Bienne (Ger. Biel). I. A town of Switzerland, in the canton of Bern, pleasantly situated at the mouth of the valley of the Suze (Ger. Schuss), at the E. foot of the Jura, about 1 m. from the head of the lake of Bienne, 16 m. N W. of Bern; pop. in 1870, 8,113, chiefly Protestants speaking the German language, although in neighboring villages a French patois prevails. It is surrounded by walls and watch towers, and has an old castle used as a town hall, a fine parish church and gymnasium, and other public buildings. The town is especially noted for its manufactures of watches and of cotton prints, besides which cigars, leather, and other articles are made. Formerly under the jurisdiction of the see of Basel and involved in a protracted conflict with that bishopric, it fell to France in 1798, and in 1815 to the canton of Bern. II. Lake of (Ger. Bielersee), a sheet of water about 10 m. long and nearly 3 m. wide, commencing 3 m. N. of the lake of Neufehatel, and extending along the Jura mountains. It is about 1,400 feet above the level of the sea, and abounds in fish at a depth of over 200 feet.

It has for its only affluent a branch of the Suze or Schtiss river, and receives the waters of the lake of Neufchatel at its S. end through the Thiele, discharging them again at the N. E. end through the same river. One of the shores is dotted with villages and villas, while the other is rather desolate. Excellent wine is produced at the N. W. part of the lake between Neuve-ville and Bozingen. The scenery is attractive without being very striking, and the lake acquired celebrity through Rousseau, who resided for some time in 1765 on the island of St. Pierre, crowned by a grove of fine oaks, about 6 m. from the town of Bienne, and who gave a glowing description of it. His room is preserved nearly in the state in which he left it. On the S. E. shore of the lake is the most extensive peat moss of Switzerland, the peat being manufactured into petroleum, benzine, and pigments, in an establishment which was formerly known as the Gothic abbey of St. John. An ancient lacustrine village has been dug out recently from the morass.