St. German
Origin of the name St. German
In 1494/98 the village appears as « Sancto Germano de Vineis », St. German of the vines, and Bishop Niklaus Schiner calls it « in Sancto Germano de Vineis » in 1498. These vines may explain the vine in the arms of the dizain, later district, of Raron, known since the 15th century.[1][3][4]
Founding of St. German
St. German is a village in the municipality of Raron, on a hill at the foot of the right-hand side of the Rhône valley. Lying on the medieval Via regia, it was the secular and religious centre of the former large parish of Raron until the High Middle Ages, with a church holding baptismal and burial rights. The village has kept a farming character shaped by wine-growing.[1][2]
History of St. German
9th century. A narrow rectangular nave without a choir probably already exists: it is the first stage of the Romanesque church (a place of worship is recorded in the 8th or 9th century according to another source).[1][2][3][4]
13th century. The rise of the lords of Raron makes St. German lose importance to Raron.[1]
1299. The church of Raron becomes the parish church. St. German had probably been the original religious centre until then.[2]
1361. The quarters of the large parish, Bürchen, Unterbäch, Ausserberg and Raron, found the chaplaincy benefice of St. German.[3][4]
16th-17th century. The houses that still shape the village are built.[1]
19th century. The church crypt is abandoned. Chaplain Raphael Roten later turns it into a Lourdes grotto.[3][4]
1890s. The square church tower is raised by one storey of windows.[3][4]
1906-1913. Building the Lötschberg tunnel brings the village a brief economic and demographic upswing.[1]
1980-1982. During the interior renovation of the church, excavations and building surveys reveal a complex building history.[3][4]
early 21st century. Most working residents commute, mainly to Visp and Brig.[1]
Population of St. German
Sources and references: [1][6]
| 2009 | 346 |
Historic sites in St. German
Church of St. German. Romanesque village church, listed in the cultural property inventory as an object of regional importance (B). Its former crypt serves as a Lourdes grotto.[3][5]
Tscherggenhaus and Vogelhaus. Two houses in the Tscherggen quarter, also listed in the cultural property inventory as B objects.[5]
Sources
- Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (version allemande originale), « St. German » (Andreas Tscherrig, version du 21.01.2011)
- Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, « Raron (Gemeinde) » (Anton Riva, version du 16.12.2011)
- Pfarrei Raron, « Kirche St. German »
- Gemeinde Raron, « Sehenswertes St. German »
- Office fédéral de la protection de la population (OFPP), Inventaire PBC, liste cantonale du Valais (objets A et B, état au 1.1.2026)
- Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, chiffres provisoires au 31.12.2025, via citypopulation.de
- geo.admin.ch, service de recherche de swisstopo (St. German)
Other villages near St. German
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