Omega's Historic Moon Watch
In Biel/Bienne, Omega SA's Speedmaster Professional was the first watch worn on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission, chosen by NASA for its reliability and accuracy.
Omega SA · · 🏛️ Legendary
Discover 60 curated stories about Biel/Bienne in Switzerland — covering hidden gems, dark history, legends, weird facts and funny anecdotes.
In Biel/Bienne, Omega SA's Speedmaster Professional was the first watch worn on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission, chosen by NASA for its reliability and accuracy.
Omega SA · · 🏛️ Legendary
Robert Walser was institutionalized due to his worsening mental health, which was marked by hallucinations and other disturbing symptoms. His sister, Lisa, intervened to get him the help he needed.
Institutional care facility · · 💀 Dark history
The Lenzburg castle has a dark history, with one of its former owners, Johannes Parricida, being involved in the murder of King Albrecht in 1308.
Lenzburg Castle · · 💀 Dark history
In 18, Jean-Jacques Rousseau spent several weeks on St. Petersinsel, a peninsula in Biel/Bienne, where the historic Cluny monastery is a notable feature.
St. Petersinsel · · 🏛️ Legendary
The UNESCO-protected Pfahlbauten, ancient lake dwellings, can be found near the Bielersee, with some dating back over 6000 years to the Bronze Age or Neolithic period.
Bielersee · 🏛️ Legendary
The island of Saint-Pierre in Lake Biel was a refuge for Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who fled there to escape his critics. He later wrote about his stay in his book 'Les Rêveries du promeneur solitaire'.
Lake Biel · 🏛️ Legendary
The St. Petersinsel was once home to a Cluniazenser-Priorat, which was founded in the 12th century and later became a popular destination for famous philosophers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who was e…
St. Petersinsel · · 🏛️ Legendary
Since 1932, Omega SA in Biel/Bienne has been the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games, introducing the first electronic timing system in 1952, revolutionizing sports event timing.
Omega SA · · 🏛️ Legendary
In 1918-1919, the Omega factory in Bienne was affected by the Spanish flu epidemic and a wave of worker strikes, with the employees blocking access to the factory and the management calling in the mi…
Omega Factory · · 💀 Dark history
In an attempt to gain favor with the British government, Hans Wilsdorf offered watches to Allied prisoners of war in German captivity during World War II. This move was likely an attempt to deflect s…
Geneva · · 💀 Dark history
The town of Nidau was besieged for seven weeks by Swiss Confederation forces from Bern and Solothurn in 1388, resulting in heavy damage to the castle and significant losses for the attackers.
Nidau Castle · · 💀 Dark history
A luxurious Roman villa was discovered in 2013 at the intersection of Weiherweg and Hüeblistrasse, revealing the area's rich history.
Weiherweg/Hüeblistrasse · · 🔍 Hidden gems
Robert Walser's brother, Ernest, died at the age of 43 in the Waldau asylum, while another brother, Hermann, took his own life at 49. These tragic events had a profound impact on Robert's life and wr…
Waldau asylum · · 💀 Dark history
In 1950, a careless spectator's cigarette butt caused a fire that destroyed the old wooden grandstand at Gurzelen Stadium.
Gurzelen Stadium · · 💀 Dark history
The FC Biel-Bienne was on the verge of bankruptcy in 2016, but was saved by a new president, Dietmar Faes, who led the team to two consecutive promotions.
Tissot Arena · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Lauchetal valley was once home to a thriving textile industry, with the Baumwollspinnerei Lauchetal factory playing a significant role. However, the area's history is also marked by a darker even…
Lauchetal valley · · 💀 Dark history
Firmin Abauzit, a prominent figure in Geneva, was born in Uzès, France, but his family's story is marked by a daring escape from Catholic conversion. His mother, Anne Deville, defied the authorities…
Geneva · · 🏛️ Legendary
At Château de Sommières in Biel/Bienne, Anne Deville, Firmin Abauzit's mother, was imprisoned for two years in 1689 for refusing to convert her sons to Catholicism.
