Muriaux

Muriaux
State :	Switzerland
Canton :	Law (JU)
District :	Franches-Montagnes
BFS no. :	6753
Postal code :	2338 Muriaux 2345 Le Peuchapatte
Coordinates :	565 218  /  233088 coordinates: 47 ° 14 '52 "  N , 6 ° 58' 45"  O ; CH1903:  565218  /  233088
Height :	947  m above sea level M.
Height range :	716–1185 m above sea level M.
Area :	16.88  km²
Residents:	502 (December 31, 2018)
Population density :	30 inhabitants per km²
Website:	www.muriaux.ch
Location of the municipality

Muriaux is a municipality in the Franches-Montagnes district in the canton of Jura in Switzerland . The former German name Spiegelberg is no longer used today.

geography

Muriaux is 947  m above sea level. M. , 2 km southwest of the district capital Saignelégier (air line). The village extends in a trough on the Jura plateau of Freiberge (French Franches-Montagnes ), east from the deep valley of the Doubs .

The 14.3 km² municipal area comprises a section of the gently undulating plateau of the Plateaujura, on which boggy, mostly above-ground drainage-free depressions alternate with limestone peaks . North of Muriaux is the height of Derrière le Cras ( 995  m above sea level ), south of the village is the elevation of Craloup ( 1108  m above sea level ). These heights drop steeply to the west to the Doubstal, whose upper valley slope still belongs to the municipality of Muriaux. The border runs along the Arête des Sommêtres ridge on which the Spiegelberg ruins stand. The vast majority of the municipal area is taken up by extensive Jura pastures with large spruce trees standing individually or in groups, as well as forest areas in between. In the south Muriaux extends to the height ( 1115  m above sea level ) north of Les Breuleux.

An exclave located south of the main area includes the area near Cerneux-Veusil in the wide depression between the Jura chains of the Point de Vue in the north and the Montagne du Droit in the south. Since January 1, 2009, it has been enlarged by the former municipality of Le Peuchapatte .

On the northern slope of Mont Soleil , which belongs to the Montagne du Droit, was up to the merger with Le Peuchapatte at 1120  m above sea level. M. the highest point of Muriaux. In 1997, 4% of the municipal area was accounted for by settlements, 38% for forests and trees and 58% for agriculture.

The hamlets of Les Emibois ( 955  m above sea level ), Les Ecarres ( 970  m above sea level ), Les Chenevières ( 980  m above sea level ), Le Roselet ( 1052  m above sea level ) and Cerneux belong to Muriaux -Veusil ( 1035  m above sea level ), all located on the plateau of the Freiberg mountains, as well as numerous individual farms scattered far over the Jura meadows.

Neighboring municipalities of Muriaux are Le Noirmont , Saignelégier , La Chaux-des-Breuleux , Les Breuleux and in the canton of Jura and Villeret and Saint-Imier in the canton of Bern .

population

Population development
year	Residents
1850	801
1860	992
1900	908
1910	810
1930	621
1950	530
1960	461
1970	392
1980	400
1990	411
2000	430

With 502 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2018) Muriaux is one of the smaller communities in the canton of Jura. 91.2% of the residents are French-speaking, 7.4% German-speaking and 0.5% Italian-speaking (as of 2000). The population of Muriaux reached its highest level as early as 1860. After that, a decrease of around 60% was recorded until 1970 due to heavy emigration. Since then, a slightly increasing trend has been observed again.

economy

Muriaux is still a strongly agricultural village with dairy farming and cattle breeding . There are relatively few jobs outside of the primary sector. Many workers are therefore commuters and work in the neighboring towns of Saignelégier or Le Noirmont. The Foundation for Horses is located in the hamlet of Le Roselet .

traffic

The community is very well developed in terms of transport. It is located around 600 m west of the main road from Delémont to La Chaux-de-Fonds . On December 7, 1892, the Saignelégier – La Chaux-de-Fonds-Bahn , a predecessor of the Chemins de fer du Jura , opened with a train station each at Muriaux and Les Emibois.

history

The first mention of the local noble family Mireval dates back to the year 1315. Other forms of Muriaux's name are Mervaux , Murival and Murval . The origin of the settlement area of ​​Muriaux is the Spiegelberg Castle, which was probably built in the 13th century. This castle was the 14th and 17th century residence of the provincial governor of domination Freiberge that the Bishopric of Basel was under. The village of Muriaux developed near the castle around 1300. From 1793 to 1815 Muriaux belonged to France and was initially part of the Département du Mont-Terrible , from 1800 connected to the Département Haut-Rhin . By decision of the Congress of Vienna , the place came to the canton of Bern in 1815 and on January 1, 1979 to the newly founded canton of Jura. Since Muriaux does not have its own church, it is attached to the parish of Saignelégier .

photos

• 

  Muriaux

• 

  former Freiberg farmhouse in Muriaux

• 

  former school house in Muriaux

• 

  Hamlet of Les Emibois

• 

  Spinning top sculpture in Les Emibois

• 

  Primary school in Les Emibois

• 

  Foundation for the Horse, Le Roselet

• 

  Le Peuchapatte hamlet with a chapel

Attractions

See also : List of cultural assets in Muriaux

Rock ridge in the middle

The Doubs from the rock below the Spiegelberg ruins

On the striking rock ridge of Les Sommêtres is the Spiegelberg ruin, where today there is a small tourist hostel, from which a panorama of the canyon-like valley of the Doubs is cut into the Plateau Jura. Typical farmhouses from the 18th and 19th centuries with whitewashed facades and large roofs have been preserved in the various hamlets. Muriaux was the location of an automobile museum until 2008.

Web links

Commons : Muriaux  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Official website of the municipality of Muriaux
• François Kohler: Muriaux. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Permanent and non-permanent resident population by year, canton, district, municipality, population type and gender (permanent resident population). In: bfs. admin.ch . Federal Statistical Office (FSO), August 31, 2019, accessed on December 22, 2019 . 
2. ↑ Muriaux Auto-Museum / Collection accessed December 8, 2011