Prilly
Origin of the name Prilly
The place is mentioned in 976-977 in the phrase "in uilla que uocatur presliacus", then before 1185 in the form "Prillie". The suffix "-acus" points to an old Gallo-Roman estate; the personal name that may lie in the first element is not established in the sources consulted (to be cross-checked).
Founding of Prilly
Prilly has no known founder: it is an old estate that became a village. In the Middle Ages the chapter of Lausanne and the abbey of Saint-Maurice held land here, under the authority of the bishop of Lausanne; the lordship then passed through several noble families before being bought by the city of Lausanne in 1729. The village stayed small until the arrival of the railway (1874) and the tramway (1899), which led to its industrialisation and then its rapid urbanisation.
History of Prilly
976-977. First mention, in the phrase "in uilla que uocatur presliacus".
before 1185. The name appears in the form "Prillie".
1228. The church of Saint-Martin is mentioned.
1416. The village has 28 hearths (households).
1536. Bernese conquest of Vaud.
1550. The village has 10 hearths (households).
1729. The city of Lausanne buys the lordship of Prilly.
1764. The village has 114 inhabitants.
1765-1766. A temple replaces the church of Saint-Martin.
1868-1873. Construction of the Cery psychiatric hospital.
1874. Arrival of the railway.
1899. Arrival of the tramway.
1900. The commune has 1'569 inhabitants.
1950-1970. Very strong population growth, from 3'992 to 13'352.
2000. The commune has 10'955 inhabitants.
Population of Prilly
| 1416 | 28 hearths (households) |
| 1550 | 10 hearths (households) |
| 1764 | 114 |
| 1850 | 309 |
| 1900 | 1'569 |
| 1950 | 3'992 |
| 1970 | 13'352 |
| 2000 | 10'955 |
| 2025 | 13'069 |
Historic sites in Prilly
Cery psychiatric hospital. Built from 1868 to 1873, it is one of the canton's main psychiatric institutions.
Prilly temple. Built in 1765-1766 to replace the church of Saint-Martin, mentioned from 1228.
Remains in Prilly
Bronze head of a young man. A bronze head of a young man from the 1st-2nd century, long associated with Prilly, was probably found in 1704 at Lausanne-Vidy (provenance to be cross-checked).
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Prilly »
- Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »
Other villages near Prilly
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