtel is the largest lake located entirely in Switzerland and the 59th largest lake in Europe. It is 38.3 km (23.8 mi) long and 8.2 km (5.1 mi) at its widest. Its surface is 429 metres (1,407 ft) above sea level , and the maximum depth is 152 metres (499 ft). The total water volume is 14.0 km (3.4 cu mi). The lake's drainage area

112-477: A castle. Construction works were launched around 1259 and attracted many settlers. The imposing main walls and their four towers were erected within a few years. The design of the castle followed the geometric characteristics used for castles set in plains, and had been planned by the young mason and architect Jacques de Saint-Georges . Jacques also planned Caernarvon Castle and built the castle Saint-Georges d'Espéranches, near Lyon . Yverdon's castle used to be

168-542: A century later, the Romans realized the commercial and strategic importance of this place: it controlled major routes such as Geneva - Avenches , connecting the Rhône and Rhine basins, as well as those of Rhone and Danube . The imposing Castrum , or stronghold , called Castrum Ebredunense was the second largest in Switzerland and demonstrated the importance the Romans attached to Yverdon. The port served as naval base for

224-459: A theatre, various conference rooms and the oldest public library of French-speaking Switzerland, founded already in 1763. The library is now part of the castle museum, existing since 1830. The Savoy rulers granted bountiful franchise and liberties to the burghers of Yverdon. The township prospered during the two hundred years preceding the Burgundy wars . The Bernese conquest followed. During

280-473: A three-room apartment was about 897.75 CHF (US$ 720, £400, €570) and a six or more room apartment cost an average of 1638.23 CHF (US$ 1310, £740, €1050). The average apartment price in Yverdon-les-Bains was 85.6% of the national average of 1116 CHF. The vacancy rate for the municipality, in 2010 , was 0.49%. The historical population is given in the following chart: In the 2007 federal election

336-453: A total of 2,850 inhabited buildings. There were 829 multi-family buildings (29.1%), along with 568 multi-purpose buildings that were mostly used for housing (19.9%) and 227 other use buildings (commercial or industrial) that also had some housing (8.0%). In 2000 , a total of 10,649 apartments (88.2% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 1,094 apartments (9.1%) were seasonally occupied and 331 apartments (2.7%) were empty. As of 2009 ,

392-416: Is a major interchange on the standard gauge Fribourg–Yverdon and Jura Foot lines and the narrow-gauge Yverdon–Ste-Croix line . It serves 16,800 passengers on a typical weekday and has regular service to Lausanne , St. Gallen , Geneva Airport , Zürich Hauptbahnhof , Neuchâtel , Palézieux , Fribourg/Freiburg , and Ste-Croix . Yverdon-Champ Pittet is located on the eastern edge of the municipality on

448-460: Is a measure of a location's vertical distance ( height , elevation or altitude ) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level . In geodesy , it is formalized as orthometric height . The zero level varies in different countries due to different reference points and historic measurement periods. Climate change and other forces can cause sea levels and elevations to vary over time. Elevation or altitude above sea level

504-508: Is a net importer of workers, with about 1.3 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving. About 7.0% of the workforce coming into Yverdon-les-Bains are coming from outside Switzerland, while 0.0% of the locals commute out of Switzerland for work. Of the working population, 16.7% used public transportation to get to work, and 53.9% used a private car. The municipality has three railway stations, Yverdon-les-Bains , Yverdon-Champ Pittet , and Yverdon William Barbey . The first of these

560-579: Is a standard measurement for: Elevation or altitude is generally expressed as " metres above mean sea level" in the metric system , or " feet above mean sea level" in United States customary and imperial units . Common abbreviations in English are: For elevations or altitudes, often just the abbreviation MSL is used, e.g., Mount Everest (8849 m MSL), or the reference to sea level is omitted completely, e.g., Mount Everest (8849 m). Altimetry

616-548: Is approximately 2,670 km (1,031 sq mi) and its culminating point is Le Chasseron at 1,607 metres (5,272 ft). In comparison to the Lake Geneva region, the Lake Neuchatel shoreline has experienced significant economic development with the completion of the regional motorway network. It is also known to have housed a Celtic agglomeration on pile-dwellings called La Tène and which gives its name to

