Editing Orbe

{{short description|Place in Vaud, Switzerland}}
{{other uses}}
{{redirect|Urba}}
{{Infobox Swiss town
 | subject_name		= Orbe
 | municipality_type	= municipality
 | image_photo          = Orbe VD.JPG
 | image_caption        = Orbe town
 | imagepath_coa	= CHE Orbe COA.svg
 | imagepath_flag	= CHE Orbe Flag.svg
 | canton		= Vaud
 | iso-code-region 	= CH-VD
 | district		= [[Jura-Nord vaudois District|Jura-Nord Vaudois]]
 |coordinates = {{coord|46|43|N|06|32|E|display=inline,title}}
 | postal_code		= 1350
 | municipality_code	= 5757
 | area			= 12.04
 | elevation		= 479|elevation_description= 
 | population		= 5063|populationof=2003
 | website		= www.orbe.ch
 | mayor		= |mayor_asof=|mayor_party=
 | mayor_title	= Syndic |list_of_mayors	= 
 | places		= 
 | demonym		= 
 | neighboring_municipalities= [[Agiez]], [[Arnex-sur-Orbe]], [[Chavornay, Switzerland|Chavornay]], [[Épendes, Vaud|Épendes]], [[Essert-Pittet]], [[Mathod]], [[Montcherand]], [[Valeyres-sous-Rances]]
 | twintowns		= 
|}}
'''Orbe''' ({{IPA|fr|ɔʁb|lang}}; {{langx|la|Urba}}; older {{langx|de|Orbach}}, {{IPA|de|ɔʁbax|}}; {{langx|frp|Orba}}) is a [[Municipalities of Switzerland|municipality]] in the [[Switzerland|Swiss]] [[Cantons of Switzerland|canton]] of [[Vaud]].  It was the seat of the former [[Orbe District|district of Orbe]] and is now part of the district of [[Jura-Nord vaudois District|Jura-Nord Vaudois]].

==History==
Orbe is first mentioned about 280 as ''Urba''.  In 1179, it was mentioned as ''versus Orbam''.<ref name=HDS/>

===Ancient history===
During the [[Switzerland in the Roman era|Roman era]], Orbe – then known as Urba – was a town of [[Gallia]], in the territory of the [[Helvetii]]. In the [[Antonine Itinerary]], it is placed between [[Lacus Lausonius]] and [[Pontarlier|Ariolica]], xviii m.p. from Lacus Lausonius and xxiiii m.p. from Ariolica.

On the Boscéaz hill are the remains of a vast and luxurious [[Gallo-Roman villa of Orbe-Boscéaz|Roman villa]], the large, exquisite mosaics of which are visible.

===Middle ages===
[[File:Orbe 6.JPG|thumb|left|Plan of Orbe Castle]]
By the Middle Ages, Orbe sat on the road over the Jougne Pass and at the crossroads of two major transportation routes.  One stretched from the [[Jura Mountains]] to the [[Alps]] while the other ran from the [[Rhine]] River to the [[Rhone]] River.  The municipality grew up on both sides of the [[Orbe (river)|Orbe]].  On the left side was the villa Tavellis and the [[parish church]] of Saint-Germain, while the right side had the villa Tabernis with the church of Saint-Martin.  At some point during the Middle Ages, a bridge was built across the river which joined the two settlements.  [[Orbe Castle]] and the town's market were built on the hill above the river and the bridge.

In 888, the town was owned by the [[Kingdom of Burgundy|Burgundian]] king [[Rudolph I of Burgundy|Rudolf I]].  The next records of the town come from silver coins which the town's [[Mint (coin)|mint]] produced for [[Conrad of Burgundy|Conrad the peaceful]] between 937 and 993.  The town remained part of the independent [[Kingdom of Burgundy-Arles|Kingdom of Burgundy]] until the death of the last king, [[Rudolph III of Burgundy|Rudolf III]] in 1032.  Before Rudolph's death, the [[Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor]] [[Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor|Conrad II]] of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] had forced him to name Conrad as his successor.  With Rudolph's death, the entire kingdom, including Orbe, was incorporated into the empire.  In 1076, [[Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Henry IV]] replaced the Burgundian noble in Orbe with one of his [[vassal]]s, Count Wilhelm II.

