Ancient Lake Dwellings
The Pfahlbauten, ancient lake dwellings, can be found on the shores of the Bielersee, with some dating back over 6,000 years to the Bronze Age.
Bielersee · · 🏛️ Legendary
Discover 60 curated stories about Biel/Bienne in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland — covering hidden gems, dark history, legends, weird facts and funny anecdotes.
The Pfahlbauten, ancient lake dwellings, can be found on the shores of the Bielersee, with some dating back over 6,000 years to the Bronze Age.
Bielersee · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Tissot Arena in Biel/Bienne was the site of a major scandal in 2016 when the FC Biel-Bienne team was relegated to the 2nd league due to financial irregularities and the license for the Challenge…
Tissot Arena · · 💀 Dark history
Simon Sonabend, a refugee who fled to Biel, was expelled to France and eventually deported to Auschwitz, where he was assassinated.
Biel · · 💀 Dark history
A Stolperstein memorial in Biel/Bienne commemorates Charles Sonabend, who was born in 1931 and expelled to occupied France on August 17, 1942, but miraculously survived.
Biel/Bienne · · 💀 Dark history
At the Stolperstein Memorial in Biel/Bienne, a memorial commemorates Clara Winograd-Pintschuk, who was born in 1903 and had her citizenship revoked due to her marriage, forcing her to emigrate to Pol…
Stolperstein Memorial · · 💀 Dark history
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the famous philosopher, once resided on the Île de St Pierre in Lake Biel in 1765.
Île de St Pierre · · 🏛️ Legendary
The St. Petersinsel, located near Erlach, was once a refuge for Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who spent several weeks there in the 18th century.
St. Petersinsel · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Bielersee is home to the invasive Quagga-Muschel, which has been rapidly spreading since 2018 and poses a significant threat to the lake's ecosystem.
Bielersee · · 🤯 Weird
The highest water level ever recorded on the Bielersee was 430.94 meters above sea level, which occurred on July 16, 2021, during a severe flood.
Bielersee · · 💀 Dark history
The island of Saint-Pierre, located west of Lake Biel, was a refuge for Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who fled there to escape his critics. His stay on the island later inspired the text of the 5th promenad…
Île Saint-Pierre · · 🏛️ Legendary
Philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau was expelled from the St. Petersinsel in 1765 by the Bernese government after a six-week stay, an experience he later described as one of the happiest times of his l…
St. Petersinsel · · 🏛️ Legendary
In the 15th century, Ulrich von Lommis, a Bürger and Ratsherr in Zürich, was killed in the Schlacht bei St. Jakob an der Sihl, a battle that took place on July 22, 1443. According to legend, he used…
St. Jakob an der Sihl · · 🏛️ Legendary
Adrien Wettach, aka Grock, began his career as a clown at the age of 14 when he replaced a funambulist on a tightrope across the Place du Marché-Neuf in Biel/Bienne.
Place du Marché-Neuf · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Collège Dufour in Biel/Bienne has a rich history dating back to 1454, when a monastery was built on its site. Over the centuries, the building has been used as a poorhouse, hospital, and finally,…
Collège Dufour · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The Maison Cauny Watch, a watch factory in Bienne, was taken over by Jovial Watch Factory Ltd, resulting in the immediate dismissal of employees, including the author's grandmother, who had worked th…
Maison Cauny Watch · 💀 Dark history
The Robert Walser-Sculpture catalogue, created by Thomas Hirschhorn, weighs over 2 kilos and contains 860 pages with 1000 photographs, mostly taken by local photographer Enrique Muñoz García.
Bienne · · 🤯 Weird
In 2019, a Portuguese folk group made a surprise appearance at the Robert Walser-Sculpture exhibition in front of the Bienne train station.
Bienne train station · · 😂 Funny
At Höheweg 82a in Biel/Bienne, the Zwölfistein, a mythical stone and erratic block, is said to turn around every quarter night at 12 o'clock, boasting astronomically oriented edges that have been wor…
Zwölfistein · · 🤯 Weird
A daring heist occurred at the Vinum SA wine warehouse in Bözingenfeld, where thieves used a ventilation shaft to steal rare Bordeaux wines worth around 500,000 Swiss francs.
