Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Geography
3 Political subdivisions
3.1 Districts
3.2 Municipalities
4 Demographics
5 Politics
5.1 Federal election results
6 Economy
6.1 Primary sector
6.2 Secondary sector
6.3 Tertiary sector
7 Transport
8 See also
9 Notes and references
10 External links
History[edit]
Further information Prince-bishopric of Sion and Alpes Poeninae
The Romans called the upper Rhne valley Vallis Poenina. The Vallis Poenina was won
by the Romans after a great fight at Octodurus (Martigny) in 57 BC and became part
of the Gallo-Roman cultural sphere. According to a tradition which can be traced
back to the middle of the 8th century, the Theban legion was martyred at Agaunum
(now Saint Maurice) about 285 or 302. From 888 onwards the lands were part of the
kingdom of Jurane Burgundy.[3]
Valais in 1300
Valais formed part of the kingdom of Transjurane Burgundy, which fell to the Holy
Roman Empire in 1032. It became part of the duchy of Burgundia Minor, which was
held from the emperors by the house of Zhringen (which became extinct in 1218). In
999, King Rudolph III of Burgundy gave all temporal rights and privileges to the
Bishop of Sion, who was later styled praefect and count of Valais and is still a
prince of the Holy Roman Empire. The count-bishops then struggled to defend their
area against the Zhringer and then the dukes of Savoy, so that the medieval
history of Valais is inextricably linked with that of the diocese of Sion. The
Dukes of Savoy, however, succeeded in winning most of the land west of Sion, while
in the upper part of the valley (Upper Valais) there were many feudal lords, such
as the lords of Raron, those of La Tour-Chtillon, and the counts of Visp.[3]
About the middle of the 13th century, the large communities (Zenden or tithings)
began to develop independence and grow in power. The name Zenden or tithings
probably came from a very ancient division of the bishop's manors for
administrative and judicial purposes. In the same century the upper part of the
valley was colonized by Germans from Hasli in the Canton of Bern. The locals became
German speaking, though many Romance local names still remain. In 1354 the
liberties of several of the seven Zenden (Sion, Sierre, Leuk, Raron, Visp, Brig and
Conches) were confirmed by the Emperor Charles IV.[3]
By the late 14th century, the counts of Savoy acquired the bishopric of Sion. The
Zenden resisted his attempts to gather both spiritual and secular power in the
valley. In 1375-76, Zenden forces crushed the army of the house of La Tour-
Chatillon, and in 1388 utterly defeated the forces of the bishop, the count and his
nobles at Visp. The German-speaking Zenden spread further into the valley. Starting
in 1384 the Morge stream (a little below Sion) was recognized as the boundary
between Savoyard, French-speaking Lower Valais and German-speaking episcopal Upper
Valais.
During the Raron affair rebellion in 1414 to 1420, some cantons of the Swiss
Confederation took sides in the conflict. Lucerne, Uri and Unterwalden supported
the Upper Valais rebels, while Bern supported the noble Raron family. The uprising
was successful in driving out the Rarons, and almost brought the Confederation to
civil war.[4]
With the election of Walther von Supersax of Conches as bishop in 1457, the German-
speaking part of the valley finally won the supremacy. At the outbreak of the
Burgundian War in 1475 the bishop of Sion and the Zenden made a treaty with Bern.
In November of the same year they seized all Lower or Savoyard Valais up to
Martigny. In March 1476, after the victory of Grandson, they advanced and captured
St Maurice, vian, Thonon and Monthey. They had to give up the last three districts
in 1477, but won them again in 1536. In the treaty of Thonon in 1569, Monthey, Val-
d'llliez and Le Bouveret were permanently annexed to Valais. These conquered
districts in the Lower Valais were always ruled as subject lands by the bishop and
Zenden of the Upper Valais. On March 12, 1529, Valais became an associate member
(Zugewandter Ort) of the Swiss Confederation.[3]
Geography[edit]
The wide, glacial Rhne valley dominates the area. There are many side valleys
which branch off the main valley. These vary from narrow and remote to reasonably
populous and popular. At the head of the Mattertal valley lies Zermatt, a pretty
tourist village dominated by views of the Matterhorn (4,478 m). Fifty of the
mountains exceed 4,000 m with the highest, Monte Rosa, reaching 4,634 metres
(15,203 ft), and there are numerous glaciers including several of the largest in
the Alps.
The Rhne drains almost the entire canton and flows in the main valley from east to
west down to Martigny, then in a right angle north to its mouth in Lake Geneva.
After the small town of Saint-Maurice, the north-eastern banks of the river belong
to the canton of Vaud. However two areas are located on the south side of the Alps
and are drained by the Po the valley south of the Simplon Pass and the small area
south of the Great St. Bernard Pass. The main valley is bounded by the Bernese Alps
in the north and the Pennine Alps in the south. Other ranges situated partially in
Valais are the Chablais Alps, the Mont Blanc Massif, the Urner Alps and the
Lepontine Alps. Only about half of the total area is considered productive.
Political subdivisions[edit]
Main article Subdivisions of the canton of Valais
Districts[edit]
Districts in Valais
Valais is divided into 13 districts, with the district of Raron being further
divided into two half-districts. The districts are listed here in geographical
order
Upper Valais
Demographics[edit]