Grand-Lancy
Origin of the name Grand-Lancy
Lancy first appears in 1097, in connection with the family of the same name. This mention covers the whole municipality, which comprises Grand-Lancy and Petit-Lancy. In the 14th century the lords of Ternier, who then held the fief, called it « Bâtie-Meillé ». The locality's road took the name « chemin du Grand-Lancy » when people in the municipality began to distinguish Grand-Lancy from Petit-Lancy. The name Lancy itself has no reliable explanation.[1][3]
Founding of Grand-Lancy
The birth of Grand-Lancy is not dated: the known early history concerns the parish and municipality of Lancy as a whole. It is one of the two localities of the municipality, separated from Petit-Lancy by the Aire valley, on a plateau at about 400 m. In the 18th century the parish priest of Confignon had the Trinity church built here, on the site of a chapel. In the 20th century new residential districts went up to the south (Les Palettes).[1][7]
History of Grand-Lancy
Roman period. Roman remains show that the territory of Lancy was settled very early.[3]
1097. First mention of Lancy, in connection with the family of the same name (whole municipality).[1]
14th century. The fief passes to the lords of Ternier, who call it « Bâtie-Meillé ».[3]
1699-1707. The parish priest of Confignon, B. de Pontverre, has a small chapel dedicated to the Trinity built.[1][4]
1707. A first parish priest is installed in the parish, which had become Catholic again in the early 18th century.[3]
1731-1732. The parish priest of Confignon has the Trinity church built at Grand-Lancy, on the site of the chapel.[1]
1780. Carouge is detached from the parish, which receives Petit-Lancy and Saint-Georges in compensation.[3]
1816. The Treaty of Turin assigns Lancy, a Savoyard municipality that was French from 1792 to 1813, to the canton of Genève (whole municipality).[1][3][4]
1828. The neoclassical manor house later known as the Villa Bernasconi is built.[5][6]
1829. The wooden Gué bridge links Grand-Lancy and Petit-Lancy.[1]
1831. The Soret family moves into the villa.[5][6]
1873. During the Kulturkampf the Roman Catholics are expelled from the Trinity church, which is taken over by the Christ Catholics.[1][4]
1890. During a renovation the choir of the Trinity church receives a neo-Gothic apse with three stained-glass windows.[4]
Early 20th century. The church's west front is altered and the Savoyard bell tower above the door gives way to a side tower.[4]
1921. In December the Trinity church is listed as a historic monument.[4]
1924. Grand-Lancy is connected to the tram network.[1]
1930. On 16 December a decree of the Council of State fixes the name of the route du Grand-Lancy, the old road from Geneva to the lands between the Rhône and the Aire.[3]
From 1960. Full restoration of the Trinity church, aiming to recover its state of 1732.[4]
1991. The City of Lancy becomes the owner of the Bernasconi park and villa.[5]
1997. The Villa Bernasconi becomes an art centre run by the City of Lancy's culture department.[5][6]
Historic sites in Grand-Lancy
Trinity church. Built in 1731-1732 by the parish priest of Confignon on the site of a chapel of 1699-1707, at 2 avenue Eugène-Lance. Taken over by the Christ Catholics in 1873, it has remained their property. Neo-Gothic apse of 1890, side bell tower from the early 20th century, listed in 1921. The present altar was consecrated on 16 November 1975.[1][4]
Gué bridge. Wooden bridge by which Grand-Lancy and Petit-Lancy were linked across the Aire valley in 1829.[1]
Villa Bernasconi. Neoclassical manor house of 1828, route du Grand-Lancy 8, on the bank of the Aire. Lived in by the Soret family from 1831 and then by the Bernasconi family, whose name it keeps, it has housed an art centre of the City of Lancy since 1997.[5][6]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Lancy » (Dominique Zumkeller), version du 10.03.2009 (version allemande lue)
- geo.admin.ch (swisstopo), recherche de lieux « Grand-Lancy »
- État de Genève, Noms géographiques du canton de Genève, « Route du Grand-Lancy »
- Vitrosearch (Vitrocentre Romont), « Eglise de la Trinité », Grand-Lancy (Valérie Sauterel, 2008)
- État de Genève, Noms géographiques du canton de Genève, « Parc BERNASCONI »
- Association des musées suisses, museums.ch, « Villa Bernasconi »
- Commune de Lancy, Plan directeur communal 2008, section 03 « Diagnostic et image directrice »
Other villages near Grand-Lancy
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