Veyras
Origin of the name Veyras
The village appears in 1612 as « Veras ». No explanation has yet been found for this name.[1]
Founding of Veyras
Veyras stands on a rocky promontory north-east of Sierre, on the right bank of the Rhône. Remains of a Roman quadrangular building survive in the village core. In the Middle Ages the village depended on the episcopal lordship of Sierre. From the 15th century to the end of the Ancien Régime its people formed, with those of Venthône and Miège, the middle third of the Contrée de Sierre, and every two years the grand châtelain of the dizain of Sierre was elected on the Prélaz of Veyras. The former municipality also included the hamlet of Muzot, which grew up on the site of a deserted medieval settlement. Veyras belonged first to the parish of Saint-Maurice-de-Laques (Mollens), then to that of Miège, before becoming a parish itself. A commuter municipality, it keeps an agricultural character with 78 hectares of vineyards, and is now part of Noble-Contrée.[1]
History of Veyras
Roman period. Construction of a quadrangular building whose remains survive in the village core.[1]
Middle Ages. Veyras depends on the episcopal lordship of Sierre.[1]
13th century. Construction of the castle (fortified house) of Muzot.[1]
after 1300. Agnès de la Tour-Châtillon reportedly has a church built at Muzot.
15th century. With Venthône and Miège, Veyras forms the middle third of the Contrée de Sierre, until the end of the Ancien Régime.[1]
1612. Mention as « Veras ».[1]
1624. A burghers' hall is reportedly recorded (date uncertain).
1676. Construction of the chapel of Saint-François d'Assise.[1]
1781. The chapel of Sainte-Agnès at Muzot takes its present form.[1]
1882. Veyras moves from the parish of Saint-Maurice-de-Laques to that of Miège (or in 1884, date uncertain).
1912. The painter Charles-Clos Olsommer settles in Veyras, where he builds his house.[4]
1921-1926. Rainer Maria Rilke lives at the Château de Muzot until his death.[3]
1946. Veyras leaves the parish of Miège and becomes a parish.[1]
1949. Consecration of the new church, which replaces the chapel of Saint-François d'Assise.[1]
1991. Charles-Clos Olsommer's house becomes a museum.[1]
2021. On 1 January Veyras merges with Miège and Venthône to form the municipality of Noble-Contrée.[1][5]
Population of Veyras
Sources and references: [1]
| 1850 | 65 inhabitants |
| 1900 | 113 inhabitants |
| 1950 | 347 inhabitants |
| 2000 | 1'422 inhabitants |
| 2010 | 1'699 inhabitants |
| 2020 | 1'837 inhabitants |
Historic sites in Veyras
Château de Muzot. 13th-century fortified house, known as the « castle », where Rainer Maria Rilke lived from 1921 until his death in 1926.[1][3]
Chapel of Sainte-Agnès at Muzot. Chapel of the hamlet of Muzot, in its present form since 1781. It reportedly stands on the site of the former medieval church.
Chapel of Saint-François d'Assise. Small Baroque building of 1676 in the village centre, replaced as the main place of worship by the new church consecrated in 1949.[1]
Charles-Clos Olsommer Museum. House the painter built after settling in Veyras in 1912, turned into a museum in 1991.[1][4]
Prélaz of Veyras. Place where the grand châtelain of the dizain of Sierre was elected every two years.[1]
Remains in Veyras
Roman building. Remains of a quadrangular building from the Roman period survive in the village core.[1]
Deserted settlement of Muzot. The hamlet of Muzot grew up on the site of an abandoned medieval settlement.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse (version allemande), « Veyras » (Catherine Raemy-Berthod, version du 09.08.2021)
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Randogne » (Bernard Truffer, version du 13.01.2017) (paroisse de Laques)
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Rilke, Rainer Maria » (Rätus Luck, version du 04.01.2012)
- Maison-musée C.C. Olsommer, Veyras, « L'artiste » (installation à Veyras en 1912)
- Commune de Noble-Contrée, « en commun », journal d'informations n° 1 (janvier 2021) (entrée en fonction du Conseil communal le 1er janvier 2021)
- geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées)
Localities of the municipality with a page
Other villages near Veyras
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