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{{Short description|Town and municipality in Bern, Switzerland}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Infobox Swiss town
|subject_name      = Thun
|image_photo       = 1 thun castle view 2012.jpg
|image_caption     = Thun in 2012
|municipality_type = town, municipality
|imagepath_flag    = Flag of Thun.svg
|imagepath_coa     = CHE Thun BE COA.svg
|canton            = Bern
|iso-code-region   = CH-BE
|district          = [[Thun (administrative district)|Thun]]
|coordinates       = {{coord|46|46|N|7|38|E|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code       = 3600-3645
|municipality_code = 0942
|area              = 21.57
|elevation         = 560
|elevation_description= Railway station
|highest_m         = 1172
|highest           = Dürrenbergwald
|lowest_m          = 552
|lowest            = [[Aare]] at Lerchenfeld
|population        = 42735|populationof = Dec 2012|  popofyear = 2012 
|mayor             = Raphael Lanz|mayor_asof=February 2014 |mayor_party=SVP/UDC
|mayor_title       = Stadtpräsident |list_of_mayors = List of mayors of Thun
|executive_name    = Gemeinderat|executive_number_of_members = 5
|parliament_name   = Stadtrat|parliament_number_of_members = 40
|places            = 
|demonym           = {{langx|de|Thuner(in)}}
|neighboring_municipalities= [[Amsoldingen]], [[Heiligenschwendi]], [[Heimberg, Switzerland|Heimberg]], [[Hilterfingen]], [[Homberg, Switzerland|Homberg]], [[Schwendibach]], [[Spiez]], [[Steffisburg]], [[Thierachern]], [[Uetendorf]], [[Zwieselberg]]
|twintown          = 
|website           = www.thun.ch
}}
'''Thun''' ({{IPA|de|tuːn|-|De-Thun.ogg}}; {{langx|fr|Thoune}} {{IPA|fr|tun|}}) is a [[List of towns in Switzerland|town]] and a [[Municipalities of Switzerland|municipality]] in the administrative district of [[Thun (administrative district)|Thun]] in the [[Cantons of Switzerland|canton]] of [[Canton of Bern|Bern]] in [[Switzerland]]. It is located where the [[Aare]] flows out of [[Lake Thun]] (Thunersee), {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=off}} southeast of [[Bern]].

{{as of|December 2018}} the municipality has almost about 45,000 inhabitants and around 80,000 live in the agglomeration.

Besides tourism, machine and precision instrument engineering, the largest [[garrison]] in the country, the food industry, armaments and publishing are of economic importance to Thun.

The official language of Thun is (the Swiss variety of Standard) [[Swiss Standard German|German]], but the main spoken language is the local variant of the [[Alemannic German|Alemannic]] [[Swiss German (linguistics)|Swiss German]] dialect.

== History ==
[[File:HMB Bronzeaxt goldverziert Bronzezeit 1800 BC.jpg|thumb|left|Thun-Renzenbühl axe, 1800 BC]]
[[File:Thun in der Topographia Helvetiæ, Rhætiæ et Valesiæ.png|thumb|left|Thun in the "Topographia Helvetiæ, Rhætiæ et Valesiæ" by [[Matthäus Merian the Elder]], 1654]]
[[File:4197 - Thun - Schloss Thun over Rathausplatz.JPG|thumb|left|Castle Thun over City Hall Square]]
The area of what is now Thun was inhabited since the [[Neolithic Europe|Neolithic]] age (mid-3rd millennium BC). During the early [[Bronze Age Europe|Bronze Age]] there were a number of settlements along the lake shore and the Aare. A site at Renzenbühl had a local chief or nobleman's grave which contained one of the richest collections of [[Bronze Age Switzerland|early Bronze Age]] artifacts in Europe. The Thun-Renzenbühl axe, dating from 1800 BC, is one of the earliest examples of [[damascening]] technique in the world.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquaries-journal/article/abs/new-insights-into-early-bronze-age-damascene-technique-north-of-the-alps/0C74D76C52E605D69BB5114429B95BF2|title=New insights into early bronze age damascene technique north of the alps|date=June 2013|journal=The Antiquaries Journal |volume=93|pages=25–53|doi=10.1017/S0003581513000012|last1=Berger|first1=Daniel|last2=Hunger|first2=Katja|last3=Bolliger-Schreyer|first3=Sabine|last4=Grolimund|first4=Daniel|last5=Hartmann|first5=Stefan|last6=Hovind|first6=Jan|last7=Müller|first7=Felix|last8=Lehmann|first8=Eberhard|last9=Vontobel|first9=Peter|last10=Wörle|first10=Marie|s2cid=129042338 }}</ref> The gold inlay decoration on the axe may also have a numerical, astronomical meaning.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.e-periodica.ch/cntmng?pid=geo-007%3A2007%3A105%3A%3A1162|title=Das Randleistenbeil von Thun-Renzenbühl als Venus-Kalender|date=June 2007|journal=Geomatik Schweiz |volume=8 |pages=392–396|doi=10.5169/seals-236442|last1=Kerner|first1=M.}}</ref> Another site at Wiler contained approximately 1,500 maritime snail shells which were harvested from the Mediterranean and traded over the [[Swiss Alps|Alps]].<ref name=HDS/>

The name of the town derives from the [[Celtic language|Celtic]] term ''Dunum'', meaning "fortified town". It fell to [[Roman Republic|Rome]] in 58 BC, when [[Roman Army|Roman legions]] conquered almost all of Switzerland, and it soon became one of the main centers of Roman administration in the region.

