Lens, Switzerland
Chelin, community Lens
Lens ( dt performance ) is a municipality in the district of Sierre in the French speaking part of the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
Geography
The lying between Sion and Sierre / Siders community Lens extends from the Rhone valley (560 m) up to the peak of Bella- Lui ( 2,543 m) and includes the villages of Flanthey ( with the villages of St- Clément, Vaas, Valençon and Chelin ), Lens and Crans -sur -Sierre ( = sub-region world-famous spa Crans- Montana).
The villages Flanthey, Lens and Crans -sur -Sierre are self- grown structures and therefore so different that they will be treated on their own pages. This page covers only the actual village of Lens, which gave the name of the community.
History
The area around the Mont de Lens was from 1226 in the possession of the Bishop of Sion. From the 14th century Lens was an autonomous village community, which included loose the so-called quarter Icogne, Chermignon and Montana. In 1851 it was decided to a large community through the Valais cantonal parliament merging the quarter, which led to secession attempts of the individual sites. 1905 were Lens, Icogne, Chermignon and Montana independent communities. From the second half of the 20th century, tourism has become increasingly important, not least through the development of the health resort of Crans -Montana.
Attractions
The Catholic parish church of St- Pierre is a monumental building from 1843. From the late Gothic predecessor, which was built 1535 to 1537 by Ulrich Ruffiner, the bell tower and the choir are obtained. The latter is now used as a vestry.
Next to the church the Prioratsgebäude of the monks is situated on the Great St. Bernard Pass. This was built in the years 1835-1837. West of the church is a Manoir, a stone house from the 16th century.
Lens is dominated by the 1,250 m high Mont Châtelard with its 15-meter high statue of Christ in the year 1935. For footed hikers easy to walk the walk next to or on the Bisse or water load of Lens, called " Le Grand Bisse de Lens ", which their beginning in Icogne takes is mainly applied to the Mont Châtelard and ends near Chermignon. You should definitely visit one also the Lac des Miriouges, which is fed by a Bisse and is surrounded by a very special flora.
Personalities
Lens was residence of the writer Charles Ferdinand Ramuz (1878-1947), which was inspired in this place to write his novel " Jean -Luc persécuté ", as well as the painter Albert Muret (1874 1955), which in Lens of the famous composer Igor Stravinsky ( 1882-1971) was visited.