Villaz-Saint-Pierre
Origin of the name Villaz-Saint-Pierre
The village is recorded in 1177 as « Villa ». Lords « de Villa » are known in the 12th century.[1]
Founding of Villaz-Saint-Pierre
Villaz-Saint-Pierre lies north-east of Romont, on a site where a Gallo-Roman villa once stood. In the Middle Ages several lords and religious houses shared rights here: the lords « de Villa », of Billens and of Illens, the Count of Gruyère, Savoy, the Faber family of Romont, the convents of the Fille-Dieu and Payerne and the abbey of Hauterive. The village was the centre of a parish that also took in Fuyens, Les Glânes, Lussy, the hamlet of Les Granges and the Fille-Dieu. Long purely rural, it has grown into a residential place, with a station on the Lausanne-Fribourg line. Villaz-Saint-Pierre is now part of the municipality of Villaz (merger of 2020).[1]
History of Villaz-Saint-Pierre
Roman period. A Gallo-Roman villa occupies the site of the village.[1]
Early Middle Ages. A large cemetery is laid out. It has been reused up to the present day.[1]
12th century. A first church, dedicated to Saint Paul, is probably built.[1][2]
1177. Villaz appears as « Villa ».[1]
1228. The parish is mentioned. In the Middle Ages the Bishop of Lausanne holds the right of presentation.[1]
1536-1798. Fribourg takes over the right of presentation, and the village belongs to the bailiwick of Romont.[1]
1775. Lightning half destroys the church.[2]
1798-1848. Villaz-Saint-Pierre belongs to the district of Romont, then to the Glâne district.[1]
1839-1843. The present church, dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, is begun in 1839 and consecrated in 1843.[1][2]
1843. The Callinet brothers, organ builders in Rouffach in Alsace, build the church organ.[2]
1879. Fr. Berbig makes the stained-glass windows.[2]
1943-1949. The church is restored.[1]
1978. Fuyens is joined to Villaz-Saint-Pierre on 1 January, under a decree of 17 November 1977.[1][3]
1989. During the last major restoration, the sculptor Denis Guelpa carves a new altar, the ambo and the seats in La Molière stone.[2]
2018. On 25 November the citizens accept the merger with La Folliaz by 379 votes to 81.[4]
2020. Villaz-Saint-Pierre and La Folliaz form the municipality of Villaz.[1]
Population of Villaz-Saint-Pierre
Sources and references: [1]
| 1850 | 318 |
| 1900 | 358 |
| 1950 | 527 |
| 1980 | 654 |
| 2000 | 917 |
| 2010 | 965 |
| 2019 | 1'315 |
Historic sites in Villaz-Saint-Pierre
Church of Saints Peter and Paul. Built from 1839 to 1843, it holds a painting by Jérèm Falquet (1935) at the high altar and canvases by Henri Kaiser from 1867 and 1868 at the side altars. The ceiling frescoes by Zanola were retouched in 1941 by Albert Chavaz. The Callinet organ (1843) is rated as an instrument of high quality.[1][2]
Station. The village has a station on the Lausanne-Fribourg railway line.[1]
Remains in Villaz-Saint-Pierre
Gallo-Roman villa. Remains of a villa from the Roman period have been found at Villaz-Saint-Pierre.[1]
Early medieval cemetery. A large cemetery of this period, reused up to the present day.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Villaz-Saint-Pierre » (Dominique Roulin, version du 05.10.2020)
- Unité pastorale Sainte Marguerite Bays, « Église de Villaz-St-Pierre »
- État de Fribourg, Recueil systématique (RSF 141.1.2), « Liste chronologique des fusions, divisions et changements de nom des communes »
- Conseil d'État du canton de Fribourg, message 2018-DIAF-25 du 25 mars 2019 accompagnant le projet de décret relatif à la fusion des communes de La Folliaz et Villaz-Saint-Pierre
Other villages near Villaz-Saint-Pierre
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