This section contains an overview of the most relevant monuments in Switzerland.
3 November 2022
The history of the village of Bursins (canton of Vaud) is closely linked to the Kingdom of Burgundy (888-1032) and the Abbey of Cluny. The well-preserved church and village centre have their origins in this period. The church bears a strong resemblance to the church of Saint-Sulpice, a village near Lausanne. Lausanne was the diocese … Read more » “Bursins and the network of Cluny”
28 October 2022
As the name of the village already suggests, the church was dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. The church first appears in a document in 1167, Sta. Maria in Silvaplana. Sta. Maria became the name of the village. According to legend, Charlemagne founded the church after his campaign in 774/775 against the Lombards and … Read more » “The Sta. Maria Church”
26 October 2022
Israeli archaeologists have discovered graffiti from Adrian von Bubenberg (1424-1479) in Jerusalem. He visited the Holy Land on a pilgrimage in 1466. His name, with an image of his heraldry, was found on a wall of the complex of King David’s tomb on Mount Zion, near the ancient city. The building was a monastery and … Read more » “A Berner in Jerusalem”
28 September 2022
The history of Saint-Gervais is related to the ancient presence of the first bridges over the Rhone, built in Roman times. This strategic place, mentioned by Caesar in 58 BC in his de Bello Gallico, remained a crucial crossing point for travel from (southern) France to the Swiss plateau and beyond until the 18th century. Geneva … Read more » “The Saint-Gervais of Geneva”
26 September 2022
Available in French and Dutch
21 September 2022
Available in French and Dutch
20 September 2022
Available in French, German and Dutch
14 September 2022
Available in German, Dutch and French
27 August 2022
Traces of settlement in the Spiez area (Canton of Bern) date back to the prehistoric period. There are also traces of a Celtic settlement. It is assumed that the area of the castle was already occupied and fortified by the German-speaking Alemanni in the 7th century. Spiez was first mentioned in the last will of … Read more » “Spiez Castle”
27 August 2022
The small monastery in Mollens (canton of Vaud) was added to Romainmôtier, a monastery of Cluny, in 1137. The monks of Romainmôtier administered the monastery’s domain for almost two centuries. The lords of Aubonne then owned the village until the 16th century. From 1536 and the conquest of Le Pays de Vaud, Bern ruled the … Read more » “The Monastery of Mollens and Cluny”