The Romans were driven out of Thun, and out of the rest of Switzerland, by the [[Burgundians]] around 400 AD. The Aare became the frontier between the Christian Burgundians and the Pagan, German-speaking [[Alemanni]], who lived north. The region was mentioned for the first time during the 7th century, in the chronicle of [[Franks|Frankish]] monk [[Fredgar]]. The town is first mentioned in 1133 as ''Tuno''.<ref name=HDS/>

The region of Thun became a part of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] in 1033, when [[Conrad II, Holy Roman Empire|Conrad II]] gained the title of King of Burgundy. The emperors entrusted the [[House of Zähringen|Zähringen]] family, centred in Bern, with subduing the unruly nobles of central Switzerland. Around 1190 Duke [[Bertold V of Zähringen]], built [[Thun castle]] and expanded the town. After Bertold's death in 1218, his territories went to Ulrich III von Kyburg.

In 1264 Thun received town rights and in 1384 the town was bought by the canton of Bern. Thun was the capital of the [[Canton of Oberland]] of the [[Helvetic Republic]], which lasted from 1798 until 1803.

In 1819 a Military School was founded in the town, which later developed into the main military school in Switzerland. Thun was connected to the railway network of Switzerland in 1859 and telephone access made available in 1888.
{{clear left}}

==Geography and climate==
===Topography===
[[File:Thun Blickrichtung Burg 1900.jpg|thumb|Photochrome of the Aare and Thun Castle from 1900]]
The center of Thun is located on the Aare, just downstream of the point where that river flows out of Lake Thun, and encompasses both banks of the river and an island between. The town covers an area of {{convert|21.6|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, with the town boundaries reaching up to {{convert|4|km|abbr=on}} from the town centre. The town ranges in altitude between about {{convert|560|m|abbr=on}}, in the town center, and {{convert|1170|m|abbr=on}}, on its eastern boundary.<ref name=SFSO/><ref name=swmap>{{cite map | publisher = Swiss Confederation | title = map.geo.admin.ch | url = http://map.geo.admin.ch/?selectedNode=node_ch.swisstopo.swissboundaries3d-gemeinde-flaeche.fill1&Y=614682&X=177273.83255814&zoom=6&bgLayer=ch.swisstopo.pixelkarte-farbe&layers=ch.swisstopo.swissboundaries3d-gemeinde-flaeche.fill&layers_opacity=1&layers_visibility=true&lang=en | access-date = 2013-03-05}}</ref>

Thun has an area of {{Swiss area|0942|mi=on}}.{{Swiss area data|0942|QUELLE}}<!--21.58 - 21.59 km2--> As of the 2004 survey, a total of {{convert|6.03|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} or 27.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while {{convert|4.32|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} or 20.0% is forested. Of rest of the municipality {{convert|10.76|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} or 49.9% is settled (buildings or roads), {{convert|0.29|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} or 1.3% is either rivers or lakes and {{convert|0.19|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} or 0.9% is unproductive land.<ref name=BFS_land>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/02/03/blank/data/gemeindedaten.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office-Land Use Statistics] 2009 data {{in lang|de}} accessed 27 August 2014</ref>

From the same survey, industrial buildings made up 5.7% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 26.8% and transportation infrastructure made up 12.1%. while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 4.4%. All of the forested land area is covered with heavy forests. Of the agricultural land, 11.4% is used for growing crops and 15.6% is pasturage. Of the water in the municipality, 0.9% is in lakes and 0.4% is in rivers and streams.<ref name=BFS_land/>

On 31 December 2009 Amtsbezirk Thun, of which it was the capital, was dissolved. On the following day, 1 January 2010, it became the capital of the larger Verwaltungskreis Thun.<ref name=Mutation>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/nomenklaturen/blank/blank/gem_liste/02.html Nomenklaturen – Amtliches Gemeindeverzeichnis der Schweiz] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113231755/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/nomenklaturen/blank/blank/gem_liste/02.html |date=2015-11-13 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 4 April 2011</ref>

[[File:ETH-BIB-Thun v. S. aus 300 m-Inlandflüge-LBS MH01-001182.tif|thumb|Aerial view by [[Walter Mittelholzer]] (1919)]]

===Climate===
Between 1981 and 2010 Thun had an average of 123.7 days of rain or snow per year and on average received {{convert|1024|mm|in|abbr=on}} of [[Precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]]. The wettest month was August during which time Thun received an average of {{convert|138|mm|in|abbr=on}} of rain or snow. During this month there was precipitation for an average of 11.7 days. The month with the most days of precipitation was June, with an average of 12.9, but with only {{convert|132|mm|in|abbr=on}} of rain or snow. The driest month of the year was February with an average of {{convert|46|mm|in|abbr=on}} of precipitation over 8.3 days.<ref name=MeteoSchweiz>{{cite web | url =http://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/web/en/climate/swiss_climate/tabellen.html | title =Norm Values Tables, 1981-2010 | access-date =22 January 2013 | publisher =Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology - MeteoSwiss | language =de, fr, it | url-status =dead | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130514205349/http://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/web/en/climate/swiss_climate/tabellen.html | archive-date =14 May 2013 }}, the Thun weather station elevation is {{convert|570|m|ft|abbr=off}} [[above sea level]].</ref>

==Politics==
{{expand section|date=May 2020}}

===Coat of arms===
The [[blazon]] of the municipal [[coat of arms]] is ''Gules on a Bend Argent in chief a Mullet of Seven Or.''<ref>[http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ch-be359.html Flags of the World.com] accessed 7 October 2014</ref>

