The
Valère Basilica is a fortified Catholic church in
Sion, in the Swiss canton of
Valais. It is situated on a hill at an altitude of 615 metres (2,018 ft), and faces
Tourbillon Castle located on the opposite hill. The first parts of the building were constructed around 1100, with numerous additions over the subsequent centuries. It was designated a
minor basilica in 1987. The site is a listed as a
Swiss heritage site of national significance, which includes the surrounding hill due to the large number of protected plant and animal species present there. This photograph shows the Valère Basilica in February 2021, with the
Haut de Cry, a 2,969-metre (9,741 ft) peak of the
Bernese Alps, in the background.
Photograph credit: Christian David