The Premonstratensian monastery Gottstatt and the Nidau-Büren Canal
10 April 2026
A village, town or other place in Switzerland usually has some sort of cultural, industrial or historical feature, or a noteworthy natural setting. The former Premonstratensian monastery of Gottstatt in the municipality of Orpund (canton of Bern) has a bit of everything.
Premonstratensian monastery of Gottstatt
The former Premonstratensian monastery of Gottstatt lies between the Büttenberg and the Nidau-Büren Canal, which was constructed in the 19th century during the first Jura Waters Correction (1868–1891). These ‘Delta Works avant la lettre’ (a century before the Delta Works in the Netherlands) changed the water management in this part of the country forever.
The Nidau-Büren-Kanal
The Premonstratensian Order was founded around 1120 in the town of Prémontre (Aisne department in France). The Premonstratensian monastery of Gottstatt was the last settlement of this order in what is now Switzerland.
The Counts of Neuchâtel-Nidau
The Counts of Neuchâtel-Nidau founded it in 1247. The monastery was consecrated in 1255. Several generations of the Counts of Neuchâtel-Nidau are buried in the church. The Abbey of Bellelay was the mother abbey, and Lausanne was the diocese.
The Counts of Kyburg acquired Nidau and the monastery in 1375, but pledged it to Duke Leopold III of Habsburg. Following his defeat at Sempach (1386) against the Swiss Confederates, Bern acquired Nidau and the monastery in 1388. This led to the Reformation in 1528 and, until 1798, to a Bernese bailiwick. The complex now serves various purposes, including religious functions and residential use.
The village of Safnern
The nearby village of Safnern was first mentioned in 1251. Ulrich von Biel donated Safnern (meaning ‘damp meadow’ or ‘place with lush grass’) to Bellelay Abbey. Following the Jura Water Regulation, the village began to flourish economically, and the beautiful Häftli nature reserve on the banks of the Old Aare took shape.
(Source and further information: D. Amacher, B. Blaser, Die reformierte Kirche und das ehemalige Prämonstratenserkloster Gottstatt, Bern, 2005)