===Elections===
====National Council====
In the [[2023 Swiss federal election]] for the [[National Council (Switzerland)|Swiss National Council]], the most popular party was the [[Swiss People's Party|SVP]] which received 26.14% (-0.49%) of the vote. Followed by the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]] at 21% (+4.1%), the [[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland|GLP]] at 12.69% (+1.84%), and the [[Green Party of Switzerland]] at 11.32% (-3.74%). Voter participation 45.2%, up by 2.4% from the previous election.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Federal elections - Bern: live results |url=https://www.elections.admin.ch/en/be/commune/942/ |access-date=2025-09-08 |website=www.elections.admin.ch}}</ref>

In the [[2019 Swiss federal election|2019 federal election]] the most popular party was the [[Swiss People's Party|SVP]] which received 26.6% (-4.2) of the vote. The next six most popular parties were the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]] (16.9%, -2.1), the [[Green Party of Switzerland|Green Party]] (15.1%, +5.6), the [[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland|glp]] (10.9%, +4.0), [[FDP.The Liberals|FDP]] (7.6%, -1.0), the [[Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland|BDP]] (7.0%, -4.1), and the [[Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland|EVP]] (5.9%, +0.1).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfsstatic/dam/assets/9386461/appendix |title=NR - Ergebnisse Parteien (Gemeinden) (INT1) |format=CSV |editor=Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO |type=official statistics |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO |via=opendata.swiss |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland |date=28 November 2019 |language=de, fr, it |access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref> In the federal election a total of 13,904 votes were cast, and the [[voter turnout]] was 42.8%.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfsstatic/dam/assets/9386463/appendix |title=NR - Wahlbeteiligung (Gemeinden) (INT1) |format=CSV |editor=Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO |type=official statistics |via=opendata.swiss  |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland |date=28 November 2019 |language=de, fr, it |access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref>

{{update section|date=May 2020}}

In the [[2011 Swiss federal election|2011 federal election]] the most popular party was the [[Swiss People's Party|Swiss People's Party (SVP)]] which received 25.5% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party (SP)]] (19.6%), the [[Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland|Conservative Democratic Party (BDP)]] (16.1%) and the [[Green Party of Switzerland|Green Party]] (8.9%). In the federal election, a total of 15,012 votes were cast, and the [[voter turnout]] was 46.8%.<ref name=election_2011>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/17/02/blank/data/05/03.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office 2011 Election] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114214422/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/17/02/blank/data/05/03.html |date=2013-11-14 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 8 May 2012</ref>

===International relations===
====Twin & sister towns====
From 1996 to 2019 Thun was twinned with [[Gabrovo]] in Bulgaria.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thun.ch/ueber-thun/staedtepartnerschaften/gabrovo.html |title=Gabrovo
|publisher=Stadt Thun |location=Thun, Switzerland |date=9 May 2019 |language=de |access-date=2020-05-21}}</ref>

====Zähringer towns====
For 30 years, authorities, associations and other population groups have been visiting the Zähringer towns. In Germany, this friendly alliance includes: [[Freiburg im Breisgau]], [[Villingen-Schwenningen]], [[Neuenburg am Rhein]], [[Bräunlingen]], [[Sankt Peter, Baden-Württemberg|St. Peter]] in the Black Forest and [[Weilheim an der Teck]], and in Switzerland: [[Bern]], [[Fribourg|Freiburg]], [[Burgdorf, Switzerland|Burgdorf]], [[Murten]] and [[Rheinfelden (Aargau)|Rheinfelden]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thun.ch/ueber-thun/staedtepartnerschaften/zaehringerstaedte.html |title=Zähringerstädte|publisher=Stadt Thun |location=Thun, Switzerland |language=de |access-date=2020-05-21}}</ref>

==Demographics==
===Population===
[[File:2011-07-23 Lago de Thun (Foto Dietrich Michael Weidmann) 456.JPG|thumb|Low rise apartments in Thun]]
[[File:2011-07-23 Lago de Thun (Foto Dietrich Michael Weidmann) 468.JPG|thumb|Historic and modern buildings in Thun]]
Thun has a population ({{as of|{{Swiss populations YM|CH-BE}}|lc=on}}) of {{Swiss populations|CH-BE|0942}}.{{Swiss populations ref|CH-BE}} {{as of|2012}}, 12.3% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Between the last 2 years (2010–2012) the population changed at a rate of 0.3%. Migration accounted for 0.4%, while births and deaths accounted for -0.4%.<ref name=SFSO>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office] accessed 7 October 2014</ref>

Most of the population ({{as of|2000|lc=on}}) speaks [[German language|German]] (36,551 or 90.5%) as their first language, [[Italian language|Italian]] is the second most common (728 or 1.8%) and [[Albanian language|Albanian]] is the third (511 or 1.3%). There are 399 people who speak [[French language|French]] and 31 people who speak [[Romansh language|Romansh]].<ref name=STAT2000/>

{{as of|2013}}, the population was 47.5% male and 52.5% female. The population was made up of 17,629 Swiss men (41.1% of the population) and 2,779 (6.5%) non-Swiss men. There were 19,956 Swiss women (46.5%) and 2,559 (6.0%) non-Swiss women.<ref>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/01/02/blank/key/bevoelkerungsstand/02.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office - Ständige Wohnbevölkerung nach Staatsangehörigkeit, Geschlecht und Gemeinde] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101162935/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/01/02/blank/key/bevoelkerungsstand/02.html |date=2015-01-01 }} accessed 7 October 2014</ref> Of the population in the municipality, 12,265 or about 30.4% were born in Thun and lived there in 2000. There were 15,105 or 37.4% who were born in the same canton, while 5,846 or 14.5% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 5,699 or 14.1% were born outside of Switzerland.<ref name=STAT2000/>