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672-425: Is either rivers or lakes and 0.2 km (0.077 sq mi) or 1.8% is unproductive land. Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 6.6% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 26.2% and transportation infrastructure made up 15.2%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 2.5% of the area while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 7.4%. Out of

728-510: Is precipitation for an average of 11.2 days. The month with the most days of precipitation is May, with an average of 11.4, but with only 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain or snow. The driest month of the year is April with an average of 59 mm (2.3 in) of precipitation over 9.4 days. Yverdon-les-Bains is a university town, hosting the School of Business and Engineering Vaud , a public university with over 2000 students and largest branch of

784-558: Is the measurement of altitude or elevation above sea level. Common techniques are: Accurate measurement of historical mean sea levels is complex. Land mass subsidence (as occurs naturally in some regions) can give the appearance of rising sea levels . Conversely, markings on land masses that are uplifted (due to geological processes) can suggest a relative lowering of mean sea level. Yverdon-les-Bains Yverdon-les-Bains ( French pronunciation: [ivɛʁdɔ̃ le bɛ̃] ) (called Eburodunum and Ebredunum during

840-416: The 4th century BCE , and later fortified in 80 BCE by means of a long and solid rampart with frontal posts (like that of Vully), before this oppidum ( Eburodunum ) becomes a vicus in the first centuries CE. The first written mention of the lake dates from the year 998 CE, where a laci everdunensis (or lake of Yverdon, from its Latin name Eburodunum ) is mentioned, near which the priory of Bevaix

896-708: The Alps were ordered back to Italy. The garrison and the Roman administration had to abandon the Yverdon camp. The inhabitants of Eburodunum, up to then assigned to live beyond the ramparts, immediately took possession of the Castrum , using it for their own safety. Like this, Eburodunum-Yverdon survived the hard times, until the 15th century. The Castrum was noted in the Notitia Dignitatum (dated c. 420 CE). With

952-682: The Roman era) is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord vaudois of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland . It is the seat of the district. The population of Yverdon-les-Bains, as of December 2020 , was 29,955. Yverdon is located in the heart of a natural setting formed by the Jura mountains , the plains of the Orbe , the hills of the Broye and Lake Neuchâtel . It is the second most important town in

1008-774: The Seeland region. Lake Neuchâtel was the home of the now extinct species of deepwater trout Salvelinus neocomensis . Lake Neuchatel is situated at the foot of the Jura mountain range, on the Swiss Plateau. Mainly in the French-speaking Swiss Romande , it borders the territory of four cantons: Neuchâtel (86 km (33 sq mi)), Vaud (74 km (29 sq mi)), Fribourg (53 km (20 sq mi)) and Bern (2 km (0.77 sq mi)). The lake's main tributaries are

1064-538: The Stone of Marriage  [ fr ] . When the first Swiss towns appear, Mont Vully , which was a large fortified area of around 50 hectares built around 120 BCE , controlled the lakes of Morat and Neuchâtel while the La Tène area remained nearly unoccupied. What is now Yverdon-les-Bains was located on a barrier island on the other side of the lake, a place of smaller settlement (3 to 4 hectares) occupied from

1120-562: The Thiele and the Broye canal which connect it to Lake Morat. It flows into Lake Biel via the Thielle canal (German: Zihlkanal ). Since the Jura water correction in the 19th and 20th centuries, it has served, together with Lake Morat, as a compensation basin for the waters of the Aare flowing into Lake Biel. Indeed, if the level of the latter rises too much, the flow may stop or even go in

1176-461: The second Iron Age . The lake is fed by the rivers L'Orbe (called La Thielle or La Thièle locally, downstream of the city of Orbe), L'Arnon , L'Areuse , Le Seyon , and La Menthue , as well as by the Canal de la Broye . The Thielle Canal ( French : Canal de la Thielle , German : Zihlkanal ) drains the lake into Lake Biel and is part of regulation system for the lakes and the rivers of

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1232-407: The secondary sector and there were 224 businesses in this sector. 10,323 people were employed in the tertiary sector , with 1,119 businesses in this sector. There were 11,191 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 45.2% of the workforce. In 2008 the total number of full-time equivalent jobs was 10,621. The number of jobs in the primary sector

