Röthenbach im Emmental

Röthenbach im Emmental is a municipality in the administrative district of Emmental in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.

The village probably grew up around the Cluniac Röthenbach Priory which was founded before 1148. It was subordinate to Rüeggisberg Priory and was led by prior who was appointed by Rüeggisberg. By the Late Middle Ages there was a village near the Priory and a parish church above Röthenbach at Würzbrunnen. The prior was the landlord and judge over the villagers and administered the parish and parish church. The church was first mentioned in 1275. In 1399, Bern bought the Herrschaft of Signau which included parts of Röthenbach. The prior retained the low court right over some of the residents of the five settlements near the Priory. The Bernese vogt sat in judgement over the remaining villagers and the further settlements. Rüeggisberg Priory gradually declined and in 1484 both Rüeggisberg and Röthenbach were incorporated into the newly built college of the Augustinian Canons of Bern Minster. In 1494 the Priory church of St. Mary and the parish church of St. Stephen were both damaged in a fire and were quickly rebuilt. In 1528, Bern adopted the new faith of the Protestant Reformation and secularized the monasteries, including Röthenbach Priory. The Priory lands were eventually assigned to the newly created political municipality of Röthenbach. The Priory church was demolished between 1540 and 1558, though it was rebuilt in 1905.

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