MORAT (Ger. Murten), a small
town on the east shore of the Lake of Morat, in the Swiss canton
of Fribourg, and by rail 14 m. N. of Fribourg or 184 m. W. of
Bern. In 1900 its population was 2263, of whom 1840 were
German-speaking and 1969 were Protestants. It is a most
picturesque little town, overlooked by the 13th-century castle
and the quaint tower of the Rathhaus, while it is still
surrounded by its 15th century walls that are studded at
intervals with watch towers. In 1264 it exchanged its position
as a free imperial city (enjoyed since 1218) for the rule of the
count of Savoy. In 1475 it was taken by the Swiss at the
commencement of their war with Charles the Bold, duke of
Burgundy, whose ally was the duchess of Savoy. But in 1476 it
was besieged by Charles, though it held out till the Swiss army
arrived in haste and utterly defeated (22nd June) the
Burgundians. An obelisk a little way southwest of the town
stands on the site of the bone-house (destroyed by the French in
1798, wherein the remains of many victims had been collected.
Morat was ruled in common from 1475 to 1798 by Bern and Fribourg,
being finally annexed to Fribourg in 1814. The Lake of Morat has
an area of roe sq. m., and is connected with that of Neuchatel
by way of the Broye canal. On its shores many lake dwellings
have been found.