{{as of|2012}}, children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 17.5% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 60.7% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 21.8%.<ref name=SFSO/>

{{as of|2000}}, there were 15,905 people who were single and never married in the municipality. There were 18,969 married individuals, 2,875 widows or widowers and 2,628 individuals who are divorced.<ref name=STAT2000>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.3%20-%202000/40.3%20-%202000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=3&openChild=true STAT-TAB Datenwürfel für Thema 40.3 - 2000] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809142611/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.3%20-%202000/40.3%20-%202000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=3&openChild=true |date=2013-08-09 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 2 February 2011</ref>

{{as of|2010}}, there were 7,537 households that consist of only one person and 919 households with five or more people.<ref>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/01/04/blank/key/haushaltsgroesse.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office - Haushaltsgrösse] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006073036/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/01/04/blank/key/haushaltsgroesse.html |date=2014-10-06 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 8 May 2013</ref> {{as of|2000|alt=In 2000}}, a total of 18,153 apartments (92.4% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 1,080 apartments (5.5%) were seasonally occupied and 406 apartments (2.1%) were empty.<ref name=Housing>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_09%20-%20Bau-%20und%20Wohnungswesen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen.asp?lang=1&prod=09&secprod=2&openChild=true Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB - Datenwürfel für Thema 09.2 - Gebäude und Wohnungen] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907111534/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_09%20-%20Bau-%20und%20Wohnungswesen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen.asp?lang=1&prod=09&secprod=2&openChild=true |date=2014-09-07 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 28 January 2011</ref> {{as of|2012}}, the construction rate of new housing units was 5.5 new units per 1000 residents.<ref name=SFSO/>

{{as of|2003}} the average price to rent an average apartment in Thun was 1017.63 [[Swiss franc]]s (CHF) per month (US$810, £460, €650 approx. exchange rate from 2003). The average rate for a one-room apartment was 601.00 CHF (US$480, £270, €380), a two-room apartment was about 784.97 CHF (US$630, £350, €500), a three-room apartment was about 927.87 CHF (US$740, £420, €590) and a six or more room apartment cost an average of 1821.24 CHF (US$1460, £820, €1170). The average apartment price in Thun was 91.2% of the national average of 1116 CHF.<ref name=BFS_rent>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/05/06/blank/key/einfuehrung.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office-Rental prices] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423161803/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/05/06/blank/key/einfuehrung.html |date=2010-04-23 }} 2003 data {{in lang|de}} accessed 26 May 2010</ref>
[[File:Thun, picturesque townscape..jpg|thumb|Historic Thun]]
The vacancy rate for the municipality, {{as of|2013|alt=in 2013}}, was 0.1%. In 2012, single family homes made up 46.7% of the total housing in the municipality.<ref>[http://www.atlas.bfs.admin.ch Statistischer Atlas der Schweiz - Anteil Einfamilienhäuser am gesamten Gebäudebestand, 2012] accessed 5 August 2014</ref>

