St. Peter's Island is a peninsula and former island situated in Lake Biel in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. It has a length of about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) and a maximum width of 800 metres (2,600 ft). Its highest point is 474 metres (1,555 ft) above sea level or 45 metres (148 ft) above lake level. It was formed in the last Ice Age, when the Rhône Glacier reached as far as the Jura mountains. It is a promontory of the Jolimont, above Erlach. Politically the island is split between the municipalities of Erlach and Twann-Tüscherz, the largest part belonging to the latter municipality.
St. Peter's Island as seen from Twann/Douanne
The former priory building
Aerial view (1958)
The canton of Bern, or Berne, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. Its capital city, Bern, is also the de facto capital of Switzerland. The bear is the heraldic symbol of the canton, displayed on a red-yellow background.
Helveto-Roman settlement Bern-Engehalbinsel
Baths at Engehalbinsel near Bern
Siege and execution of the garrison at Grandson
View from the Chasseral across the Mittelland to the Bernese Alps