Land and rights in the town passed through several nobles, and in 1168, Amadeus II of Montfaucon, the count of Montbéliard, bought about half of the town of Orbe.  In a record from 1183, the town's churches and much of the land were owned by [[Baulmes Priory|Baulmes]] and [[Payerne Priory|Payerne Priories]].  Around the end of the 11th century, [[Romainmôtier Abbey]] acquired some land in the town, on which they built a hospital.  In 1139, they expanded the building into the nearby Notre-Dame chapel.<ref name=HDS/>

In addition to the religious land owners, the Counts of Montfaucon-Montbeliard began to live in the town.  In 1233, they built a round [[keep]] in Orbe Castle.  Two years later, Amadeus III of Montfaucon-Montbeliard built the Bourg-Vieux and Bourg-Neuf to help protect the town.  By fortifying the town and castle, the counts and the town were able to control the trade routes that passed through the valley.<ref name=HDS/>

===Early modern and modern Orbe===
In 1352, Orbe became a town with a [[town charter]] modeled on [[Moudon]]'s.  After the death of Girard de Montfaucon and of his wife, Orbe was inherited by Count Montbeliard in 1379.  In 1410, it passed to Louis de Chalon, the [[Prince of Orange]].  The Chalon family held the town until it was captured by the [[Old Swiss Confederacy|Swiss Confederation]] in 1475 during the [[Burgundian Wars]].  However, the Swiss were unable to hold it and Hugh de Chalon recaptured it in the same year.  In the following year, [[Charles the Bold]] met with Swiss messengers at Orbe.  Due to the Swiss victory in the Burgundian Wars, the confederation acquired much of the old Burgundian land near the Jura Mountains in 1484.  The de Chalon lands, including Orbe and nearby [[Echallens]], became a [[Condominium (international law)|joint condominium]] or ''[[gemeine Herrschaft]]'' which was administered by [[Bern]] and [[Fribourg]].  It remained a subject territory until the [[French invasion of Switzerland#Collapse|1798 French invasion]] and the creation of the French-backed [[Helvetic Republic]].  Under the Helvetic Republic, Orbe became the capital of the [[Orbe District|District of Orbe]].  The Helvetic Republic, which espoused the ideals of the [[French Revolution]], was very popular with the urban residents of Orbe.  The reforms of the Helvetic Republic were too much for many Swiss to accept, and the republic was overthrown by the [[Stecklikrieg]] revolution.  As the Helvetic government retreated in September 1802 from Bern to Lausanne, government troops briefly occupied Orbe.  Under the [[Act of Mediation]], Orbe remained the capital of its own district.<ref name=HDS/>

==Geography==
[[File:Orbe-20061231.jpg|thumb|left|Aerial view of Orbe, showing the tree-covered Orbe river and the hill of the old town]]
[[File:ETH-BIB-Orbe-LBS H1-011834.tif|thumb|Aerial view (1949)]]
Orbe has an area, {{as of|2009|lc=on}}, of {{convert|12|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}.  Of this area, {{convert|8.85|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} (73.6%) are used for agricultural purposes, while {{convert|0.44|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} (3.7%) is forested.  Of the rest of the land, {{convert|2.36|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} (19.6%) are settled (buildings or roads), and {{convert|0.35|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} (2.9%) is either rivers or lakes.<ref name=BFS_land>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/02/03/blank/data/gemeindedaten.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office-Land Use Statistics] 2009 data {{in lang|de}} accessed 25 March 2010.</ref>

Of the built-up area, industrial buildings made up 3.0% of the total area, while housing and buildings made up 8.7%, and transportation infrastructure made up 5.7%. Parks, green belts, and sports fields made up 1.7%.  Of the forested land, 2.2% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.4% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees.  Of the agricultural land, 60.7% is used for growing crops and 9.2% is pastures, while 3.7% is used for orchards or vine crops.  All the water in the municipality is flowing water.<ref name=BFS_land/>

The municipality was the capital of the [[Orbe District]] until it was dissolved on 31 August 2006, and Orbe became part of the new district of Jura-Nord Vaudois.<ref name=Mutation>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/nomenklaturen/blank/blank/gem_liste/02.html Nomenklaturen – Amtliches Gemeindeverzeichnis der Schweiz] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113231755/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/nomenklaturen/blank/blank/gem_liste/02.html |date=2015-11-13 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 4 April 2011.</ref>

The municipality is located on a hill partly surrounded by the [[Orbe (river)|Orbe River]].  It consists of the village of Orbe and a number of [[hamlet (place)|hamlets]], including Granges Saint-Germain, Granges Saint-Martin, Mont Choisi, and Le Puisoir.

