St. Silvester
Origin of the name St. Silvester
Saint-Sylvestre in French. The place appears in 1148 under two names, «sancto Silvestro» and «Baselgin». The first is that of Saint Silvester, patron of the church, the second has not been explained.[1][2]
Founding of St. Silvester
St. Silvester (Saint-Sylvestre) is a municipality made up of hamlets, about ten kilometres from Fribourg, right on the language border. Before it passed to Hauterive Abbey, the territory belonged to the lords of Arconciel. For a long time it formed a «Schrot», a quarter of the parish of Marly, in Fribourg's Old Territories (Bourg banner). The chapel of Saint Silvester, a place of pilgrimage since the Middle Ages, is the core of today's church.[1][2]
History of St. Silvester
1148. Rudolf of Neuchâtel gives the territory to Hauterive Abbey.[1]
XIIIe siècle. The church has its origins in this period. The sacristy with its pointed barrel vault probably dates from it.[2]
1317. A medieval castle is mentioned.[1]
Seconde moitié du XIVe siècle. A statue of Saint Silvester is made, still to be seen in the church.[2]
1488. The chapel of Saint Silvester, a place of pilgrimage, is rebuilt.[1]
1630. Giffers leaves the parish of Marly. St. Silvester then becomes a quarter of the new parish of Giffers.[1]
XVIIe siècle. The chapel undergoes its first major enlargement.[2]
1667. A chaplaincy is founded at the chapel.[1]
Vers 1700. The Tschüpru country house is built on the site of the vanished castle.[1]
1798. St. Silvester briefly becomes an independent municipality in the district of La Roche.[1]
1803. The village becomes a quarter of Giffers again, now in the district of Fribourg, and remains so until 1831.[1]
1859. St. Silvester becomes a parish of its own.[1][2]
1893. The new church is completed (or as early as 1892). The oldest part becomes the sacristy, the old nave, partly demolished, serves as the choir, and a new nave is added.[1][2]
1954. The church is renovated for the first time.[1]
1985. The church undergoes a complete renovation.[1][2]
2005. Farming still provides 43 % of jobs, alongside some transport and construction.[1]
Population of St. Silvester
Sources and references: [1][3]
| 1811 | 398 |
| 1850 | 533 |
| 1900 | 596 |
| 1950 | 761 |
| 2000 | 955 |
| 2025 | 1'062 |
Historic sites in St. Silvester
Church of Saint Silvester. Its origins go back to the 13th century. The pilgrimage chapel, rebuilt in 1488 and enlarged in the 17th century, was incorporated into the church of 1893, renovated in 1954 and 1985. It keeps a statue of Saint Silvester from the second half of the 14th century. The church and the parish house are among the municipality's cultural assets.[1][2]
Tschüpru country house. Country house built around 1700 on the site of the medieval castle.[1]
Remains in St. Silvester
Medieval castle. Mentioned in 1317, it no longer exists. The Tschüpru country house stands on its site.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Saint-Sylvestre » (Peter F. Kopp, version du 31.08.2010)
- Commune de St. Silvester, « Pfarrei »
- Service de la statistique du canton de Fribourg (SStat), « Population des communes, de 1900 à 2025 » (T01-02-03), population résidante permanente au 31.12.2025
Other villages near St. Silvester
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