Medieval wall discovered in the old town of Geneva
Published: Thursday, Oct 10th 2024, 16:30
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The Office of Cultural Heritage and Monuments has unearthed a medieval wall next to Saint-Pierre Cathedral in Geneva's old town. This extraordinary discovery bears witness to the history of Geneva's episcopal palace and its outbuildings from the 13th to the 16th century.
During renovation work in a building next to the cathedral, the cellars of the building were completely emptied and the foundation structures uncovered. An important fortification wall was discovered in the process, as the canton of Geneva announced in a press release on Thursday.
According to the canton, the molasse wall, which is almost ten meters long, 2.5 meters high and 1.8 meters thick, is very well preserved and features large niches for cannons. The defensive wall was built in the 1230s and reinforced around 1444-1445.
Reference to wine cellar
The masonry complex is the last remnant of the fortified palace that the bishops of Geneva had had to the north of the cathedral since the 11th century and which was completely demolished in 1840. The exposed wall protected the entrance to the bishops' residence opposite the Rue des Barrières. Traces of a vault also show that the bishops' wine cellar was attached to the wall.
Until now, only three other remains of the medieval town fortifications from this period were known: the Tour de l'Ile, the Baudet Tower and part of the ring wall.
©Keystone/SDA
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