==Coat of arms==
The [[blazon]] of the municipal [[coat of arms]] is ''Gules, two Sea-daces addorsed Or.''<ref>[http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ch-vd277.html Flags of the World.com] accessed 29 July 2011.</ref>

==Demographics==
[[File:Casino Orbe.JPG|thumb|Casino Orbe]]
[[File:Orbe 11.JPG|thumb|Part of the old city of Orbe]]
[[File:Orbe 2.JPG|thumb|Newer buildings in Orbe]]
Orbe has a population ({{as of|{{Swiss populations YM|CH-VD}}|lc=on}}) of {{Swiss populations|CH-VD|5757}}.{{Swiss populations ref|CH-VD}}  {{as of|2008}}, 28.6% of the population is resident foreign nationals.<ref name=HDS_superweb>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/onlinedb/superweb/login.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office - Superweb database - Gemeinde Statistics 1981-2008] {{in lang|de}} accessed 19 June 2010.</ref>  Over the years 1999–2009, the population has changed at a rate of 25.8%, 22.1% due to migration and 4.3% due to births and deaths.<ref name=SFSO>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office] accessed 29 July 2011.</ref>

Most of the population ({{as of|2000|lc=on}}) speaks [[French language|French]] (4,229 or 82.3%), with [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] being second-most common (255 or 5.0%) and [[German language|German]] being third (161 or 3.1%).  There are 128 people who speak [[Italian language|Italian]] and four people who speak [[Romansh language|Romansh]].<ref name=STAT2000/>

The age distribution, {{as of|2009|lc=on}}, in Orbe is 674 children (11.3%) up to 9 years old and 781 youth (13.1%) between 10 and 19.  Of the adult population, 862 people (14.5%) are between 20 and 29 years old, 848 people (14.2%) are between 30 and 39, 920 people (15.4%) are between 40 and 49, and 754 people (12.7%) are between 50 and 59.  The senior population distribution is 493 people (8.3%) between 60 and 69 years old, 378 people (6.3%) between 70 and 79, 216 people (3.6%) between 80 and 89, and 31 people (0.5%) 90 and older.<ref name=Vaud_Pop_Stats>[http://www.scris.vd.ch/Default.aspx?DomID=2016 Canton of Vaud Statistical Office] {{in lang|fr}} accessed 29 April 2011.</ref>

{{as of|2000}}, 2,103 people were single and never married in the municipality.  There were 2,441 married individuals, 304 widows or widowers, and 291 individuals who are divorced.<ref name=STAT2000>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.3%20-%202000/40.3%20-%202000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=3&openChild=true STAT-TAB Datenwürfel für Thema 40.3 - 2000] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809142611/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.3%20-%202000/40.3%20-%202000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=3&openChild=true |date=2013-08-09 }}  {{in lang|de}} accessed 2 February 2011.</ref>

{{as of|2000}}, 2,073 private households were in the municipality, and an average of 2.3 persons per household.<ref name=SFSO/>  The 687 households had only one person and 120 households had five or more people.  Of a total of 2,108 households that answered this question, 32.6% were households made up of just one person and 16 were adults who lived with their parents.  Of the rest of the households, 578 were married couples without children, 642 were married couples with children, and 120 were single parents with a child or children.  Thirty households were made up of unrelated people and 35 households were made up of some sort of institution or another collective housing.<ref name=STAT2000/>

{{as of|2000|alt=In 2000}}, 529 of a total of 968 inhabited buildings were single family homes (54.6%).  There were 222 multifamily buildings (22.9%), along with 154 multipurpose buildings that were mostly used for housing (15.9%) and 63 other-use buildings (commercial or industrial) that also had some housing (6.5%).<ref name=Housing>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_09%20-%20Bau-%20und%20Wohnungswesen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen.asp?lang=1&prod=09&secprod=2&openChild=true Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB - Datenwürfel für Thema 09.2 - Gebäude und Wohnungen] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907111534/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_09%20-%20Bau-%20und%20Wohnungswesen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen.asp?lang=1&prod=09&secprod=2&openChild=true |date=2014-09-07 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 28 January 2011.</ref>

