Romanesque churches in Switzerland Autor(en): Ney, Marcel Objekttyp: Article Zeitschrift: The Swiss observer : the journal of the Federation of Swiss Societies in the UK Band (Jahr): - (1973) Heft 1674 PDF erstellt am: 06.10.2021 Persistenter Link: http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-691471 Nutzungsbedingungen Die ETH-Bibliothek ist Anbieterin der digitalisierten Zeitschriften. Sie besitzt keine Urheberrechte an den Inhalten der Zeitschriften. Die Rechte liegen in der Regel bei den Herausgebern. Die auf der Plattform e-periodica veröffentlichten Dokumente stehen für nicht-kommerzielle Zwecke in Lehre und Forschung sowie für die private Nutzung frei zur Verfügung. Einzelne Dateien oder Ausdrucke aus diesem Angebot können zusammen mit diesen Nutzungsbedingungen und den korrekten Herkunftsbezeichnungen weitergegeben werden. Das Veröffentlichen von Bildern in Print- und Online-Publikationen ist nur mit vorheriger Genehmigung der Rechteinhaber erlaubt. Die systematische Speicherung von Teilen des elektronischen Angebots auf anderen Servern bedarf ebenfalls des schriftlichen Einverständnisses der Rechteinhaber. Haftungsausschluss Alle Angaben erfolgen ohne Gewähr für Vollständigkeit oder Richtigkeit. Es wird keine Haftung übernommen für Schäden durch die Verwendung von Informationen aus diesem Online-Angebot oder durch das Fehlen von Informationen. Dies gilt auch für Inhalte Dritter, die über dieses Angebot zugänglich sind. Ein Dienst der ETH-Bibliothek ETH Zürich, Rämistrasse 101, 8092 Zürich, Schweiz, www.library.ethz.ch http://www.e-periodica.ch RomanesqueChurches in Switzerland At no time has Switzerland. been In order to facilitate a visit to these awkward, a combination not without famous for rich art treasures. With very churches, we have compiled a plan for a charm. In addition, the whole interior is few exceptions, there are neither circular tour. This should lead the lovers plunged in a mystic semi-darkness. important medieval cathedrals, nor castles of the arts amongst our readers to the In the Vaudois Jura we find quite a and town halls. There are practically no most interesting small Romanesque few Romanesque churches: Bretonnières, Renaissance riches. At that epoch, churches and chapels. Bavois, Cossonay and others, partly Switzerland was far too poor and torn by reconstructed at a later date, as well as interior disorders to the famous all: produce significant Western Switzerland most of Romamwôner, works of art. The same can be said for the perfectly situated in a wooded valley. The seventeenth and eighteenth century. Let us begin the trip in the Jura, porch and the beautiful chancel pulpit are If we consider the Romanesque coming from Basle. It is well worth justifiably famous. In spite of the churches in Switzerland worthy of special making a small detour by the fine route considerable art treasures within the mention, it is less for their size or their of Les Rangiers to St. t/rsanne. In this church, it has not become a museum, but embellishments, but more for their townlet, cradled in the narrow valley of has remained a place of worship in picturesque positions in the Swiss the Doubs, we shall discover a beautiful daily life. On the shores of the Lake of mountainside and their expression of Romanesque collegiate church of the Geneva, not far from Lausanne, the aged humility which corresponds to the deep twelfth century. There are impressive monastery church of St. SWp/ce has its and simple, almost naive faith held at the cloisters and the remains of a monastery reflection on the water. Unfortunately, period of erection. This is evident above erected on the tomb of St. Ursicinus. the nave collapsed in the fifteenth all in the smaller places of worship. Thus Church and cloisters have recently been century, so all that remains is the in this essay we deliberately leave aside renovated with great ability and intersection on which a rather squat the few larger Romanesque church discretion. The South door alone deserves watchtower was put up, and three buildings such as the Fraumünster in at least two stars in any art guide. It semi-circular apses. Zurich, the Abbey at Payerne and the shows remains of the original bright Unfortunately the Basilica of Sr. Cathedrals in Basle and Schaffhausen and colouring. Maurice which must have been one of the shall concentrate on the modest churches Travelling along the vineyards on largest early church buildings of providing such expressive evidence of true the shores of the lakes of Bienne and Switzerland, was moved to a safer place veneration. Neuchâtel, we find a Romanesque church in the seventeenth century, for it was In the construction of these tower at Twann, a fine Romanesque threatened again and again by falling churches, local stone was used and mostly chancel in the collegiate church in rocks from the stone walls in the narrow slates to cover the roofs. The same