Friday, December 15, 2017

Sion - Switzerland

I'm back after my holidays in Vienna and Budapest. I returned with new postcards and while I was traveling I've received a few more.
Last month Óscar received his 200th official postcard and to celebrate he opened a lottery. I won the lottery and received a postcard from Sion, which I'm posting here now with another card with the Basilica of Valère and also sent by Óscar.

© Photo Edition darbellay CH - Martigny
Sion, the capital of the Canton of Valais, is known as the most sun-blessed town of Switzerland. Thanks to its central location, the small town abounding with culture is also an ideal starting point for exploring the summer and winter holiday resorts in the Valais side valleys.
Sion is recognizable from afar thanks to the high towers of Castle Tourbillon and the Castle of Valeria. These landmarks guard the capital of Valais and its 30,000 inhabitants. Past and future blend in one of Switzerland’s oldest cities. Sion, which boasts a 7,000-year history, is today the economic center of Valais and an important traffic junction with its own international airport. 
Particularly charming are the many historical monuments in the Old Town, the shopping area, and the new modern and convenient municipal facilities. Here one feels a little closer to the south. A visit to one of the numerous museums lets you discover the varied history of the city. - in: https://www.myswitzerland.com/en/sion-sitten.html

Edition PERROCHET S. A.
The Valère basilica, also called Valère castle, is a fortified church situated in Sion in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
The church (Notre-Dame de Valère) was built during the 12th and 13th centuries and obtained the rank of minor basilica at the time of the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1984.
The organ on the west side of the Valère basilica, believed to have been built in 1435, is one of the oldest in the world. Its pipes are arranged to form a rough outline of a church; the larger pipes form two towers, and the smaller ones create a triangular church roof. - in: wikipedia

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