{{as of|2000|alt=In 2000}}, a total of 1,934 apartments (84.7% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 208 apartments (9.1%) were seasonally occupied, and 141 apartments (6.2%) were empty.<ref name=Housing/>  {{as of|2009}}, the construction rate of new housing units was 5.4 new units per 1000 residents.<ref name=SFSO/>  The vacancy rate for the municipality, {{as of|2010|alt=in 2010}}, was 0.18%.<ref name=SFSO/>

The historical population is given in the following chart:<ref name=HDS>{{HDS|2540|Orbe}}</ref><ref>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.4%20-%201850-2000/40.4%20-%201850-2000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=4&openChild=true Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB Bevölkerungsentwicklung nach Region, 1850-2000] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140930162751/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.4%20-%201850-2000/40.4%20-%201850-2000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=4&openChild=true |date=2014-09-30 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 29 January 2011.</ref>
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  bar:1416 from:start till:1064
  bar:1416 at:1074 fontsize:S text: "[[Hearth tax|266 Hearths]]"  shift:(8,5)
  bar:1798 from:start till:1662 text:"1,662"
  bar:1850 from:start till:1923 text:"1,923"
  bar:1860 from:start till:1859 text:"1,859"
  bar:1870 from:start till:1816 text:"1,816"
  bar:1880 from:start till:1873 text:"1,873"
  bar:1888 from:start till:1929 text:"1,929"
  bar:1900 from:start till:2080 text:"2,080"
  bar:1910 from:start till:3234 text:"3,234"
  bar:1920 from:start till:3657 text:"3,657"
  bar:1930 from:start till:3422 text:"3,422"
  bar:1941 from:start till:3558 text:"3,558"
  bar:1950 from:start till:3565 text:"3,565"
  bar:1960 from:start till:3824 text:"3,824"
  bar:1970 from:start till:4522 text:"4,522"
  bar:1980 from:start till:3985 text:"3,985"
  bar:1990 from:start till:5084 text:"5,084"
  bar:2000 from:start till:5139 text:"5,139"
</timeline>

==Heritage sites of national significance==
The [[Gallo-Roman villa of Orbe-Boscéaz|Boscéaz]] (a [[Gallo-Roman culture|Gallo-Roman]] villa), Orbe Castle with its two towers and plaza, the [[Swiss Reformed Church|Swiss Reformed]] [[Reformed Church of Notre-Dame, Orbe|Church of Notre-Dame]] and the [[City Hall]] are listed as Swiss [[Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance|heritage site of national significance]].  The entire old town of Orbe is part of the [[Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/de/home/themen/kgs/kgs_inventar/a-objekte.html|title=Kantonsliste A-Objekte|year=2009|work=KGS Inventar|publisher=Federal Office of Civil Protection|language=de|access-date=25 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628110559/http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/de/home/themen/kgs/kgs_inventar/a-objekte.html|archive-date=28 June 2010}}</ref>

The Gallo-Roman villa is known for its Roman mosaics,<ref>{{cite web | last1=Pauchard | first1=Oliver | title=Switzerland's Hidden Treasure Trove of Roman Mosaics | url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/roman-ruins_switzerland-s-hidden-treasure-trove-of-roman-mosaics-/44330286 | date=22 August 2018 | publisher=[[Swissinfo]] | access-date=25 August 2018}}</ref> which are composed of several hundreds of pieces on the floor of the original site.  The villa was a palace belonging to a rich but unknown landowner. It was built around AD 160 and abandoned about 270. Nowadays, eight mosaics are still visible<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.archeoplus.ch/en/archaeo/orbe/orbe-en-index.htm|title=Archeoplus - Orbe (VD)|website=www.archeoplus.ch|language=en|access-date=2018-11-04}}</ref> and can be visited. A ninth mosaic, discovered in 1993, is being restored and it is not open for public visits.

