The name Thun spelled as Dun may be found in many place names on the British Isles. The Celtic root word means hill fort and it would seem Thun must have been a very important one in this region not to need any descriptive add-on. The place continued as a village through Roman times to become a palatinate Royal Residence in the Kingdom of Upper Burgundy.
After the Kingdom of Burgundy fell to the German Emperors as an inheritance after the death of King Rudolf III in 1032, Thun became part of the domains ruled by the Dukes of Zähringen. At the time of the founding of Bern in 1191, the dukes started building the castle in Thun as well. After the last duke died, the Counts of Kyburg inherited it; by marrying the heiress of Kyburg, the Habsburg acquired it and eventually sold it to Bern in 1384.
Thun was granted city status along with further rights by Countess Elisabeth of Kyburg in 1264. Elisabeth’s scribes were so busy at the time that the charter is dated 1270 as she was granting rights of freedom all over her domain before handing over to her Habsburg son-in-law. Most of these rights were probably not new, but acquired over time, and it seems she wanted them all on paper before the new regime would start. Her grandson would restyle himself Count of Kyburg even though Kyburg is just the posh way of spelling Cowburg.
Thun is situated on Aar River and Lake Thun about 30 km from Bern. The town is a walk-through history book with castle, city walls, and arcades in the center. Any elevated point in it offers breath-taking views of lake and Alps, while cafés invite visitors to sit down and enjoy live in the slow lane. The town is not a sleepy hamlet but a place where life’s quality is rated higher than mere quantity.
An island in the Aar River forms part of the city. It has been declared a pedestrian zone and therefore invites sightseers and shoppers to immerse themselves in its unique atmosphere. Due to the compact lay-out of the city, even the laziest walker is able to get to the main sights within minutes. Walking up to the castle is a reward in itself because of the views and open up to the visitor.
One of the most famous personages having lived in Thun is Emperor Napoleon III. He had spent his childhood in various parts of Switzerland and at Augsburg and therefore was fluent in French, German, and Allemannic. In 1829, he entered the Swiss army and passed his army training in Thun as a private. He became a Swiss citizen in 1832 and was advanced to the rank of an officer in the Swiss artillery. Thun has been the most important military center in Switzerland since the early 19th century to the present.
Even though Thun was part of the Kingdom of Burgundy, the language spoken there is Allemannic due to the constant influx of Allemans after 1033. The black star in the coat of arms of the city was changed to gold by decree of the council of Bern after the battle of Morat in 1476 in recognition of the bravery of the Thun troops against the army of Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy. The tapestries taken from the duke’s tent after the battle are on display at the castle.
For further information on the city of Thun you may want to go to the official homepage of the city government thun.ch.
Further reading
Bern:Seat of The Swiss Federal Government
City on the Language Divide: Fribourg
The Town of Baden in Baden
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