Vinum SA · · 💀 Dark history
A traffic camera at a Biel intersection has been issuing fines to drivers who claim they crossed the intersection on a green light, with some receiving fines of 250 Swiss francs.
Biel · · 😂 Funny
In a surprising display of speed, Armand Duplantis outran Karsten Warholm in a 100m sprint at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, finishing in 10.37 seconds.
Letzigrund stadium · · 🏛️ Legendary
A couple rented the entire Elfenau-Park for their wedding, despite only having a permit for a small part of the park, and blocked both entrances to the public.
Elfenau-Park · · 😂 Funny
A beehive at the Schulhaus Aegerten was attacked with stones, leaving only a fifth of the bees surviving and putting the queen's ability to lay eggs at risk.
Schulhaus Aegerten · · 💀 Dark history
Near the Johanniterbrücke in Basel, a mysterious flag swap occurred, with the Swiss flag being replaced by the Palestinian flag, causing confusion among locals who thought the flagpole belonged to th…
Johanniterbrücke · · 🤯 Weird
The Alte Krone, a significant late-medieval profane building in Biel/Bienne, was constructed between 1574 and 1582 and even hosted Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in 1779.
Alte Krone · · 🏛️ Legendary
Marco Sieber, a Biel-born astronaut, began his training with the European Space Agency in 2023, following in the footsteps of Claude Nicollier as the second Swiss astronaut.
Biel/Bienne · · 🏛️ Legendary
Félicienne Lusamba Villoz-Muamba, a jurist and politician, was the first parliamentarian in Biel with African roots. She was a member of the Biel city parliament from 2000 to 2008 and the Grand Counc…
Biel City Parliament · · 🏛️ Legendary
Rolf Greder, a renowned painter, was born and died in Biel/Bienne, leaving behind a legacy of artwork that continues to inspire locals and visitors alike.
Biel/Bienne · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Lebensflamme artwork is dedicated to Nicolas G. Hayek, the visionary who saved the Swiss watch industry.
Lebensflamme · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Île de St Pierre, located near Erlach, attracts tourists and is a popular spot due to its historical significance and connection to Rousseau.
Île de St Pierre · 🏛️ Legendary
The Bielersee-Schifffahrts-Gesellschaft offers boat tours to the St. Petersinsel, where visitors can explore the island's historic monastery and enjoy the scenic views.
St. Petersinsel · 🏛️ Legendary
The St. Petersinsel has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with archaeological findings dating back to the Bronze Age and the Hallstatt period.
St. Petersinsel · 🔍 Hidden gems
The Roman temple complex on the St. Petersinsel was later used as a source of building materials for the construction of the medieval monastery.
St. Petersinsel · 🔍 Hidden gems
The St. Petersinsel was once home to a Cluniac priory, which was founded in the 12th century and later dissolved in the 15th century.
St. Petersinsel · · 🏛️ Legendary
The FC Biel-Bienne football team was on the verge of bankruptcy in 1978, but was saved by the waiver of 12 creditors who gave up 1.195 million francs, allowing the team to continue playing.
FC Biel-Bienne · · 💀 Dark history
The Tissot Arena, home of the EHC Biel ice hockey team and FC Biel-Bienne football club, is powered in part by 8,100 solar panels installed on its roofs.
Tissot Arena · 🔍 Hidden gems
The Komtur, a historical figure, was known for his theological studies and his role in the Reformation. He was a prominent figure in Zurich, particularly in the area of Lake Zurich.
Zurich · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Lauchetal valley, where the Baumwollspinnerei Lauchetal is located, was already inhabited in the Bronze Age, as evidenced by the discovery of Bronzebeile, ancient tools used for spinning and weav…
Lauchetal · · 🔍 Hidden gems
In the early 20th century, family portrait photography was a serious business in Biel/Bienne, with photographers like Alphonse Brandt composing intricate poses for large families, as seen in a photo…
Rue Dufour · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The funicular Bienne-Evilard, which connects Bienne to Evilard, was inaugurated in 1898 and initially had cabines that could only hold 28 passengers.