1288-603: The Canton of Vaud. It is known for its thermal springs and is an important regional centre for commerce and tourism. It was awarded the Wakker Prize in 2009 for the way the city handled and developed the public areas and connected the old city with Lake Neuchâtel. The heights nearby Yverdon seem to have been settled at least since the Neolithic Age about 5000 BCE, as present archeological evidence shows. The town

1344-598: The Fribourg–Yverdon line, while Yverdon William Barbey is located west of the city centre on the Yverdon–Ste-Croix line. From the 2000 census , 8,628 or 35.4% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church , while 7,489 or 30.7% were Roman Catholic . Of the rest of the population, there were 835 members of an Orthodox church (or about 3.43% of the population), there were 28 individuals (or about 0.11% of

1400-454: The authorities decided to have a new spa constructed. Its reputation grew rapidly. The 18th century saw major developments and brilliant success, for the town and the spa. Then followed a period of decline: the spa lost its popularity, and by 1800 had declined to a simple political meeting point. Completely neglected, the buildings dilapidated. Encouraged by the Spanish scientist A. Gimbernat,

1456-625: The barges supplying the defensive positions along the Rhine, which marked the North-Eastern border of the Empire . Thus the Roman " Vicus " of Eburodunum developed into a prosperous urban centre. The sulphur springs were already used for a thermal spa , as attested by excavations. It is even possible that the Helvetii appreciated the beneficial effects of these waters. About a century after

1512-408: The castle housed a public school. New classrooms were created, especially on the second floor: dividing walls were erected, additional windows changed the severe look of the castle's façade. After 1950, these classrooms were gradually abandoned; the last classes left in 1974. The original medieval structure was then restored. The castle is today a multi-purpose cultural centre, housing a regional museum,

1568-400: The construction rate of new housing units was 1 new units per 1000 residents. As of 2003 the average price to rent an average apartment in Yverdon-les-Bains was 954.90 Swiss francs (CHF) per month (US$ 760, £430, €610 approx. exchange rate from 2003). The average rate for a one-room apartment was 570.22 CHF (US$ 460, £260, €360), a two-room apartment was about 721.96 CHF (US$ 580, £320, €460),

1624-478: The first invasions of the Alemanni , when the "Vicus" had been completely destroyed, the Romans built a large military stronghold (about 325 CE). It covered about 5 acres (20,000 m ) and was protected by gigantic ramparts and 15 masonry towers ( Castrum ). The Barbarians invaded Italy in the 5th century, and threatened to assault Rome. In a last desperate effort to save the city, all troops stationed North of

1680-467: The forested land, 4.7% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.6% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 27.1% is used for growing crops and 3.5% is pastures. All the water in the municipality is flowing water. The municipality was the capital of the Yverdon District until it was dissolved on 31 August 2006, and Yverdon-les-Bains became part of

1736-424: The great minds and movements of the time. Burnand, its architect, erected the town hall between 1768 and 1773, on the site of the former covered market. Inside the building, furniture and decorations are displayed, faience stoves , panels, wainscots and paintings. The vaults of the ancient granary are used year-round for art exhibitions. The Geneva architect Billon erected this Protestant church in 1757, on

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1792-558: The lake for bombing practice until 2021, leaving an estimated 4,500 tons of munitions in its waters. Some of these munitions are located as close as six or seven meters below the surface. Lake Neuchâtel, and in particular the town of Neuchâtel became a popular tourist destination during the Belle Époque period due to its climate and panoramic views of the Alps . From Yverdon to La Tène (Southwest to Northeast): From Yverdon to Gampelen: Above sea level Height above mean sea level

1848-456: The lake receding, the ancient town confined to the Castrum had lost its strategic position: no more direct access to the port, or to the new trade routes alongshore. When Peter II of Savoy gradually extended his rule over the Pays de Vaud ( Land of Vaud ), he managed to impose road tolls as well as port and fishing taxes. He founded the new town ("Ville Neuve") of Yverdon, defended by walls and

1904-552: The local Council decided to reconstruct the spa centre and to renovate its hotel in 1897. The consequences of the First World War (1914–1918) were detrimental, the number of guests having significantly declined. Its reputation remained intact, however, until the 1930s. Another period of decay followed, and by 1960 the centre and its equipment were again so dilapidated that they had to be closed. The idea of balneology had also completely changed. The Municipality repurchased

