Valère Basilica

The Basilique de Valere Basilica or by Valeria is the church on the southern of the two castle hill on the eastern boundary of the old town Sion ( German customs, capital of the canton of Valais in Switzerland ). It houses one of the oldest playable organ in the world from the 15th century.

Building and history

The castle and the basilica of Valeria, named in honor of Valeriana, the mother of the Roman city prefect Titus Campanius Priscus Maximianus, the 43 AD is attested in the year, lying on one of the two hills that the city of Sion on the eastern side of Old Town overtop. Already created in Celtic times, castle and church for the first time in 1049 were mentioned. The oldest parts of the nave and two aisles, divided into four bays basilica with transept and two chapels flanking the choir emerged from 1100 to 1130 in the high Romanesque style. Were added later, the tower above the northern transept, the polygonal window storeys above the semi-circular apse and the barrel vault above the pillars. In the 13th century nave and aisles were modeled after the Cathedral of Lausanne, a cross straps vault. Also at this time of the rood screen was installed, which separates the choir from the nave. As a pilgrimage church of "Our Lady of Valeria " is created, is the picture of grace, a Gothic marble statue of the Madonna with the infant Jesus from the beginning of the 15th century, the central piece of equipment of the church. It now stands high above the high altar. Images of apostles, prophets, and saints adorn the country's choir walls.

Importance

Cathedral of the Diocese of Sion is since the 8th century Notre Dame de Sion ( you Glarier ) in the center of Sion. The castle of Valeria was in 11-12. Century built as the residence of the cathedral chapter. The prince-bishop, who had sacred and secular rulers at the same time, resided in the Tourbillon castle on the neighboring hill. Here it remained until the French invasion in 1798. Thereafter, Notre Dame de Sion was, de facto again Cathedral, and Valeria lost the veneration of the Mother of God over time in importance by the greater weight of the actual Episcopal Church. So later was more the hl. Catherine of Alexandria, the second patron of the Valais worshiped. In 1987 the church of Valeria by Pope John Paul II was awarded the honorary title of minor basilica. The former premises of the cathedral chapter are now leased to the canton of Valais, which builds there by and by the already existing today Cantonal Historical Museum.

Organ

There is a swallow's nest organ whose investment dating back to the 15th maybe the 14th century and is therefore one along with the instruments in Rysum, Kiedrich and Ostönnen the oldest playable organ in the world on the west wall of the nave. It was probably built in 1435 and in 1687 expanded to include four registers. In the 19th century it fell into oblivion. In the 50s of the 20th century, the work was again awakened by the curator Maurice Wenger gradually to life after gradually the specificity and the value of the instrument was recognized by the experts. Since 1969, she heard every summer as part of the international festival of ancient organ (Festival de l' orgue ancien de Valere ).