Payerne

Bertha of Swabia (c. 907-after 966), queen of Burgundy, is venerated as 'la bonne reine Berthe' throughout the Romandy. In legend she rode through her domain on a white palfrey spinning wool, with a special saddle built for her distaff. She taught local women to spin. Between 950 and 960, she founded the priory at Payerne, calling Benedictine monks from Cluny. The French proverb 'Ce n'est plus le temps où la reine Berthe filait' means 'those golden days are long gone'.

In 1818, bones found in the nave were identified as Queen Bertha's and transferred to a tomb in the Gachet Chapel. On 20 May 2021, the tomb was opened for scientific examination: the bones belonged to a male individual aged 30-60, carbon-14 dated to the 15th century (1420-1495) — ruling out Queen Bertha entirely. The monks themselves had falsified documents in the 12th century, the so-called 'Testament of Queen Bertha'. The true location of her remains remains one of Payerne's unsolved mysteries.

On 8 July 2010, pilot André Borschberg took off from Payerne in Solar Impulse 1 and completed the world's first crewed 26-hour solar-powered flight, including nearly 9 hours of night flying, reaching 9,235 metres. Payerne became the home base for Solar Impulse 2, which made its first flight from Payerne on 2 June 2014 and completed the first solar-powered circumnavigation of the globe on 26 July 2016. Payerne Air Base, opened in 1921, is one of Switzerland's most important military airfields.

The Abbatiale de Payerne is Switzerland's largest Romanesque church, with a nave over 60 metres long and 15 metres high. After the Reformation and Bernese conquest of 1536, the priory was closed and the church suffered humiliating uses: bell foundry, grain store, prison, military barracks, and fire engine depot, with interior floors subdividing the nave. After a decade-long restoration, the church reopened on 11 July 2020 as a museum with 20 interactive stations and 5 immersive experiences.

Antoine-Henri Jomini (1779-1869) was born in Payerne on 6 March 1779. His father and grandfather both served as mayor (syndic) of Payerne. He became one of the most celebrated military theorists of the 19th century, serving under Napoleon and Marshal Ney. His masterwork Précis de l'art de la guerre (1838) became required reading at military academies worldwide, notably West Point. A permanent exhibition is housed at the Abbey Church museum.

On 2 February 1033, Emperor Conrad II of the Holy Roman Empire held an assembly at the priory and was crowned King of Burgundy in the church — a pivotal moment when the Kingdom of Burgundy was absorbed into the Empire. The church's nave extends over 60 metres and is covered by a barrel vault rising 15 metres high. The abbey was founded by Queen Bertha and placed under Cluny's authority by her daughter Empress Adelaide in 965.

An organ by German builder Jürgen Ahrend was installed in the Abbey Church in 1999 and is used for concerts throughout the year. The Abbey Church, built in the first third of the 11th century following the model of Cluny II, features magnificent sculpted capitals, mural paintings from the 11th-14th centuries, and a Gothic bell tower. Payerne Air Base, home to F/A-18 Hornet squadrons, is one of Switzerland's most important military airfields. The two sonic worlds — sacred music and military aviation — coexist in this small town.

In 1531, Guillaume Farel attempted to preach in Payerne but was refused entry to the church. He preached in the cemetery instead, provoking a mob that threatened to throw him into the Broye river — the assistant bailiff had to smuggle him into prison for his own safety. By 1532-1533, Payerne adopted the Protestant Reformation — notably before Bern's conquest of Vaud in 1536. The Broye is a 68 km river flowing through the Broye valley.