The Basilica minor, The Tourbillon, St. Theodorus Church and the Cathedral of Sion

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 mill, a barn and a cistern. The chapter still owns the complex.

The church at the top of the hill was built in the 12th and 13th centuries and was also the last defensive post. The interior preserves unique works of art and furniture. Romanesque canopies, a collection of paintings, are the oldest organ in the world (1437) that can still be played, and other works can be admired. Pope Jean-Paul II (1920-2005) elevated the church to a basilica in 1987.

(Source: Die Hügel von Sitten. Kultur und Natur, Sitten, 2020).