Château de Sommières · · 💀 Dark history
Hélène Smith, a medium and painter, had her automatic paintings exhibited at the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire in Geneva, which attracted a large crowd of visitors in 1929. Her artwork was created uncons…
Musée d'Art et d'Histoire · · 🤯 Weird
At the age of 14, Adrien Wettach, later known as the famous clown Grock, began his career by replacing a tightrope walker on a rope stretched between two houses in the Place du Marché-Neuf in Biel/Bi…
Place du Marché-Neuf · · 🏛️ Legendary
A massive protest with 15,000 people took place on the Market Square in 1930, where citizens from all walks of life gathered to protest against American tariffs that threatened the Swiss watch indust…
Market Square · · 🏛️ Legendary
At Station Square in Biel/Bienne, the famous writer Elias Canetti, who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1981, was featured in an exhibition in 2019, showcasing his writings and legacy.
Station Square · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Robert Walser-Sculpture by Thomas Hirschhorn was erected in front of the train station in Biel/Bienne in 2019, featuring a 860-page book with over 1000 photographs.
Biel/Bienne Train Station · · 🏛️ Legendary
The city of Biel/Bienne celebrated the Swiss National Day with a 'BeachTown Happy B-Day Swizerland Part 1' party on the lake shore, complete with music and fireworks, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Biel/Bienne Lake Shore · · 🤯 Weird
In front of the Bienne train station, a massive sculpture dedicated to Robert Walser was erected in 2019, thanks to the efforts of artist Thomas Hirschhorn, who spent 86 days on the project. The scul…
Bienne train station · · 🏛️ Legendary
A group of Portuguese folk dancers made a surprise appearance at the Robert Walser sculpture in Bienne, adding an unexpected layer of cultural exchange to the project.
Bienne · · 🤯 Weird
The Zwölfistein, a mysterious stone in Biel/Bienne, is said to turn around every quarter night at 12 o'clock. Its astronomically oriented edges are aligned in an east-west direction, adding to the en…
Zwölfistein · · 🤯 Weird
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
A man posing as Cristiano Ronaldo attempted to lure a child from the Dufour-Schule playground in Biel with sweets, but the child recognized the impostor and alerted their mother.
Dufour-Schule · · 🤯 Weird
Thieves broke into a wine cellar in Bözingenfeld through a ventilation shaft, stealing rare Bordeaux wines worth around 500,000 Swiss francs.
Bözingenfeld · · 💀 Dark history
A traffic camera at a Biel intersection has been incorrectly fining drivers who crossed the intersection on a green light, with some drivers receiving fines of 250 Swiss francs.
Biel Intersection · · 😂 Funny
Vandals cut holes in the owl enclosure at the Tierpark Biel, putting the lives of three birds of prey at risk, including a one-eyed owl that cannot survive in the wild.
Tierpark Biel · · 💀 Dark history
Rémi Bonnet, a renowned trail runner, set a new world record by running 1000 meters uphill in 27 minutes and 21 seconds, a feat that requires immense endurance and strength, showcasing the human body…
Fully · · 🏛️ Legendary
A couple rented the entire Elfenaupark in Biel for their wedding, despite only having a permit for a small part of it.
Elfenaupark · · 😂 Funny
A beehive at the Schulhaus Aegerten was attacked with stones, leaving only a fifth of the bees alive and putting the queen's ability to lay eggs at risk.
Schulhaus Aegerten · · 💀 Dark history
A loose horse was spotted running on the train tracks in Müntschemier, prompting a police operation to catch the animal and prevent a potential collision with an oncoming train.
Müntschemier · · 😂 Funny
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the famous philosopher, once spent a few months on the Île de St Pierre, which is located on Lake Biel. This island, near Erlach/Cerlier, is now a tourist attraction.
Île de St Pierre · · 🏛️ Legendary
The Bielersee is home to the invasive Quagga mussel, which has spread rapidly since 2018, potentially threatening the lake's ecosystem.
Bielersee · · 🤯 Weird
A Roman temple once stood on the St. Petersinsel, and its stone material was later reused to build a monastery in the early Middle Ages.