Funiculaire Bienne-Evilard · · 🤯 Weird
In 1955, the Grand Concours de Petites Voitures, a pedal car race for children, was held on the promenade du lac in Biel/Bienne, with 240 participants competing for prizes after passing a theoretical…
Promenade du lac · · 😂 Funny
The Robert Walser Sculpture in Biel/Bienne, created by Thomas Hirschhorn, featured a waste sorting station where visitors could sort their trash during the 86-day exhibition in 2019.
Robert Walser Sculpture · · 🤯 Weird
In the 1920s, the Place du Marché in Biel/Bienne hosted a funfair, complete with a funicular railway and a restaurant called 'Alcool Frees'.
Place du Marché · · 😂 Funny
In 2019, the Robert Walser-Sculpture was erected on the Place de la Gare in Biel, a temporary installation created by Thomas Hirschhorn in homage to the poet Robert Walser.
Place de la Gare · · 🏛️ Legendary
Alain Berset, the Swiss Federal Councillor, visited the Robert Walser-Sculpture exhibition in 2019, accompanied by photographer Enrique Muñoz García.
Bienne · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Robert Walser-Sculpture was created by Thomas Hirschhorn in 2019 and was on display for 86 days in front of the Bienne train station.
Bienne train station · · 🏛️ Legendary
In 2019, Thomas Hirschhorn's Robert Walser Sculpture was unveiled in front of the Bienne/Biel train station, despite initial opposition and resistance from local authorities.
Bienne/Biel train station · · 🏛️ Legendary
A car and its trailer caught fire and were completely burned out on Hermann-Lienhard-Strasse in Biel, with the fire spreading to the facade of a nearby apartment building.
Hermann-Lienhard-Strasse · · 💀 Dark history
Two underage girls broke into a house on Sandrainstrasse, where they were caught by the police after a third party reported suspicious activity.
Sandrainstrasse · · 💀 Dark history
The Bahnhof Biel/Bienne is one of the most frequently used train stations in Switzerland, with an average of 64,000 people passing through it every day in 2023.
Bahnhof Biel/Bienne · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Gymnasium Alpenstrasse in Biel/Bienne was also known as the 'Affenkasten' due to the stylized animal reliefs, including monkey figures, at the main entrance.
Gymnasium Alpenstrasse · 🤯 Weird
Friedrich Schwab, a pioneer of archaeological research, discovered the La Tène archaeological site and founded the Museum Schwab in Biel.
Museum Schwab · · 🏛️ Legendary
Noah Veraguth, a Swiss pop-rock singer, was born in Biel in 1987 and became the lead singer of the band Pegasus.
Biel · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Schrottbar, a former workshop, is now a venue for concerts and events, located in the industrial area behind the train station in Biel/Bienne.
Schrottbar · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The Panik Bourgeoise collective, based in Biel/Bienne, organized concerts and events at the Schrottbar and other venues, promoting alternative culture and anti-commercialism.
Panik Bourgeoise · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Aare River in Bern is so clean that it's become a popular spot for swimming, with some people even swimming 350 meters in the 'Zibeleschwümme' event.
Aare River · · 🤯 Weird
Otto Zinniker, a writer, spent his final days in Biel/Bienne, where he passed away in 1969, leaving behind a body of work that remains largely unknown to the general public.
Biel/Bienne · · 🔍 Hidden gems
Gottfried Reimann, a former mayor of Biel/Bienne, died in the city in 1909, marking the end of an era in local politics.
Biel/Bienne · · 🏛️ Legendary
David Schwab, a notable figure, was born and died in Biel/Bienne, spanning a lifetime of 75 years within the city.
Biel/Bienne · · 🏛️ Legendary
Moritz Leuenberger, a renowned lawyer, was born in Biel/Bienne and went on to have a distinguished career.
Biel/Bienne · · 🏛️ Legendary
💀 Dark history · 😂 Funny · 🔍 Hidden gems · 🏛️ Legendary · 🤯 Weird
Discover hidden stories, legends, and quirky facts about your current location in Zurich
Facts are sourced from various open websites and may have been edited. Copyright of original content belongs to their respective owners.
Finding your location…