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St-Sébastien Chapel

Architecture & monuments

Located at the exit of the village of Basse-Nendaz on the road to Fey, the St-Sébastien Chapel is on a rocky ridge overlooking the Rhone Valley.

There are no historical documents to date the construction of the building precisely. However, a deed dated March 1555 mentions a donation of three florins and two altar cloths for the restoration of certain religious buildings in the area, including the Saint-Sébastien Chapel.

At that time, Nendaz was subject to the Seven Dizains of the Upper Valais and dependent on the governing body of St-Maurice in the Lower Valais. This perhaps explains the choice of St. Sebastian as patron saint. The latter was a contemporary of St. Maurice, leader of the Theban legion massacred by Emperor Diocletian, persecutor of the early Christians. In 288, St. Sebastian, a Roman centurion who converted to Christianity, was pierced with arrows and miraculously healed. Since then, he is beseeched against evil curses and the plague.

Nendaz, like the rest of Europe, fell victim to the plague on several occasions, which decimated the population. These epidemics can be seen as another reason for choosing St-Sebastian as a protector. Throughout the year numerous processions led the faithful from the church of Basse-Nendaz to the chapel.

Over the centuries, the building was probably renovated several times, especially in the years 1850 - 1860, when Charles-Frédéric Brun, known as Le Déserteur, restored a painting and painted the St. Sebastian situated below the triptych in Baroque style. More recently, in the 1970s, the hunters' association of Nendaz, Veysonnaz and Salins renovated the roof and walls. Since then, every 20 th January, they animate the service of St. Sebastian, patron saint of archers.

  • Free parking
  • Suitable for families

Accessibility

  • Partially wheelchair-accessible
  • Parking place partially wheelchair-accessible
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In the area

Basse-Nendaz

Towns & villages