DELEMONT

( (French), ) German Delsberg, capital of Jura canton, northwestern Switzerland, situated in a wide valley at the confluence of the Sorne and Birse rivers. First mentioned in historical records in 727, Delmont was annexed by the prince-bishops of Basel in the 11th century for use as a summer residence. Seized by France in 1793, the town was given to Bern in 1815. Delmont became the capital of the newly formed Jura canton in 1979. Landmarks include the bishop's castle (1721), the town hall (1745) with its outside staircase, 16th-century Renaissance fountains, and the church of St. Marcel (1766). Watches and precision instruments are manufactured, and the town has road and major rail connections with Basel and Biel and with Belfort, Fr. The population is primarily French speaking and Roman Catholic. Pop. (1983 est.) 11,400.