St. Petersinsel · 🔍 Hidden gems
The St. Petersinsel has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with archaeological findings dating back to the Spätbronzezeit and Hallstattzeit.
St. Petersinsel · 🔍 Hidden gems
At Omega SA in Biel/Bienne, a new generation of movements was developed that can resist magnetic fields of up to 15,000 gauss, eliminating the need for a protective inner case.
Omega SA · · 🏛️ Legendary
In the early 20th century, Omega's workers had to work 59.5 hours a week, which was less than the maximum 65 hours allowed by law, but still led to labor conflicts and strikes.
Omega Factory · · 💀 Dark history
A Roman helmet from the Roman era was found in the Zihl river in 1890 and later incorporated into the community's coat of arms in 1944.
Zihl river · · 🔍 Hidden gems
The first train station in Biel/Bienne was a provisional one, built in 1857 near the Schüss-Kanal, and was designed by Karl Etzel and Ludwig Maring. This historic spot is now close to the Zentralplat…
Zentralplatz · · 🔍 Hidden gems
Robert Walser, a famous Swiss writer, lived in a mansard in the Blaues Kreuz hotel in Biel, where he wrote several shorter stories that were published in newspapers and magazines in Germany and Switz…
Blaues Kreuz hotel · · 🏛️ Legendary
Robert Walser took extended walks, often by night, through unfamiliar neighborhoods in Biel, which inspired his stories and writing.
Biel neighborhoods · · 🔍 Hidden gems
Robert Walser, a famous Swiss writer, was born in a house that no longer exists at 3, rue du Général-Dufour. His life took a dramatic turn when his mother died when he was just 16 years old, and he h…
Rue du Général-Dufour · · 🏛️ Legendary
The FC Biel-Bienne's stadium, Gurzelen, was once threatened with demolition due to alleged structural issues, but was later saved and continued to host matches until 2015.
Gurzelen Stadium · · 🔍 Hidden gems
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
In Biel/Bienne, the area of Lommis is derived from the Old High German words 'loup' meaning 'leaf' or 'foliage' and 'misi' meaning 'to beat' or 'to strike', likely referring to the clearing of the fo…
Lommis · 🔍 Hidden gems
Romain Rolland, a famous author, conceived his grand work while staying in the Jura region above Solothurn, where he was inspired by the story of Baron de Breteuil, a French nobleman who built a beau…
Verena Gorge · · 🏛️ Legendary
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the famous philosopher, was welcomed back to Geneva in 1754 after a long period of exile. He was reintegrated into the community and regained his citizenship, thanks to the hel…
Geneva · · 🏛️ Legendary
Hélène Smith, also known as Catherine-Elise Muller, lived in an apartment on rue Liotard 37 in Geneva, where she created her automatic paintings. Her artwork was later studied by Professor Th. Flourn…
rue Liotard 37 · · 🔍 Hidden gems
Professor Th. Flournoy, who studied Hélène Smith's case, was a renowned psychologist and professor at the University of Geneva. He wrote several books on psychology and spirituality, including 'Des I…
University of Geneva · · 🏛️ Legendary
In Biel/Bienne, as of 1900, a family portrait taken by photographer Alphonse Brandt shows a remarkably serious and solemn family. See notrehistoire for the photograph.
Biel/Bienne · · 🔍 Hidden gems
In the 1950s, the Grand Magasins Bouldoires in Bienne organized a pedal car race for children, with a theoretical exam on traffic rules as a qualifying round.
Grand Magasins Bouldoires · · 😂 Funny
The Robert Walser Sculpture, a temporary art installation, was created in 2019 on the station square in honor of the famous poet Robert Walser, and was visited by thousands of people during its 86-da…
Station Square · · 🏛️ Legendary
💀 Dark history · 😂 Funny · 🔍 Hidden gems · 🏛️ Legendary · 🤯 Weird
Hidden stories of Switzerland beneath your feet
Facts are sourced from various open websites and may have been edited. Copyright of original content belongs to their respective owners.
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