====Historic population====
The historical population is given in the following chart:<ref name=HDS>{{HDS|541|Thun}}</ref>
<timeline>
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  id:lightgrey value:gray(0.9)
  id:darkgrey  value:gray(0.8)
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PlotArea   = top:10 left: 100 bottom:90 right:100
Legend     = columns:3 left:220 top:70 columnwidth:160
AlignBars  = justify
DateFormat = x.y
Period     = from:0 till:41000
TimeAxis   = orientation:vertical
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ScaleMajor = gridcolor:darkgrey increment:8000 start:0
ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightgrey increment:1600 start:0
Colors=
 id:TO     value:yellowgreen      legend:Total
 id:GE     value:teal      legend:German_Speaking
 id:IT     value:green      legend:Italian_Speaking
 id:PR     value:lightpurple      legend:Protestant
 id:CA     value:oceanblue      legend:Catholic
 id:SW     value:red      legend:Swiss
PlotData=
  color:yellowgreen width:40   mark:(line,white) align:center
  bar:1850 from:start till:6019 text:"6,019" color:TO
  bar:1870 from:start till:7290 text:"7,290" color:TO
  bar:1888 from:start till:8286 text:"8,286" color:TO
  bar:1900 from:start till:10213 text:"10,213" color:TO
  bar:1910 from:start till:12173 text:"12,173" color:TO
  bar:1930 from:start till:16524 text:"16,524" color:TO
  bar:1950 from:start till:24157 text:"24,157" color:TO
  bar:1970 from:start till:36523 text:"36,523" color:TO
  bar:1990 from:start till:38211 text:"38,211" color:TO
  bar:2000 from:start till:40377 text:"40,377" color:TO
LineData =
  points:(244,170)(307,187)  color:GE
  points:(307,187)(369,205)  color:GE
  points:(369,205)(431,246)  color:GE
  points:(431,246)(493,315)  color:GE
  points:(493,315)(556,417)  color:GE
  points:(556,417)(618,431)  color:GE
  points:(618,431)(680,447)  color:GE
  points:(244,90)(307,91)  color:IT
  points:(307,91)(369,91)  color:IT
  points:(369,91)(431,91)  color:IT
  points:(431,91)(493,93)  color:IT
  points:(493,93)(556,106)  color:IT
  points:(556,106)(618,99)  color:IT
  points:(618,99)(680,97)  color:IT
  points:(120,148)(182,159)  color:PR
  points:(182,159)(244,168)  color:PR
  points:(244,168)(307,185)  color:PR
  points:(307,185)(369,203)  color:PR
  points:(369,203)(431,240)  color:PR
  points:(431,240)(493,302)  color:PR
  points:(493,302)(556,391)  color:PR
  points:(556,391)(618,377)  color:PR
  points:(618,377)(680,364)  color:PR
  points:(120,91)(182,92)  color:CA
  points:(182,92)(244,92)  color:CA
  points:(244,92)(307,94)  color:CA
  points:(307,94)(369,95)  color:CA
  points:(369,95)(431,99)  color:CA
  points:(431,99)(493,111)  color:CA
  points:(493,111)(556,142)  color:CA
  points:(556,142)(618,142)  color:CA
  points:(618,142)(680,147)  color:CA
  points:(120,147)(182,159)  color:SW
  points:(182,159)(244,168)  color:SW
  points:(244,168)(307,187)  color:SW
  points:(307,187)(369,204)  color:SW
  points:(369,204)(431,247)  color:SW
  points:(431,247)(493,321)  color:SW
  points:(493,321)(556,418)  color:SW
  points:(556,418)(618,431)  color:SW
  points:(618,431)(680,435)  color:SW
</timeline>
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
! colspan="12" | Historic Population Data <ref name=HDS/>
|-
! Year
! Total Population
! German Speaking
! Italian Speaking
! Protestant
! Catholic
! Other
! Jewish
! Muslim
! No religion given
! Swiss
! Non-Swiss
|-
! Scope="row" | Beginning 15th century
| align="center" | ca. 1400 ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  |
|-
! Scope="row" | 1764
| align="center" | 1,414 ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  |
|-
! Scope="row" | 1798
| align="center" | 1,566 ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  |
|-
! Scope="row" | 1818
| align="center" | 1,936 ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  |
|-
! Scope="row" | 1836
| align="center" | 2,646 ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  | ||  |
|-
! scope="row" | 1850
| align="center" | 6,019 || align="center" | || align="center" | || align="center" |5,897 || align="center" |121 || align="center" |1 || align="center" | || align="center" | || align="center" | || align="center" |5,866 || align="center" |153
|-
! scope="row" | 1870
| align="center" | 7,290 || align="center" | || align="center" | || align="center" |7,076 || align="center" |236 || align="center" |6 || align="center" | || align="center" | || align="center" | || align="center" |7,034 || align="center" |284
|-
! scope="row" | 1888
| align="center" | 8,286 || align="center" |8,154 || align="center" |13 || align="center" |8,038 || align="center" |233 || align="center" |15 || align="center" |4 || align="center" | || align="center" | || align="center" |8,007 || align="center" |279
|-
! scope="row" | 1900
| align="center" | 10,213 || align="center" |9,951 || align="center" |55 || align="center" |9,762 || align="center" |417 || align="center" |34 || align="center" |26 || align="center" | || align="center" | || align="center" |9,904 || align="center" |309
|-
! scope="row" | 1910
| align="center" | 12,173 || align="center" |11,805 || align="center" |107 || align="center" |11,540 || align="center" |537 || align="center" |96 || align="center" |27 || align="center" | || align="center" | || align="center" |11,693 || align="center" |480
|-
! scope="row" | 1930
| align="center" | 16,524 || align="center" |15,979 || align="center" |114 || align="center" |15,372 || align="center" |968 || align="center" |184 || align="center" |35 || align="center" | || align="center" | || align="center" |16,060 || align="center" |464
|-
! scope="row" | 1950
| align="center" | 24,157 || align="center" |23,105 || align="center" |273 || align="center" |21,774 || align="center" |2,150 || align="center" |233 || align="center" |34 || align="center" | || align="center" | || align="center" |23,667 || align="center" |490
|-
! scope="row" | 1970
| align="center" | 36,523 || align="center" |33,566 || align="center" |1,663 || align="center" |30,825 || align="center" |5,325 || align="center" |373 || align="center" |22 || align="center" |16 || align="center" |178 || align="center" |33,662 || align="center" |2,861
|-
! scope="row" | 1990
| align="center" | 38,211 || align="center" |34,944 || align="center" |895 || align="center" |29,426 || align="center" |5,314 || align="center" |3,471 || align="center" |22 || align="center" |307 || align="center" |1,093 || align="center" |34,932 || align="center" |3,279
|-
! scope="row" | 2000
| align="center" | 40,377 || align="center" |36,551 || align="center" |728 || align="center" |28,120 || align="center" |5,852 || align="center" |6,405 || align="center" |17 || align="center" |1,365 || align="center" |2,765 || align="center" |35,315 || align="center" |5,062
|-
|}

===Religion===
[[File:Kirche Scherzligen, Seeseite.jpg|thumb|upright|The historic Scherzligen Church in Thun]]
From the {{as of|2000|alt=2000 census}}, 26,334 or 65.2% belonged to the [[Swiss Reformed Church]], while 5,852 or 14.5% were [[Roman Catholic]]. Of the rest of the population, there were 441 [[Eastern Orthodox Church|members of an Orthodox church]] (or about 1.09% of the population), there were 37 individuals (or about 0.09% of the population) who belonged to the [[Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland|Christian Catholic Church]], and there were 1,823 individuals (or about 4.51% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church. There were 17 individuals (or about 0.04% of the population) who were [[Judaism|Jewish]], and 1,365 (or about 3.38% of the population) who were [[Muslim]]. There were 115 individuals who were [[Buddhism|Buddhist]], 347 individuals who were [[Hinduism|Hindu]] and 35 individuals who belonged to another church. 2,765 (or about 6.85% of the population) belonged to no church, are [[Agnosticism|agnostic]] or [[Atheism|atheist]], and 1,246 individuals (or about 3.09% of the population) did not answer the question.<ref name=STAT2000/>

