Brienz (US: /briˈɛnts/ bree-ENTS,[3][4] German: [briːnts],[5] Alemannic German pronunciation: [b̥riə̯nts])[6] is a village and municipality on the northern shore of Lake Brienz, at the foot of the Brienzer Rothorn mountain, and in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland.

Politically, the municipality is located in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district of the canton of Bern.

In the 5th century BC, the Celts settled in the alpine valleys among the sources of the Rhone, the Rhine and the Danube, eventually stretching from the headwaters down to Vienna and Belgrade.

In 1888, the metre gauge Brünig railway opened between Brienz and Alpnachstad, on Lake Lucerne.

Brienz therefore became, for a while, a transfer point on a hybrid ship and rail route from Interlaken to Lucerne.

By 1916 the Brünig railway had been extended to Interlaken along the north shore of the lake, and Brienz found itself simply an intermediate stop on a through rail route.

Heading away from the right shore the land rises to the Rotschalp, Planalp and Giebelegg before reaching the Brienzer Rothorn (2,351 m (7,713 ft)).

Heading away from the left shore it rises over the Brienzerberg and Giessbach Falls, Tschingelfeld, Hinterburg and Axalp until it reaches the Schwarzhorn (2,928 m (9,606 ft)).

[11] The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Per bend sinister wavy Azure and Argent overall a Lion rampant counterchanged langued and vilene Gules.

[15] Most of the population (as of 2000[update]) speaks German (2,746 or 92.9%) as their first language, French is the second most common (38 or 1.3%) and Albanian is the third (38 or 1.3%).

The historical population is given in the following chart:[7][18] The abandoned medieval and early modern alpine village of Axalp and the Giessbach Hotel Complex are listed as Swiss heritage site of national significance.

The urbanized village of Brienz and the Hotel Giessbach are both part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.

All of the initial steps involved in building these clocks are done in its woodworking facility in Brienz, the rest of the manufacturing process continues in Zurich where the timepieces are assembled, checked and adjusted.

In the tertiary sector; 156 or 19.3% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 91 or 11.2% were in the movement and storage of goods, 293 or 36.2% were in a hotel or restaurant, 23 or 2.8% were in the information industry, 21 or 2.6% were the insurance or financial industry, 37 or 4.6% were technical professionals or scientists, 49 or 6.1% were in education and 63 or 7.8% were in health care.

[15] From the 2000 census[update], 425 or 14.4% were Roman Catholic, while 2,000 or 67.7% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.

The wettest month was July during which time Brienz received an average of 160 mm (6.3 in) of rain or snow.

The month with the most days of precipitation was June, with an average of 14.3, but with only 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain or snow.

The driest month of the year was February with an average of 82 mm (3.2 in) of precipitation over 9.4 days.

This is followed by three years of obligatory lower Secondary school where the students are separated according to ability and aptitude.

[22] Brienz railway station is the main public transport hub in the village.

The station itself is served by trains on the Brünig line of the Zentralbahn railway company.