This section contains an overview of the most relevant monuments in Switzerland.
6 November 2021
Raron (Ragogne in French) is one of the Seven Tithings (Zenden/Zehnden in German, dizains in French) of the Upper Valais. They occupied the Lower-Valais (Unterwallis/Bas-Valais) from 1512-1524 until 1798 (the French invasion) and governed it as an occupied territory or Untertanengebiet (territoire sujet). The Lords of Raron occupied an area extending as far as the … Read more » “Raron, Rilke and UNESCO”
6 November 2021
The fortified church and houses of the canons of the chapter of the Cathedral of Sion (Sitten in German) are behind a wall on the hill of Valère (canton of Valais). The canons lived here until the end of the 18th century. Today, the complex houses the Historical Museum of Valais, a (medieval) garden, a … Read more » “The Basilica minor, The Tourbillon, St. Theodorus Church and the Cathedral of Sion”
4 November 2021
The first building was a Carolingian church (8th century), rebuilt in the 11th century in the Romanesque style. The church (Cathedral Our Lady Glarier) was destroyed by Count Amédée VI of Savoy (1334-1383) and in 1418 by Guichard of Raron (1360-1425) and rebuilt in the fifteenth century by the bishops Walter Supersaxo (1457-1482), Jost de … Read more » “The Cathedral Notre-Dame du Glarier and the St. Theodor Church in Sion”
1 November 2021
The fiftieth anniversary of St. Nicholas Church’s dedication in Hérémence (canton of Valais) occurred on 31 October 2021. The interior’s remarkable architecture meets liturgical requirements while also accommodating modern furnishings and boasting good acoustics. The use of concrete and the sculptural design, the combination of wood and light, and the many medieval and (early) modern … Read more » “Interior of the Saint-Nicolas Church in Hérémence”
22 October 2021
The villa was built in the first century and completed in the second century. The owners leave the complex around 250-290 due to invasions by German tribes. The entire complex was abandoned in the fifth century after the departure of the Romans and the arrival of Germanic tribes. The Gallo-Roman villa had huge dimensions, 230 … Read more » “Roman Villa of Orbe-Boscéaz”
21 October 2021
The castle was built in the first half of the 13th century as the seat of the Knights of Baden (Kanton Aargau). It was expanded at the beginning of the 14th century. They added the stepped gable and the fresco with the coats of arms of the eight old Orte (cantons) of the Confederation in … Read more » “Landvogteischloss and Wooden Bridge Baden”
21 October 2021
The founding date of Les Clées (canton of Vaud) is unknown. The place was already mentioned in 814. The bridge was mentioned in 1050. The first fortress was built and then destroyed before 1137, when Pope Innocent II (pope from 1122-1143) prohibited the rebuilding of the destroyed fortress for a time to sanction unlawful tolls … Read more » “Les Clées and the castle”
14 October 2021
The picturesque village of Elm is located in the canton of Glarus in the Sernftal valley. In the eighth century, the Säckingen (Germany) abbey acquired the Glarus region. Saint Fridolin was the patron saint of this abbey and the canton of Glarus, as evidenced by the canton’s flag. The Habsburgs ruled Glarus and Elm until … Read more » “The Monumental Houses of Elm”
11 October 2021
Available in French and Dutch.
26 September 2021
The small town of Kaiserstuhl (Canton Aargau) is one of those surprisingly well-preserved medieval towns in Switzerland. Situated on the Rhine, it has a history of Celts, Romans, Alemanni, Franks, the Holy Roman Empire, the Habsburgs, the bishopric of Constance (Konstanz), the Eidgenossen, the short-lived Helvetische Republik (1798-1803) and finally the Canton of Aargau and … Read more » “Kaiserstuhl, Rötelen Castle and the Chapel of Kaiserstuhl”
