Delémont

On June 23, 1974, the historic plebiscite was held in the Jura region: 51.93% voted in favor of creating a new canton, separating from the Canton of Bern. The French-speaking, Catholic Jurassians had chafed under the rule of German-speaking, Protestant Bern since the Congress of Vienna assigned the former Prince-Bishopric of Basel to Bern in 1815. The Rassemblement jurassien, founded in 1947 by Roland Beguelin and others, had campaigned for decades under the motto "Jura libre!" On September 24, 1978, the Swiss people approved the new canton by an 82.3% majority. The Republique et Canton du Jura was officially born on January 1, 1979 -- Switzerland's 26th and youngest canton, with Delemont as its capital.

The Vouivre is the Jura region's most famous legendary creature -- a winged serpent with a glowing ruby or diamond on its forehead, guarding hidden treasures in caves, springs, and ruined castles. According to legend, the Vouivre removes its precious stone when bathing, leaving it vulnerable to theft. The Sentier Auguste Quiquerez is a circular walking trail from Delemont to Soyhieres, named after the pioneering historian and archaeologist Auguste Quiquerez (1801-1882), who served as prefect of the Delemont district from 1838 and excavated Roman and medieval sites across the Jura. The Chapelle du Vorbourg perches on a rocky promontory overlooking the gorge of the Birs between Delemont and Soyhieres.

The vieille ville of Delemont preserves its medieval layout with picturesque facades, covered arcades, and cobblestone streets. Two of the original four city gates survive: the Porte au Loup to the north (named after a Monsieur Loup who lived nearby 700 years ago) and the Porte de Porrentruy to the west. The Circuit secret Delemont offers visitors a unique experience: climbing hidden staircases behind the Porte au Loup, ascending the bell tower of the Eglise Saint-Marcel, and exploring the castle's guardhouse. The great Basel earthquake of October 18, 1356 -- the most destructive seismic event in Central European recorded history (magnitude 6.0-7.1) -- destroyed the Vorbourg chapel and damaged buildings throughout the region. The Telsperg knights had a feudal castle on the Vorbourg promontory from the 11th to 15th centuries.

The Jura Arc is one of the world's historic watchmaking heartlands, and Delemont sits at its eastern edge. L'Epee 1839, the oldest Swiss clock manufacturer, is headquartered in Delemont -- famous for its luxury mechanical clocks and platform escapements, acquired by LVMH in 2024. Wenger, founded in 1893 in nearby Courtetelle, became world-famous as one of only two manufacturers of the Swiss Army knife; it was acquired by Victorinox in 2005. The former Wenger factory in Delemont continues production as the Delemont Collection within the Victorinox brand. Watchmaking reached the Delemont valley with industrialization in the 1870s, spurred by the construction of the Delemont-Bienne railroad.

The Freiberger (French: Franches-Montagnes) is Switzerland's only native horse breed, originating in Canton Jura. Before breed standardization, three distinct types were recognized, including the Delemont type -- described as the smallest, most compact, resistant, and vigorous. Horse breeding has been documented in the Jura region since about 1620, with the Franches-Montagnes highlands serving as natural pastureland. A stud-book was established in 1960 and closed to external admixture in 1997. The breed is celebrated at the annual Marche-Concours national de chevaux in Saignelegier, held since 1897. The old town of Delemont is adorned with five or six monumental Renaissance-style fountains from the 16th century, featuring painted figure sculptures.

The Chateau des princes-eveques (Prince-Bishops' Castle) was constructed from 1716 to 1721 under Prince-Bishop Jean-Conrad de Reinach as a Baroque summer residence to replace older episcopal buildings. The castle is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance. Delemont was annexed by the prince-bishops of Basel in the 11th century for use as a summer residence. During the Protestant Reformation, the chapter of canons from Moutier-Grandval relocated to Delemont from 1534 to 1792. Today the castle houses a primary school -- a practical Swiss reuse of a princely building. The city lies at the confluence of the Sorne and the Birs rivers, surrounded by the forested ridges of the Jura Mountains.

The Chapelle du Vorbourg was consecrated in 1049 by Pope Leo IX, the Alsatian pope traveling to the Council of Reims via Moutier-Grandval, originally dedicated to Saint Imier and Saint Othmar. The great Basel earthquake of October 18, 1356 destroyed the chapel. After the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), the chapel was rebuilt and a statue of Notre-Dame du Vorbourg was installed; on April 7, 1658, the Virgin Mary became the chapel's patron saint. In 1869, the coronation of the Virgin Mary statue by Bishop Eugene Lachat transformed the Vorbourg into a true Marian sanctuary. During World War II, the pastor of Delemont vowed to establish a permanent chaplaincy if Switzerland was spared Nazi occupation -- Benedictine monks served the chapel until 2018. The annual Semaine du Vorbourg takes place every mid-September.

The old town of Delemont is adorned with five or six monumental Renaissance-style fountains dating from the 16th century, featuring painted figure sculptures. The Rue du 23-Juin is the main old town thoroughfare, named for the historic 1974 plebiscite vote. The Musee jurassien d'art et d'histoire (MJAH), founded in 1909 by historian Abbe Arthur Daucourt, houses collections spanning prehistory to contemporary art, including the oldest known decorated crosier in the world, and is located on the ramparts of the old town at Rue du 23-Juin 52.