===Economy===
{{as of|2011|In 2011}}, Thun had an unemployment rate of 2.41%. {{as of|2011}}, there were a total of 28,536 people employed in the municipality. Of these, there were 114 people employed in the [[Primary sector of the economy|primary economic sector]] and about 44 businesses involved in this sector. The [[Secondary sector of the economy|secondary sector]] employs 6,625 people and there were 450 businesses in this sector. The [[Tertiary sector of the economy|tertiary sector]] employs 21,797 people, with 2,696 businesses in this sector.<ref name=SFSO/> There were 20,515 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 44.5% of the workforce.

{{as of|2008|alt=In 2008}} there were a total of 20,331 [[full-time equivalent]] jobs. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 66, of which 63 were in agriculture, 1 was in forestry or lumber production and 1 was in fishing or fisheries. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 6,159 of which 3,898 or (63.3%) were in manufacturing and 2,092 (34.0%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 14,106. In the tertiary sector; 2,910 or 20.6% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 918 or 6.5% were in the movement and storage of goods, 968 or 6.9% were in a hotel or restaurant, 345 or 2.4% were in the information industry, 663 or 4.7% were the insurance or financial industry, 1,075 or 7.6% were technical professionals or scientists, 692 or 4.9% were in education and 2,457 or 17.4% were in health care.<ref>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_06%20-%20Industrie%20und%20Dienstleistungen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen.asp?lang=1&prod=06&secprod=2&openChild=true Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB Betriebszählung: Arbeitsstätten nach Gemeinde und NOGA 2008 (Abschnitte), Sektoren 1-3] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225013454/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_06%20-%20Industrie%20und%20Dienstleistungen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen.asp?lang=1&prod=06&secprod=2&openChild=true |date=2014-12-25 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 28 January 2011</ref>

{{as of|2000|alt=In 2000}}, there were 12,673 workers who commuted into the municipality and 9,195 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 1.4 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving. A total of 11,320 workers (47.2% of the 23,993 total workers in the municipality) both lived and worked in Thun.<ref name=commuter>[http://www.media-stat.admin.ch/stat/pendler/pop.php Swiss Federal Statistical Office - Statweb] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120804043150/http://www.media-stat.admin.ch/stat/pendler/pop.php |date=2012-08-04 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 24 June 2010</ref> Of the working population, 27% used public transportation to get to work, and 41.2% used a private car.<ref name=SFSO/>

The local and cantonal tax rate in Thun is one of the lowest in the canton. In 2012 the average local and cantonal tax rate on a married resident, with two children, of Thun making 150,000 [[Swiss franc|CHF]] was 12.1%, while an unmarried resident's rate was 18.1%.<ref>[http://www.atlas.bfs.admin.ch Statistischer Atlas der Schweiz - Steuerbelastung, 2012 Politische Gemeinden] {{in lang|de}} accessed 4 August 2014</ref> For comparison, the average rate for the entire canton in 2011, was 14.2% and 22.0%, while the nationwide average was 12.3% and 21.1% respectively.<ref>[http://www.estv2.admin.ch/d/dokumentation/zahlen_fakten/karten/sb-2011_rangliste/index-d.htm Swiss Federal Tax Administration - Grafische Darstellung der Steuerbelastung 2011 in den Kantonen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016062122/http://www.estv2.admin.ch/d/dokumentation/zahlen_fakten/karten/sb-2011_rangliste/index-d.htm |date=2013-10-16 }} {{in lang|de|fr}} accessed 17 June 2013</ref>

In 2010 there were a total of 20,367 tax payers in the municipality. Of that total, 6,140 made over 75,000 CHF per year. There were 133 people who made between 15,000 and 20,000 per year. The greatest number of workers, 6,238, made between 50,000 and 75,000 CHF per year. The average income of the over 75,000 CHF group in Thun was 113,507 CHF, while the average across all of Switzerland was 131,244 CHF.<ref>[http://www.estv.admin.ch/dokumentation/00075/00076/00701/01362/index.html?lang=de Federal Tax Administration Report Direkte Bundessteuer - Natürliche Personen - Gemeinden - Steuerjahr 2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006202236/http://www.estv.admin.ch/dokumentation/00075/00076/00701/01362/index.html?lang=de |date=2014-10-06 }} {{in lang|de|fr}} accessed 5 August 2014</ref>

In 2011 a total of 2.4% of the population received direct financial assistance from the government.<ref>[http://www.atlas.bfs.admin.ch Statistischer Atlas der Schweiz - Bezüger/-innen von Sozialhilfeleistungen (Sozialhilfeempfänger/-innen), 2011] accessed 18 June 2013</ref>

==Public transport==
[[File:2011-07-23 Lago de Thun (Foto Dietrich Michael Weidmann) 457.JPG|thumb|Thun railway station]]
The main node for public transport in Thun is [[Thun railway station]]. Here [[public transport bus service]], both within the urban area and connecting Thun with nearby towns, is provided by [[Verkehrsbetriebe STI]]. Intercity passenger rail service is provided by [[BLS AG]] and by [[SBB CFF FFS|Swiss Federal Railways (SBB&nbsp;CFF&nbsp;FFS)]]. BLS also operates passenger ships on Lake Thun, which reach the station by means of the [[Thun ship canal]].

