Pasquart church (Biel/Bienne)

Pasquart Church in Biel/Bienne is a Neo-Romanesque Reformed church built for the city's French-speaking congregation. It sits on a terrace above the town centre, at the foot of the Jura, in the Pasquart quarter. Locals also call it the Église du Pasquart, and in the past it was the Französische Kirche, or French Church.

Why was a church built at Pasquart?

In 1893 the Reformed parish of Biel decided that its growing French-speaking community needed a house of worship of its own. It bought land that had once belonged to the Rockhall estate. A design competition ran in 1897 and 1898, and Armin Stöcklin won the commission. Building took place between 1902 and 1904, with the inauguration on 12 June 1904. The clock tower followed in 1923, and a year later a ring of four bells cast by the Rüetschi foundry in Aarau was hung in it.

What can you see outside?

The plan is cruciform, crowned by a tall bell tower. The walls are rough-faced blocks of pale Jura limestone, and the detailing is late Romanesque Revival. The architectural sculpture is by Karl Joseph Leuch. A gilded inscription, "DIEU SOIT AVEC VOUS", runs above the main portal and is broken in the middle by a carved head of Christ wearing the crown of thorns. A plaque on the east facade honours Thomas Wyttenbach, a Biel reformer who taught Huldrych Zwingli.

Next door stand the early Baroque Rockhall mansion and two neo-Baroque villas, so the whole corner rewards a slow walk.

Which windows and interior details matter?

The large rose windows are the work of Zurich glass artist Friedrich Berbig: baptism in the east, the gospel in the south and the Last Supper in the west. Charles Clément added further stained glass in 1951. The interior was renovated in 1951-52 and again in 2000-01, and in 2019 the tower was restored and the facades cleaned.

What is special about the organ?

The first organ, built by Kuhn in 1907, had 21 stops. A larger three-manual Kuhn instrument replaced it in 1952. Today's organ, by Füglister, dates from 2001 and stands on the re-erected north gallery. It has fully mechanical action, 40 stops and four manuals. Services from the church have been broadcast on Swiss and European television, including Eurovision transmissions.

How do you get there?

The bus stop "Französische Kirche" on Alpenstrasse is named after the church and is served by Biel city bus line 5. The coordinates are 47.1403 N, 7.2420 E. On foot from the centre it is a gentle uphill walk towards the Jura slopes.

Frequently asked questions

Is Pasquart Church the same as Centre PasquArt? No. Centre PasquArt is an art centre in a former hospital dating from 1866. The church is a separate building in the same neighbourhood.

Who designed the church? Armin Stöcklin, winner of the 1897-98 competition. Karl Joseph Leuch made the sculpture.

What style is it? Late Romanesque Revival, with a cross-shaped plan and Jura limestone facades.

Why was it once called the French Church? The parish built it for services in French, serving Biel/Bienne's French-speaking residents.