Majorie Castle is a

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

in the municipality of

Sion Sion may refer to * an alternative transliteration of Zion People * Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name and surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Shion or Sion, a Japanese given name Plac ...

in the

Canton of Valais Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the 26 cantons forming the Sw ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

Description

The castle is composed of two main buildings: the Majorie and the Vidomnat. The Majorie is a high tower dominating the site and protected by imposing

terraced walls A terraced wall, also a terrace wall, or a terraced retaining wall is a wall that is divided into sections (Terrace (earthworks), terraces) over a slope. Such designs are useful when building on a steep Grade (slope), grade. Terraced walls may b ...

. The Vidomnat, located below and westward of the Majorie tower, is made up of two three-storey square towers, which were probably conjoined after their construction.

History

The existence of the Vidomnat is mentioned as early as 1179. The presence of the Majorie tower is attested as of 1221, when its St Michel's Chapel is mentioned for the first time. The Majorie is then called the (Sion Tower). On 15 January 1373, the castle was bought by Bishop Guichard Tavelli, and served from then on as the official residence for the Prince-bishops of Sion. The castle then became the Prince-bishops’ seat of power. They preferred it to the more austere Tourbillon Castle, which was less accessible. The Majorie tower probably contained reception rooms, and the buildings that served as bishops’ habitation have not been preserved. In 1529, a fire destroyed the castle. It was rebuilt in 1536 under Bishop Adrian I of Riedmatten. During the 17th century, political power over Valais was shared between the bishops and the , but the Diet met in the Majorie Castle. A fire broke out again in 1788 and destroyed the archives of the

Diocese of Sion The Diocese of Sion ( la, Dioecesis Sedunensis, french: Diocèse de Sion, german: Bistum Sitten) is a Catholic ecclesiastical territory in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It is the oldest bishopric in the country and one of the oldest north of ...

. Despite several reconstruction projects, the castle was left as it was, and the bishops eventually built their palace near the

Sion Cathedral Sion Cathedral or the Cathedral of Our Lady of Sion (french: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Sion, Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Glarier) is the Roman Catholic cathedral in Sion, Valais Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Ca ...

in 1839–1840. The State of Valais then bought the Majorie Castle and installed barracks there. The Majorie Castle has been housing the since 1947. The (Bishop's Barn), the former stables of the castle, has been home to the since 2013.

External links

References

Cultural property of national significance in Valais 01 01 Castles in Switzerland Castles in the canton of Valais Sion, Switzerland {{Switzerland-castle-stub

Description

History

See also

External links

References