1960-707: The most popular party was the SP which received 29.42% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SVP (22.26%), the Green Party (14.34%) and the FDP (9.98%). In the federal election, a total of 5,744 votes were cast, and the voter turnout was 42.2%. As of  2010 , Yverdon-les-Bains had an unemployment rate of 8.2%. As of 2008 , there were 179 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 11 businesses involved in this sector. 2,219 people were employed in

2016-433: The movement and storage of goods, 523 or 6.3% were in a hotel or restaurant, 222 or 2.7% were in the information industry, 253 or 3.0% were the insurance or financial industry, 549 or 6.6% were technical professionals or scientists, 1,040 or 12.5% were in education and 1,751 or 21.0% were in health care. In 2000 , there were 6,437 workers who commuted into the municipality and 4,894 workers who commuted away. The municipality

2072-519: The municipality. There were 11,252 married individuals, 1,687 widows or widowers and 1,596 individuals who are divorced. As of 2000 , there were 10,835 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.2 persons per household. There were 4,201 households that consist of only one person and 634 households with five or more people. Out of a total of 11,082 households that answered this question, 37.9% were households made up of just one person and there were 42 adults who lived with their parents. Of

2128-511: The nature reserve, the Grande Caricaie . Yverdon-les-Bains has an area, as of 2009 , of 11.3 square kilometers (4.4 sq mi). Of this area, 3.57 km (1.38 sq mi) or 31.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 0.71 km (0.27 sq mi) or 6.3% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 6.52 km (2.52 sq mi) or 57.8% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.31 km (0.12 sq mi) or 2.7%

2184-402: The nearly three hundred years of Bernese occupation, economic life continued to thrive. The 18th century proved to be one of Yverdon's most favorable periods, marked by cultural and economic highlights. Then a town of about 2.000 inhabitants, Yverdon became known as a spa , and as a centre of thought (58 tomes of Yverdon Encyclopedia, published between 1770 and 1780), being in close contact with

2240-428: The new district of Jura-Nord Vaudois. The municipality of Gressy merged on 1 July 2011 into the municipality of Yverdon-les-Bains. The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Vert, two Bars wavy Argent, in chief Argent, a letter Y Or . Yverdon-les-Bains has a population (as of December 2020 ) of 29,955. As of 2008 , 34.2% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1999–2009)

2296-529: The opposite direction. Lake Neuchâtel is 38 km (24 mi) long and has a maximum width of 8.2 km (5.1 mi). Its maximum depth is 152 m (499 ft) and its capacity is estimated at 14 km (3.4 cu mi). It is the largest lake located entirely on Swiss territory, considering that Lake Geneva and Lake Constance are shared with neighboring countries. In the summer of 2021, Lake Neuchatel reached historically high water levels due to widespread flooding over mainland Europe. The lake

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2352-677: The population are between 0 and 9 years old and 3,041 teenagers or 11.4% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 3,965 people or 14.9% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 3,858 people or 14.5% are between 30 and 39, 3,791 people or 14.3% are between 40 and 49, and 3,138 people or 11.8% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 2,576 people or 9.7% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 1,939 people or 7.3% are between 70 and 79, there are 1,235 people or 4.6% who are between 80 and 89, and there are 228 people or 0.9% who are 90 and older. As of 2000 , there were 9,841 people who were single and never married in

2408-540: The population has changed at a rate of 15.2%. It has changed at a rate of 14% due to migration and at a rate of 1.9% due to births and deaths. Most of the population (as of 2000 ) speaks French (20,134 or 82.6%) as their first language, Serbo-Croatian is the second most common (945 or 3.9%) and Portuguese is the third (859 or 3.5%). There are 551 people who speak German , 717 people who speak Italian and 9 people who speak Romansh . The age distribution, as of 2009 , in Yverdon-les-Bains is; 2,821 children or 10.6% of

2464-450: The population) belonged to no church, are agnostic or atheist , and 1,668 individuals (or about 6.84% of the population) did not answer the question. Yverdon-les-Bains has an average of 118.4 days of rain or snow per year and on average receives 893 mm (35.2 in) of precipitation . The wettest month is June during which time Yverdon-les-Bains receives an average of 92 mm (3.6 in) of rain or snow. During this month there

