Bassy
Origin of the name Bassy
The lands of « Bassie » first appear in 1261. The origin of the name has not yet been explained.[2]
Founding of Bassy
Bassy is a hamlet in the municipality of Anières, set on the ridge above Lake Geneva. In the Middle Ages the d'Anières family, vassals of the Faucigny, held the fief and the castle of Bassy here, now vanished. When and by whom the castle was built is not known. The archaeologist Louis Blondel proposed locating here a castle or castrum mentioned in acts of the Dauphins of Viennois of 1336, reportedly built towards the end of the 13th century and destroyed at the beginning of the following century. Genève bought the fief after 1567. At the beginning of the 19th century Bassy had only a few houses. It was absorbed by urban growth in the 20th century.[1][2][3]
History of Bassy
Neolithic. Pile-dwelling settlement of Anières-Bassy (Saône-Rhône civilisation, Lüscherz group). An archaeological report mentions the pile-dwelling sites of Bassy I and II.[1][2]
1261. First mention of the lands of « Bassie ».[2]
Late 13th century. A castle or fortified town was reportedly built at Bassy and destroyed at the beginning of the following century. This is a hypothesis of Louis Blondel and is not confirmed.[2]
1336. Acts of the Dauphins of Viennois, studied by the archaeologist Louis Blondel, mention a castle or castrum at the place called Bassy, near Hermance.[2]
Early 15th century. Extinction of the d'Anières family, vassals of the Faucigny, who held the fief and the castle of Bassy.[1][3]
1567. After this date Genève buys the fief of Bassy.[1][3]
1732. The Sardinian cadastral map (mappe sarde) shows the hamlet of Bassy.[3]
Early 19th century. Bassy consists of only a few houses.[3]
1937-1999. Urban growth climbs the slope until it takes in Bassy. The chemin de Bassy serves an area of villas.[3]
2024. An archaeological evaluation at chemin de Bassy 10 (22-24 January) does not locate the castle or castrum: several hypotheses remain open, including that of a castle lying outside the plots tested.[2]
Historic sites in Bassy
Hamlet of Bassy. Hamlet on the ridge which still had very old houses in the mid-20th century. The old road to Hermance passed through Bassy and Chevrens.[2][3]
Anières-Bassy pile-dwelling settlement. Neolithic lakeshore settlement on Lake Geneva (Lüscherz group).[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse (version allemande), « Anières » (Fabia Christen), version remaniée le 15.09.2009
- Office du patrimoine et des sites, Service d'archéologie, Thibaud Constantin, Rapport d'intervention « Anières, Chemin de Bassy, 10 : diagnostic archéologique (sondages) » (mai 2024)
- Anita Frei, « Anières, histoire et patrimoine », étude pour le plan directeur communal (2003)
- geo.admin.ch, service de recherche de swisstopo (Bassy ; coordonnées)
Other villages near Bassy
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