==Main sights==
* [[Thun Castle]] (twelfth century) with a history museum. This has several sections about medieval armour and weaponry and rural life.
* The Rathaus (town hall), erected in the 16th century
* Lake Thun and the view of the [[Bernese Alps]], including the [[Niederhorn]], [[Niesen]], [[Stockhorn]] and Eiger, Mönch, and [[Jungfrau]] peaks.
* The [[Wocher Panorama]], the oldest remaining panorama drawing in the world.
* The [[Kunstmuseum Thun]]
* [[Schloss Schadau]]
* [[Panzermuseum Thun]], with several World War II armored vehicles and weapons

===Heritage sites of national significance===
The Steamship Blüemlisalp, the former Hotel Bellevue-Du Parc, the former Hotel Thunerhof, the ''zum Rosengarten'' House, the Landsitz Bellerive, the armory (Mannschaftskaserne), the former hospital at Platzschulhaus, the [[Seat of local government|Rathaus]] (Town council house), the [[Swiss Reformed Church|Reformed]] Church of Scherzligen and the Sammlung Historisches Armeematerial (Collection of Historical Military Equipment) are listed as Swiss [[Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance|heritage site of national significance]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/de/home/themen/kgs/kgs_inventar/a-objekte.html|title=Kantonsliste A-Objekte|year=2009|work=KGS Inventar|publisher=Federal Office of Civil Protection|language=de|access-date=25 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628110559/http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/de/home/themen/kgs/kgs_inventar/a-objekte.html|archive-date=28 June 2010}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Thun with birds.jpg|Thun with birds
File:Swiss Steamboat Bluemlisalp lake Thun.jpg|Steamship Blüemlisalp
File:Thun Rathaus.JPG|Town council house
File:Thunersee.jpg|View of Thun and Lake Thun from the [[Niederhorn]]
File:Schloss Thun 2014a.jpg|Thun Castle
File:Thun, Shadau Castle, Bernese Oberland, Switzerland-LCCN2001701261.jpg|The Castle of Schadau in an early 20th-century image
File:Thunersee, Eiger, Mönch und Jungfrau.jpg|[[Eiger]], [[Mönch]] and [[Jungfrau]]
File:Thun Landsitz Bellerive Parkseite.jpg|Landsitz Bellerive
</gallery>

==Education==
[[File:HFThun Aussenaufnahme.JPG|thumb|The Hotelfachschule (Hotel management school) in Thun]]
In Thun about 57.3% of the population have completed non-mandatory [[Education in Switzerland#Secondary|upper secondary education]], and 17.6% have completed additional higher education (either [[List of universities in Switzerland|university]] or a ''[[Fachhochschule]]'').<ref name=SFSO/> Of the 4,675 who had completed some form of tertiary schooling listed in the census, 68.6% were Swiss men, 22.5% were Swiss women, 5.8% were non-Swiss men and 3.1% were non-Swiss women.<ref name=STAT2000/>

The Canton of Bern school system provides one year of non-obligatory [[Kindergarten]], followed by six years of Primary school. This is followed by three years of obligatory lower Secondary school where the students are separated according to ability and aptitude. Following the lower Secondary students may attend additional schooling or they may enter an [[apprenticeship]].<ref>{{Cite report |title=Kantonale Schulstrukturen in der Schweiz und im Fürstentum Liechtenstein / Structures Scolaires Cantonales en Suisse et Dans la Principauté du Liechtenstein |url= http://edudoc.ch/record/35128/files/Schulsystem_alle.pdf |author= EDK/CDIP/IDES |year= 2010 |access-date= 24 June 2010 }}</ref>

During the 2012–13 school year, there were a total of 3,923 students attending classes in Thun. There were a total of 603 students in the German language kindergarten classes in the municipality. Of the kindergarten students, 18.7% were permanent or temporary residents of Switzerland (not citizens) and 29.9% have a different mother language than the classroom language. The municipality's primary school had 2,050 students in German language classes. Of the primary students, 15.7% were permanent or temporary residents of Switzerland (not citizens) and 26.3% have a different mother language than the classroom language. During the same year, the lower secondary school had a total of 1,270 students. There were 12.5% who were permanent or temporary residents of Switzerland (not citizens) and 23.1% have a different mother language than the classroom language.<ref name=School>[http://www.erz.be.ch/erz/de/index/direktion/organisation/generalsekretariat/statistik/schul-_und_gemeindetabellen.html Datei der Gemeinde- und Schultabellen]{{in lang|de}} accessed 23 July 2014</ref>

{{as of|2000|In 2000}}, there were a total of 5,562 students attending any school in the municipality. Of those, 4,331 both lived and attended school in the municipality, while 1,231 students came from another municipality. During the same year, 427 residents attended schools outside the municipality.<ref name=commuter/>

Thun is home to the ''Stadtbibliothek Thun'' library. The library has ({{as of|2008|lc=on}}) 56,800 books or other media, and loaned out 330,316 items in the same year. It was open a total of 300 days with average of 35 hours per week during that year.<ref>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/16/02/02/data.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office, list of libraries] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706231342/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/16/02/02/data.html |date=2015-07-06 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 14 May 2010</ref>

