Martigny-Ville No. 1 / Martinach / Martiniacum
Image copyright © Natasha Hathaway, 2014
Image and permission received (e-mail of 22 May 2012)
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Copyright Statement: Image copyright © Natasha Hathaway, 2014
Image Source: digital photograph taken 21 April 2011 by Natasha Hathaway
Copyright Instructions: Image and permission received (e-mail of 22 May 2012)
INFORMATION
FontID: 19178MAR
Object Type: Baptismal Font3
Church/Chapel: Eglise paroissiale Notre-Dame de la Visitation [formerly Notre-Dame des Champs]
Church Location: Rue de l'Hôtel-de-Ville 5, Martigny, Valais, Switzerland -- Tel.: +41 27 722 22 82
Country Name: Switzerland
Location: Valais
Directions to Site: Located near Dorénaz and Vernayaz, 35 km SE of Montreux
Ecclesiastic Region: Diocèse de Sion
Historical Region: Bas-Valais
Century and Period: 4th - 5th century, Early Christian
Credit and Acknowledgements: We are grateful to Natasha Hathaway for her photograph of this font
Church Notes: the present church is under the advocation of Notre-Dame de la Visitation, but was formerly dedicated to Notre-Dame des Champs [a name now assigned to the church annex] -- the original church here was Early Christian of the 4thC; a Romanesque church was consecrated in 1177; the dedication changed in 1420 to Notre-Dame-des-Chamos, but was later reversed to La Visitation
Font Notes:
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Baptismal sunken piscina from the Early Christian church here excavated in 1990-1993; the font is rather shallow and has an irregular shape; two steps are visible on one of the sides. Noël Duval writes: "Malgré la faiblesse des indices chronologiques, l'extrême mutilation des sols et des installations fixes, il y a tout lieu de croire qu'il s'agit de la cathédrale primitive du Valais, en avec l'importance très réduite de la métropole, dotée peut-être d'un baptistère utilisant sans doute un bassin antérieur d'origine profane".
COORDINATES
UTM: 32T 350568 5106975
MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS
Material: stone
REFERENCES
Duval, Noël, "L'église de Martigny (Valais) : une nouvelle cathédrale double?", 155, 155-2, Bulletin Monumental, 1997, pp. 151-153; p. 152