Neuchâtel, a fine portal, the only remains valley. A few remains of the walls and the simplicity is also found inside. There are of a Cluniasian monastery, at Bevaix.The imposing tower is all that remains of the no marble sculptures or mosaics on gold first wholly preserved Romanesque old place of worship. The importance of as one finds in Italy of the same era. One church, however, we find again at the old church is shown above all in the might possibly find some frescoes, but Grancfso«, the old townlet known from church treasures which contain some even these are of touching primordiality, the Burgundian Wars. Small though it is, valuables of European repute, amongst even awkwardness. the old monastery church of St. Jean is them the gold jug of Charles the Great. It widely and rightly known for its capitals. is covered in oriental enamel work and is Pillars and arches are as elegant as considered the most precious piece of art sculptures and ornaments are nafve and of Romanesque times. CONTENTS Sports — preparation for St Moritz 5 Problems regarding voluntary AVS 6 St-Ursanne Solidarity Fund for the Swiss Abroad 7 Ufenau Official Communications 8 Grandson Youth Service — Ski Camp 1974 Young Swiss from abroad in Ticino 12 Romainmôtier Switzerland from day to day 13 Gtornico a 14 Dimitri, poetical clown .ocarno Sion/\jflère News from the Colony 15 St-Maurice 2 77ze c/z«rc/z o/ Afiisfa»-, a /ewe/ o/ Scw/pri/res o« f/ze c/zzzrc/z o/ 5a« Mco/ao Aowawesgwe arc/z/fecftzre. af G/or«/co/r/c/«o. Those who want to turn South Ticino depended on the Bishopric of rarity — and presents itself today already at Martigny, will find a specially Milan, which developed great activities in completely in its original form. lovely church tower at Bourg-St. Pierre, what is Southern Switzerland today. In the capital of the Ticino, the road to the Great St. Bernard Pass, 5e//z'«zo«a, we must visit the beautiful on Shortly after Quinto we reach Prato shortly before the entrance to the motor Basilica San Biagio which used to belong whose church of St. George also boasts a tunnel. is of the oldest to the site of the Castello grande. As a It one magnificent belfry. A little further down towers Swiss Romanesque church, it is of rather Romanesque on territory. the valley, at Chiggiogna, we find one of Those the who wish Its beautiful arches of participants the earliest churches of the Ticino, which generous proportions. to continue with us on round will and the rectangular chancel give a hint of our tour, has been preserved almost untouched to 5/. Rz'ezre-c/e-C/ages, in the midst of the Gothic spirit for all their Romanesque get throughout the centuries. the classical Rhone Valley with its rich forms. The medieval orchards, poplar-lined roads and sunny settlement of The former parish church of San Gzor«z'co presents us with one of the vineyards on steep mountainsides. The Vittore in Locarno has a magnificent The chur.ch church there is pure in style and has been highlights of our journey. of Lombardian façade The three naves with San Nicolao is probably the most classical preserved in its whole originality. The their semi-circular apses, the elevated example of a small Romanesque place of impressive octagonal tower is crowned chancel and the dusky crypt are most worship. Built on a meadow with a shingle roof. green impressive. San Vittore was erected on between tall mountainsides, this church The capital of the Valais, 5zo«, the foundation walls of a Roman temple. enchants us by its simplicity and its noble gives us three Romanesque churches. The At the moment, comprehensive research proportions which makes us overlook the impression of their beauty is heightened is being made into its origins. On this small size. Everything is simple and by the unique skyline of the town with occasion, significant remains of frescoes original, but full of purity. The crypt the three hills towering above it. The of the twelfth century were found. The below the elevated chancel is particularly massive belfry of the Cathedral of beautiful belfry dates from a later period impressive. An once said that San Notre-Dame-du-Glarier is a classical expert but matches the rest of the building Nicolao corresponded to a petrified example of Romanesque architecture. On extremely well. It has been established on Gregorian chorus. each floor, the rows of windows increase many occasions that the Swiss mountain by yet another opening. The church of In 5/asca we find a further example landscape forms an impressive Valeria dominates the town by its of untouched Romanesque architecture background for Romanesque church position on a cone-shaped rock. With its in the church of St. Peter. The small buildings. Here in Locarno we realise that enclosing walls and towers it forms the building on a promontory looks like its subtropical vegetation in hotel and counterpart to Castle Tourbillon and climbing up the slope.