Canton of Jura

The Republic and Canton of the Jura (French: République et Canton du Jura), also known as the Canton of Jura or Canton Jura, is one of the cantons of Switzerland. It is the newest (created in 1979) of the 26 Swiss cantons, located in the northwestern part of Switzerland. The capital is Delémont. It shares borders with the Canton of Basel-Landschaft, the Canton of Bern, the Canton Neuchâtel, the Canton of Solothurn and theFrench régions of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Grand Est.

Jura & Three-Lakes

The region "Jura & Three-Lakes" is famous for its great variety of landscapes, its intact and well-protected nature, its history and rich architectural heritage which is often related to the watch-making industry.

The mountains of Neuchâtel seem just like a green paradise between the blue sky and lake. Le Creux du Van and the asphalt mines in the Val-de-Travers as well as the towns of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, which were recognized by UNESCO in June 2009 for their remarkable watch-making heritage, are always worth a visit. 

Marked by nature and tradition, the Bernese Jura offers its visitors an abundance of free spaces between valleys, mountains and meadows of flowers, the ideal place for hiking. The Chasseral, highest point of the region, is a nature reserve. From its summit at an altitude of 1607 m, you can enjoy an incredible all-around panorama across lakes and valleys. 

The spacious canton of Jura, situated at an altitude of 1000 m, is the meeting place of man and horse. Rivers flow gently along plains and hills, then tumble into impressive gorges. Discover some wonders of nature such as the nature reserve Clos-du-Doubs or the high plain of the Franches-Montagnes. 

How can one best describe the Three-Lakes district? It makes you think of nature, vegetable plantations, vineyards, modern towns, picturesque villages, the mixture of the German and French languages, but also of water. As a matter of fact, a boat trip on the lakes of Biel, Murten and Neuchâtel or the river Aare is an unforgettable experience. The great classic cruise, the Three-Lakes Tour, should not be missed in any case. 

Bikers also appreciate the Three-Lakes district. Two national routes run across it, and many other trails invite to enjoy the sport at all levels. The trails leading through the vegetable plantations are especially suitable for families. 

The diversity of the towns is quite striking too. First of all Solothurn, the most beautiful baroque town of Switzerland, then Murten and its historic town wall, Estavayer-le-Lac, the medieval town per se, Neuchâtel at the foot of the vineyards and Biel, the watch-makers‘ town with its many unrecognized historic and architectural treasures. Visitors will be enchanted by all these riches.

History

The King of Burgundy donated much of the land that today makes up Canton Jura to the Bishop of Basel in 999. The area was a sovereign state within the Holy Roman Empire for more than 800 years. After the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 the Jura had close ties with the Swiss Confederation. At the Congress of Vienna (1815), the Jura region became part of the canton of Bern. This act caused dissention. The Jura was French-speaking and Roman Catholic, whereas the canton of Bern was mostly German-speaking and Protestant.

After World War II, a separatist movement campaigned for a secession of Jura from the Canton of Bern. After a long and partly militant struggle, which included some arson attacks by a youth organisation Les Béliers, a constitution was accepted in 1977. In 1978 the split was made official when the Swiss people voted in favour, and in 1979 the Jura joined the Swiss Confederation as a full member. The canton celebrated its independence from the Canton of Bern on 23 June. However, the southern part of the region, which is also predominantly French-speaking but has a Protestant majority, opted not to join the newly formed canton, instead remaining part of the Canton of Bern. Although this decision may be considered strange linguistically, the choice may have been influenced by the fact that the Canton of Bern is financially richer and is at the heart of federal power in Switzerland. The area is now known as Bernese Jura. The word Jura, therefore, may refer either to Canton Jura, or to the combined territory of Canton Jura and the Bernese Jura. Switzerland as a whole often presents the latter from a touristic standpoint with documentation easily available in French or German.

On creation, the canton adopted the title Republic and Canton of the Jura. Other cantons in Switzerland using the title "Republic and Canton" are Ticino, Canton Geneva, and Canton Neuchâtel. In each case, the title refers to the autonomy of the canton and its nominal sovereignty within the Swiss Confederation.

Since 1994, the question of the Jura region has again been controversial. In 2004, a federal commission proposed that the French-speaking southern Jura be reunited with the Canton of Jura, as the language question now seems to be more important than the denominational one. A possible solution would be to create two Half-Cantons, as reunification with the creation of only a single Canton would mean a complete restructuring of the Jura's current political system with the Cantonal capital being transferred from Delémont to Moutier.

Geography

Canton Jura lies in the northwest of Switzerland. It consists of parts of the Jura mountains in the south and the Jura plateau in the north. The Jura plateau is hilly and almost entirely limestone. The districts of Ajoie and Franches-Montagnes lie in this region. The term "Jurassic" is derived from the Jura Alps, strata of which date to that era.

To the north and the west of the Canton lies France. The canton of Solothurn and Basel-Landschaft are to east of the canton, while the canton of Bern bounds the Jura to the south. The rivers Doubs and the Birs drain the lands. The Doubs joins the Saône and then the Rhône, whereas the Birs is a tributary to the Rhine.

Castles, monuments

Castle Vorbourg
Castle Asuel
Castle Pleujouse
Castle Löwenburg
Raymontpierre Castle
Castle of Porrentruy
Prince-Bishops' Castle
Castle of Domont
Castle of Saint-Ursanne
Castle Coeuve
museums

The Jura has several museums:

the Jura Museum of Art and History (MJAH) in Delémont (regional history and regional artists)
the Museum of the Hôtel-Dieu in Porrentruy (Treasury of St. Peter's Church, 19th pharmaceuticals, watches, precious stones workshop, prints of the bishopric of Basel)
the Jura Museum of Natural Sciences in Porrentruy (minerals, fossils, geology, mushrooms, thematic dioramas, history of evolution)
Some are less important:

Pottery museum in Bonfol
Rural Jurassic Museum in Genevez (Rural Habitat old, roof shingles, ovens, vaults, tools, objects 600)
Musée Chappuis-Fähndrich Develier (thousands of items of everyday life of the Jura from 1700 to 1950)
Museum of Libra Asuel (iconography, artwork and archaeological artifacts of the castle of Asuel + presentation of the medieval castles of Jura)
Museum Mount repais located in the chapel of the Caquerelle Asuel (perpetuate the history of the region Rangiers)
Löwenburg Museum (archaeological finds of the Neanderthal to modern times)
Museum of old trades in Fahy
Museum of old traditions in Grandfontaine (Agricultural Museum and Old Traditions)
Lapidary Museum in St. Ursanne (Carolingian and Merovingian tombs)
Noah's Ark in Vicques (More than 2,000 stuffed animals).
Gastronomy

The damassine is the name of a regional water spirits produced mainly in Ajoie from the sort of plum called damassine, after a variety of plum of Damascus: the damassinier.

The pork crafted in Ajoie on the occasion of St. Martin and its feasts have an unrivaled reputation.

Contact

Jura & Trois-Lacs
Rue d’Aarberg 107A
2502 Biel / Bienne
Tel. +41 (0)32 328 40 10
Fax +41 (0)32 328 40 11
info@j3l.ch
www.j3l.ch

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canton_of_Jura

Source http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-th/destinations/regions/jura-three-lakes.html