2520-555: The population) who belonged to the Christian Catholic Church , and there were 1,389 individuals (or about 5.70% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church. There were 25 individuals (or about 0.10% of the population) who were Jewish , and 1,631 (or about 6.69% of the population) who were Muslim . There were 74 individuals who were Buddhist , 183 individuals who were Hindu and 38 individuals who belonged to another church. 3,061 (or about 12.56% of

2576-523: The residence of the castellans of the Savoy dynasty, until 1536, followed by the bailiffs of Bern state. In 1798, the Département du Léman became the castle's owner. The Département had been set up by the short-lived "Helvetian Republic" (1798–1803), imposed by Napoleon I . A few years later, Yverdon acquired the castle, to entrust it to Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi and his institute. After 1838,

2632-410: The rest of the households, there are 2,848 married couples without children, 2,855 married couples with children. There were 707 single parents with a child or children. There were 182 households that were made up of unrelated people and 247 households that were made up of some sort of institution or another collective housing. In 2000 there were 1,226 single family homes (or 43.0% of the total) out of

2688-581: The road to Yvonand , has served as summer residence of Frédéric Haldimand, burgher of Yverdon and first Governor of Canada (1777–1786), when this territory became part of the British crown. This country-seat now belongs to Pro Natura , the Swiss League for the Protection of Nature, and is one of its two nature centres ; organizing special exhibitions, audio-visual shows as well as guided tours of

2744-490: The site of Notre-Dame chapel of the 14th century. Its spire had been rebuilt in 1608, on the base of the original one, for which huge, sculpted blocks from the ruins of the Roman "Castrum" had been used. 14 stalls, figuring apostles and prophets, originate from the ancient chapel and are ascribed to Claude de Peney, who had worked at Fribourg and Hauterive . Peney died in 1499, and Bon Bottolier, cabinetmaker in Lausanne ,

2800-510: The spa, including the neighbouring Château d'Entremonts. Restoration failed twice, but in 1974 the project could finally be realized. The spa reopened in 1977. Prospects for further thermal springs were successful in 1982, and a new outdoor pool was added a year later. Today, the spa welcomes more than 1200 visitors per day. During an independent test by the RTS in February 2008, it was found that

2856-505: The water in the shower area of the thermal center had high levels of legionella pneumophila . During another test in 2011, the same programme found no significant levels of dangerous bacteria in the waters. However, in October 2014, there was a leak of 4000l of hydrochloric acid from one of the tanks in the thermal center. No one was hurt, and the bathers remaining in the pools were asked to evacuate. The 18th century manor house , near

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2912-405: Was 173, of which 161 were in agriculture and 12 were in forestry or lumber production. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 2,104 of which 1,268 or (60.3%) were in manufacturing and 654 (31.1%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 8,344. In the tertiary sector; 1,722 or 20.6% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 711 or 8.5% were in

2968-402: Was at that time only a small market place, at the crossroads of terrestrial and fluvial communication ways. People began to settle, at first in temporary huts at the water-front, for fishers and merchants, then in permanent dwellings. The Celtic Helvetii are said to have been the first permanent settlers of Eburodunum (Celtic and Roman name of Yverdon), from about the 2nd century BCE. About

3024-461: Was charged with crafting the stalls (1501–1502). Potier, of French origin, built the organ in 1766. The springs were known for their mineral baths and used at least since the Roman era, but most probably before, at the time of the Helvetii. It is supposed that the springs were a sacred place, with some sort of wooden structure. Middle Age documents prove the existence of a spa centre, as early as 1429, and mention several useful buildings. By 1728,

3080-567: Was founded. The name dominates throughout the Middle Ages , co-utilized with the current term Lake Neuchâtel , however, is frequent from the 15th century onwards. The latter became dominant during the 19th century, in particular with the lowering of the level of the lake and the development of the Vaudois railway, which reduced the importance of the Port of Yverdon. The Swiss Air Force used

3136-618: Was frequented by prehistoric man as evidenced by the remains (site of the Auvernier lake resort and archeological museum, the Laténium ) where bones of brown bear and Eurasian beaver were also found (two species then almost ubiquitous in Europe). Several megalithic monuments line the lake such as the alignment of Clendy and the menhirs of Gorgier , Grandson , Saint-Aubin-Sauges , and Vauroux , as well as an imposing erratic block,

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