Geschinen
Origin of the name Geschinen
The village is first recorded in 1327 as « Gessinon ». Where does the name come from? That is still unknown.[1]
Founding of Geschinen
Geschinen is a clustered village in the Goms valley, rich in timber buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries. In the Middle Ages the seigneurial rights belonged to noble families, above all the Asperlin. The village community bought them all out at the end of the 14th century. It regulated the use of the forests with Münster in 1379, adopted municipal statutes in 1543 and built its town hall between 1668 and 1714. Belonging to the parish of Münster, Geschinen formed its own rectorate from 1893 to 1947. A chapel of St Theodule, recorded in 1446, was replaced around 1500 by a chapel of St Sebastian, rebuilt in 1750-1752. A prosperous farming village with stately buildings, it still drew a good quarter of its jobs from the primary sector in 2000. From 2004 to 2016 Geschinen formed the municipality of Münster-Geschinen with Münster (merger of 1 October 2004), which joined the municipality of Goms in 2017.[1][2][5]
History of Geschinen
1327. First recorded as « Gessinon ».[1]
1379. Münster and Geschinen regulate the use of the forests.[2]
late 14th century. The village community buys out all the seigneurial rights, held mainly by the Asperlin.[1]
1395. Judgement in the dispute between Ulrichen and Geschinen, Münster and Obergesteln over the Aegina valley.[3]
1446. Mention of a chapel of St Theodule.[1]
around 1500. The chapel of St Theodule is replaced by a chapel of St Sebastian.[1]
1543. Municipal statutes adopted.[1]
1668-1714. Construction of the town hall.[1]
1686-1704. Construction of the present building of the pilgrimage chapel of St Catherine, on the Wiler.[1]
1750-1752. Construction of the present chapel of St Sebastian.[1]
1893-1947. Geschinen forms its own rectorate within the parish of Münster.[1]
2000. The primary sector still provides a good quarter of jobs.[1]
2004. On 1 October Geschinen merges with Münster to form the municipality of Münster-Geschinen.[1][2][5]
2017. Münster-Geschinen merges with Blitzingen, Grafschaft, Niederwald and Reckingen-Gluringen into the municipality of Goms.[1][2]
Population of Geschinen
Sources and references: [1]
| 1850 | 130 |
| 1900 | 88 |
| 1950 | 108 |
| 2000 | 65 |
Historic sites in Geschinen
Pilgrimage chapel of St Catherine. On the Wiler near Geschinen. First mentioned in the 14th century, rebuilt in 1686-1704.[1]
Chapel of St Sebastian. It replaced around 1500 a chapel of St Theodule recorded in 1446. The present building dates from 1750-1752.[1]
Town hall. Built between 1668 and 1714, in a clustered village with many 16th- and 17th-century timber houses.[1]
Avalanche dam. The Geschinen avalanche dam was built with material from the dismantling of the Ulrichen military airfield, closed in 1999.[3]
Sources
- Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, « Geschinen » (Philipp Kalbermatter, version du 08.02.2017, version allemande)
- Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, « Münster (VS) » (Robert Walpen, version du 08.02.2017, version allemande)
- Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, « Ulrichen » (Alois Grichting, version du 05.01.2017, version allemande)
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Münster-Geschinen » (version du 13.01.2017)
- Office fédéral de la statistique, Répertoire officiel des communes, mutation n° 2301 (01.10.2004)
- geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées)
Other villages near Geschinen
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