<gallery>
File:Orbe 5.JPG|Orbe Castle
File:Orbe 4.JPG|[[Reformed Church of Notre-Dame, Orbe|Swiss Reformed Church of Notre-Dame]]
File:Orbe-Bosceaz (3).jpg|alt=Orbe-Bosceaz: mosaic of the Divinities|Gallo-Roman villa: Mosaic of the divinities
File:Orbe-Bosceaz (5).jpg|Gallo-Roman villa: mosaic of the "Cortège rustique"
</gallery>

==Politics==
In the [[2007 Swiss federal election|2007 federal election]], the most popular party was the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]], which received 26.68% of the vote.  The next three most popular parties were the [[Swiss People's Party|SVP]] (20.26%), the [[FDP.The Liberals|FDP]] (14.52%), and the [[Green Party of Switzerland|Green Party]] (12.92%).  In the federal election, a total of 1,107 votes were cast, and the [[voter turnout]] was 36.2%.<ref>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/17/02/blank/data/04/03.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office, ''Nationalratswahlen 2007: Stärke der Parteien und Wahlbeteiligung, nach Gemeinden/Bezirk/Canton''] {{in lang|de}} accessed 28 May 2010.</ref>

==Economy==
[[File:Orbe vue du ciel.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Orbe with the Nestlé factory complex (foreground) and the [[Jura Mountains]] (background)]]
The town has a Nestle Research & Development factory with a working force of over 500 employees.  The factory is responsible for producing Nescafé and Nespresso.  The factory accounts for just over 15% of Nestlé's overall turnover per annum. The [[Peter's Chocolate|factory was opened]] in 1901 by [[Daniel Peter]], the inventor of milk chocolate, to expand his production.<ref name=FAO>{{cite news | language=French | url=https://www.faovd.ch/actualite/556/l-inventeur-oublie-du-chocolat-au-lait/ | title=L'inventeur oublié du chocolat au lait  | trans-title=The forgotten inventor of milk chocolate| work=Feuille des Avis Officiels du canton de Vaud | date=26 March 2021 | agency=[[Canton of Vaud]] | accessdate=23 May 2022}}</ref> A 52-metre-tall chimney built for the former chocolate factory has been preserved.<ref>[https://www.lemanbleu.ch/fr/Actualite/Economie/Nouvelle-jeunesse-pour-la-cheminee-industrielle-d-Orbe.html Nouvelle jeunesse pour la cheminée industrielle d'Orbe]</ref>

{{as of|2010|In 2010}}, Orbe had an unemployment rate of 7.5%.  {{as of|2008}}, there were 95 people employed in the [[Primary sector of the economy|primary economic sector]] and about 18 businesses involved in this sector.  1,121 people were employed in the [[Secondary sector of the economy|secondary sector]] and there were 48 businesses in this sector.  2,173 people were employed in the [[Tertiary sector of the economy|tertiary sector]], with 227 businesses in this sector.<ref name=SFSO/>  There were 2,624 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 38.5% of the workforce.

{{as of|2008|alt=In 2008}} the total number of [[full-time equivalent]] jobs was 2,996.  The number of jobs in the primary sector was 85, all of which were in agriculture.  The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 1,081 of which 807 or (74.7%) were in manufacturing and 241 (22.3%) were in construction.  The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 1,830.  In the tertiary sector; 343 or 18.7% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 82 or 4.5% were in the movement and storage of goods, 58 or 3.2% were in a hotel or restaurant, 15 or 0.8% were in the information industry, 36 or 2.0% were the insurance or financial industry, 515 or 28.1% were technical professionals or scientists, 121 or 6.6% were in education and 257 or 14.0% were in health care.<ref>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_06%20-%20Industrie%20und%20Dienstleistungen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen.asp?lang=1&prod=06&secprod=2&openChild=true Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB Betriebszählung: Arbeitsstätten nach Gemeinde und NOGA 2008 (Abschnitte), Sektoren 1-3] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225013454/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_06%20-%20Industrie%20und%20Dienstleistungen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen.asp?lang=1&prod=06&secprod=2&openChild=true |date=2014-12-25 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 28 January 2011.</ref>

{{as of|2000|alt=In 2000}}, there were 1,832 workers who commuted into the municipality and 1,489 workers who commuted away.  The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 1.2 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving.  About 7.1% of the workforce coming into Orbe are coming from outside Switzerland.<ref name=commuter>[http://www.media-stat.admin.ch/stat/pendler/pop.php Swiss Federal Statistical Office - Statweb] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120804043150/http://www.media-stat.admin.ch/stat/pendler/pop.php |date=2012-08-04 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 24 June 2010.</ref>  Of the working population, 10.6% used public transportation to get to work, and 66.2% used a private car.<ref name=SFSO/>

Since 1894, the town has been served by the [[Orbe-Chavornay railway]], the first electrified railway in Switzerland.

