Oberwil im Simmental is a municipality in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.

[3] During the Paleolithic era (20,000-10,000 BC) humans lived in several caves above the valley floor during the summer.

Today the tools and bones are at the Historical Museum of Bern while the caves can be visited with tour groups.

After the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, Alamanni tribes settled in the Simmen valley and established villages and alpine pastures.

[5] In 994, the royal estate at Wimmis and part of Oberwil was donated to Selz Abbey in Alsace.

During the Middle Ages, two castles Festi and Heidenmauer were built above the valley floor.

By the 12th century the remaining settlements and land were owned by the Freiherr von Weissenburg.

In 1439 all the Weissenburg lands, including Oberwil and the surrounding settlements, were acquired by Bern.

During the 16th century the entire Simmen valley converted from subsistence agriculture to raising cattle and producing cheese from milk.

Today, while the municipality has some small businesses and tourism, the main industry is still agriculture.

[7] The large municipality spreads across much of the Simmental (Simmen valley) and the meadows and forests of the surrounding mountains.

It consists of the Bäuerten (farming collectives) of Oberwil, Hintereggen, Pfaffenried, Bunschen and Waldried.

[8] The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Per fess Argent a Castle Gules and Vert.

[16] The historical population is given in the following chart:[3][17][18] The Venner house is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

The entire village of Oberwil im Simmental and the hamlet of Pfaffenried are part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.

In the tertiary sector; 18 or 39.1% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 7 or 15.2% were in the movement and storage of goods, 12 or 26.1% were in a hotel or restaurant, 2 or 4.3% were the insurance or financial industry, and 1 was a technical professional or scientist.

[26] From the 2000 census[update], 692 or 86.2% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church, while 14 or 1.7% were Roman Catholic.

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

[27] During the 2011-12 school year, there were a total of 63 students attending classes in Oberwil im Simmental.