Municipal Archives
The Municipal Archives holds documents of historical, social and legal importance spanning the last 700-plus years of Biel/Bienne's history.
The Municipal Archives are the central repository for the archive records of the municipal authorities and administrative bodies, as well as those persons and institutions that perform public functions on behalf of the city. Archival holdings of private or semi-private origin that are important for Biel/Bienne and the region are also collected. In this way, the Municipal Archives traces the actions of the public authorities and ensures that the Biel/Bienne’s history is passed on. Staff also advise the municipal authorities on records management and preservation planning, assist the public in their research activities and make archival records available for consultation.
Research and consultation of records
Online catalogue
You can search our online catalogue of archival holdings and place an order by e-mail or using the contact form for the records you wish to consult in our reading room.
If you are looking for archival holdings not yet catalogued, please feel free to get in touch by phone, e-mail, or by using the contact form.
Notes on catalogue searches
For historical reasons, the majority of the Municipal Archive's records are in German and are listed and described accordingly in the archive catalog. French-language archival records are listed in French in the same way. The respective entry in the archive catalogue shows the languages used in the corresponding dossier.
Consultations
Consultations of records in our reading room are free, in accordance with the current rules. A fee may be charged for special requests.
Link to the Regulations for the Use of the Municipal Archives (RDCo 1.1-6.1 [pdf, 40 KB]
Opening times
The reading room is accessible by appointment only. Please contact us to make an appointment.
Useful links
- The Swiss archival landscape and archives portals:
- HelveticArchives: the archive database of the Swiss National Library
- Swiss Assciation of Archivists (VSA-AAS): overview of members’ archives (Switzerland and Liechtenstein; not available in English)
- Archives online: can be used to search the databases of all participating Swiss archives simultaneously
- arCHeco: an overview of trade and industry archives in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
- Genealogical research:
- Bern State Archives
- Seeland Office of Vital Statistics: registers of births, marriages and deaths (not available in English)
- Parish registers online (not available in English)
- Help in finding documents concerning compulsory social measures and placements:
- Bern State Archives
- Biel/Bienne and Bern Victim Supprt Service (not available in English)
- Construction records:
- Architectural census of the canton of Bern: an inventry of listed buildings and monuments in the canton of Bern (not available in English).
- Architektur Archive Bern (in German): a network that recovers the records and estates of majors architects in the Bernese plateau region for donation to public archives; also provides help with classification
- Archives gta (in German): research archives connected with modern architecture in German-speaking Switzerland
- Acm Archives de la construction moderne (in French): EPFL’s documentation service on modern architecture in Switzerland