==Religion==
[[File:Orbe 9.JPG|thumb|The Church of Notre Dame in Orbe]]
From the {{as of|2000|alt=2000 census}}, 1,774 or 34.5% were [[Roman Catholic]], while 1,993 or 38.8% belonged to the [[Swiss Reformed Church]].  Of the rest of the population, there were 70 [[Eastern Orthodox Church|members of an Orthodox church]] (or about 1.36% of the population), there were 3 individuals (or about 0.06% of the population) who belonged to the [[Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland|Christian Catholic Church]], and there were 342 individuals (or about 6.65% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church.  There were 7 individuals (or about 0.14% of the population) who were [[Judaism|Jewish]], and 201 (or about 3.91% of the population) who were [[Islam]]ic.  There were 10 individuals who were [[Buddhism|Buddhist]], 14 individuals who were [[Hinduism|Hindu]] and 10 individuals who belonged to another church.  620 (or about 12.06% of the population) belonged to no church, are [[Agnosticism|agnostic]] or [[Atheism|atheist]], and 260 individuals (or about 5.06% of the population) did not answer the question.<ref name=STAT2000/>

==Education==
In Orbe about 1,774 or (34.5%) of the population have completed non-mandatory [[Education in Switzerland#Secondary|upper secondary education]], and 433 or (8.4%) have completed additional higher education (either [[List of universities in Switzerland|university]] or a ''[[Fachhochschule]]'').  Of the 433 who completed tertiary schooling, 56.1% were Swiss men, 25.9% were Swiss women, 11.3% were non-Swiss men and 6.7% were non-Swiss women.<ref name=STAT2000/>

In the 2009/2010 school year there were a total of 802 students in the Orbe school district.  In the Vaud cantonal school system, two years of non-obligatory pre-school are provided by the political districts.<ref>[http://www.scris.vd.ch/Default.aspx?DomId=1990 Organigramme de l'école vaudoise, année scolaire 2009-2010] {{in lang|fr}} accessed 2 May 2011.</ref>  During the school year, the political district provided pre-school care for a total of 578 children of which 359 children (62.1%) received subsidized pre-school care.  The canton's [[primary school]] program requires students to attend for four years.  There were 427 students in the municipal primary school program.  The obligatory lower secondary school program lasts for six years and there were 368 students in those schools.  There were also 7 students who were home schooled or attended another non-traditional school.<ref name=Vaud_Education>[http://www.scris.vd.ch/Default.aspx?DomID=2403 Canton of Vaud Statistical Office - Scol. obligatoire/filières de transition] {{in lang|fr}} accessed 2 May 2011.</ref>

Orbe is home to 1 museum, the ''Fondation Pro Urba''.  In 2009 it was visited by 2,900 visitors (the average in previous years was 3,278).<ref name=Vaud_Museum>[http://www.scris.vd.ch/Default.aspx?DomID=2181 Canton of Vaud Statistical Office - Fréquentation de quelques musées et fondations, Vaud, 2001-2009] {{in lang|fr}} accessed 2 May 2011.</ref>

{{as of|2000}}, there were 322 students in Orbe who came from another municipality, while 219 residents attended schools outside the municipality.<ref name=commuter/>

== Notable people ==

* [[Adelaide of Italy]] (931–999), also called Adelaide of Burgundy, was a Holy Roman Empress by marriage to [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor]]
* [[Pierre Viret]] (1509/1510–1571), a Reformed theologian, evangelist, and [[Protestant reformer]]
* [[Edmund Davall]] (1762–1798 in Orbe), a Swiss-English botanist, lived in Orbe from 1788<ref>[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Davall,_Edmund_(DNB00)   Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 14, Davall, Edmund] retrieved 22 March 2019</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}
* {{SmithDGRG|title=Urba}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Orbe VD}}
* {{Official website|http://www.orbe.ch}}
* [http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/ Switzerland Tourism information]
* {{HDS|12282|Boscéaz}}
* {{HDS|7580|Orbe district}}
*[http://www.roman-mosaics.ch Orbe-Boscéaz] (timetable of the Gallo-Roman villa)
*[http://www.pro-urba.ch Fondation Pro Urba]

{{Municipalities of the district of Jura-Nord vaudois}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Municipalities of the canton of Vaud]]
[[Category:Roman towns and cities in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Cities in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Former condominiums of Switzerland]]
[[Category:Helvetii]]
[[Category:Cultural property of national significance in the canton of Vaud]]