The Church of Saint-Nicolas d’Hérémence

By Carole Schaub and Anne-Fanny Cotting

Hérémence is home to one of the most imposing examples of 20th century Swiss architecture. The village, remotely situated far from any urban centres, subsisted on agriculture and livestock farming until the construction of the nearby Grande-Dixence hydro-electric dam catapulted it to the forefront of modernity. The use of concrete for this modern masterpiece, the church of St Nicholas, made possible the sculptural volumes in its design. Constructed 1967-1971 to the design of Walter Maria Förderer, its bold architecture is characterised by a succession of voluminous structures and minute attention to detail. It is these innovative qualities which make it such a unique building.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gesellschaft für Schweizerische Kunstgeschichte
• Release date: Oct 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9783037977460

Book preview

Anne-Fanny Cotting · Carole Schaub

The Church of Saint-Nicolas d’Hérémence

Canton of Valais

Introduction

The Dix Valley and its large hydroelectric plants

Life before the dam

The first Dixence dam

The Grande-Dixence dam

Hérémence’s new church

The context

The competition

Construction

Walter Maria Förderer: an architect-cum-sculptor in search of an ideal

Biography

His thinking and writings

Architectural promenade

External ambulations

Inside the church

Reactions and critical success given to the Church of Saint-Nicolas d’Hérémence

Contemporary religious architecture in Switzerland and Valais

Appendices

Introduction

In the hills above Sion in the canton of Valais, the Hérémence Valley terminates in the Lac des Dix, a huge body of water contained by the majestic Grande-Dixence dam. Built between 1951 and 1965, with its downstream face measuring 285 metres in height, this is one of the tallest gravity dams in the world. Its construction profoundly altered the valley during the second half of the 20th century, having an impact that was both visual and societal.

Before 1950, the local inhabitants were still almost self-sufficient, living on subsistence agriculture and animal breeding, but the dam’s gigantic construction project thrust the modern world into their valley. It was against this background that the project for a new Church of Saint-Nicolas d’Hérémence would be developed. During the 1960s, when the time came to rebuild the ancient church that had been seriously damaged by an earthquake in 1946, a modern architectural design and concrete seemed the obvious path to follow. Since its construction, many curious visitors have been attracted to the church in Hérémence, which seems to have been sculpted out of an erratic block.

The bell tower of Saint-Nicolas d’Hérémence.

The village of Hérémence.

The Dix Valley and its large hydroelectric plants

Life before the dam

Until the first half of the 20th century, the vernacular architecture was a reflection of the difficult living conditions in the valley. The building materials used were the wood and stone found close by, whereas sand, lime and plaster had to be transported from the floor of the Rhone Valley. The houses and other raccards were constructed with the assistance of the community under the directions of carpenters and masons. Before the start of the 20th century, there were no building regulations: each family built as they pleased on the plot of land they owned. Consequently, the buildings were sited haphazardly and movement around the village was especially difficult. The houses were generally limited to two rooms: the kitchen and the common room in which the whole family lived and slept. Keeping the houses sufficiently warm during winter was hard, so the rooms were cramped and the windows small.

Until the 1920s, the only public buildings in Hérémence were the church and the maison bourgeoisiale. The latter accommodated public meetings, votes and club meetings. Its basement housed the prison, a storeroom and the public records. The president of the municipality, the judge and the councillor in charge of the land registry often officiated in their homes and kept official documents there. Schooling, too, was given in private houses until three classrooms were built in 1913. Schooling was made compulsory in 1907 and the school year was adapted to fit in with the villagers’ pastoral and agricultural activities. From a very young age, children – boys and girls alike – took part in their family’s agro-pastoral work and learned all the essential skills: farming, haymaking, animal care, tree-cutting, simple carpentry,