== Sports ==
[[File:Arena.thun.night.jpg|thumb|The Thun Arena at night]]
* [[Soccer]]: [[FC Thun]] plays in the Swiss Challenge League. Their home ground is [[Arena Thun]]. On 23 August 2005 FC Thun qualified for the group stages of the [[UEFA Champions League]].
* [[Handball]]: [[Wacker Thun]] plays in the [[Swiss Handball League|SHL]]. Their home ground is the 2,000-seat [[Sporthalle Lachen]]. They have won the swiss championship twice.
* [[Ice hockey]] : [[EHC Thun]] plays in the [[Swiss 1. Liga (ice hockey)|MySports League]], the third tier of Swiss hockey. They play their home games in the 4,000-seat Grabengut.
* [[Orienteering]]: Thun hosted the 1981 [[World Orienteering Championships]].
* [[Freestyle Kayak]]: Thun hosted the [http://www.icf-thun2009.ch/index.php/en/ 2009 ICF Freestyle World Championships].
* [[Thun Tigers]]: [[American football]] club that currently plays in the top division in Switzerland [[Nationalliga A (American football)]]. The Tigers play their home games at [[Stadion Lachen]] in Thun which holds 10,000.

== In fiction ==
* A scene in the spy novel ''[[Smiley's People]]'' by [[John le Carré]] is set here.
* [[Robert Walser (writer)|Robert Walser]]'s story ''[[Heinrich von Kleist|Kleist]] in Thun'' is set here.

== Notable residents ==
[[File:Portret Eduard Rubin.jpg|140px|thumb|Kolonel Eduard Alexander Rubin, 1920]]
[[File:Regula Rytz (cropped).jpg|140px|thumb|Regula Rytz]]
[[File:Simona de Silvestro 2010 Indy 500 OWAS.JPG|140px|thumb|Simona de Silvestro, 2010]]

; 19th C
* [[Eduard Rubin]] (1846-1920), a Swiss mechanical engineer, invented the [[full metal jacket bullet]]
* [[Niklaus Gerber]] (1850-1914), a Swiss dairy chemist and industrialist
* [[Edward Bullough]] (1880–1934), an English [[Aesthetics|aesthetician]] and scholar of modern languages
* [[Renée Schwarzenbach-Wille]] (1883–1959), a passionate horsewoman, photographer and music-lover about which she kept a photographic diary
* [[Markus Feldmann]] (1897–1958), a Swiss politician, member of the Swiss Federal Council 1951-1958

; 20th C 
* [[Drs. P]] (Heinz Hermann Polzer) (1919–2015), a Swiss singer-songwriter, poet, and prose writer in the Dutch language
* [[Jean Ziegler]] (born 1934), politician, professor and author
* [[Guy Bovet]] (born 1942), a Swiss organist and composer
* [[Alexandre Dubach]] (born 1955), a Swiss violinist
* [[Peter Maurer]] (born 1956), President of the [[International Committee of the Red Cross]] since 2012
* [[Stefan Haenni]] (born 1958), a Swiss painter and a crime novel writer
* [[Regula Rytz]] (born 1962), politician, sociologist and historian <ref name="woz-20111110">{{cite web|url=http://www.woz.ch/1145/regula-rytz/die-pragmatische-brueckenbauerin|title=Die pragmatische Brückenbauerin|publisher=[[WOZ Die Wochenzeitung]] 45/2011|author=Noëmi Landolt|language=de|date=2011-11-10|access-date=2016-04-16}}</ref> 
* [[Philipp Fankhauser]] (born 1964), a Swiss blues musician and songwriter
* [[Sandra Moser]] (born 1969), a Swiss stage and film actress <ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0608532/  IMDb Database] retrieved 27 November 2018</ref>

; Sport
* [[Heinz Schneiter]] (1935–2017), a football player and manager
* [[Hanspeter Latour]] (born 1947), a football manager and former goalkeeper
* [[Walter Balmer (footballer)|Walter Balmer]] (1948-2010), an international footballer, played 20 games for the national side
* [[Ralph Pichler]] (born 1954), a bobsledder, competed at the [[1984 Winter Olympics]]
* [[Markus Eggler]] (born 1969), a retired curler, competed in the [[2002 Winter Olympics|2002]] and [[2010 Winter Olympics]]
* [[Bruno Kernen (born 1972)|Bruno Kernen]] (born 1972), an alpine ski racer, bronze medallist in the [[2006 Winter Olympics]] 
* [[Ivan Rieder]] (born 1976), a Nordic combined skier, competed in the [[2006 Winter Olympics]] 
* [[Marc Schneider (footballer)|Marc Schneider]] (born 1980), a footballer, played over 330 games, current manager of [[FC Thun]]
* [[Zdravko Kuzmanovic]], (born 1987), a footballer
* [[Simona de Silvestro]] (born 1988), a race car driver
* [[Stjepan Kukuruzović]] (born 1989), a Swiss-born Croatian footballer
* [[Nico Müller]] (born 1992), a race car driver

==See also==
* [[Thunerseespiele]]

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Thun}}
{{wikivoyage}}
*{{official website|www.thun.ch}} {{in lang|de}}
*[http://www.thuntourismus.ch/ Tourist information]
*{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Thun | volume= 26 |last= Coolidge |first= William Augustus Brevoort |author-link= W. A. B. Coolidge| page = 898 |short= 1}}

{{Municipalities of the administrative district of Thun}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Thun| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Municipalities of the canton of Bern]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Aare]]
[[Category:Populated places on Lake Thun]]
[[Category:Cultural property of national significance in the canton of Bern]]