The Hérémence church: a work of art and an architectural feat
The St-Nicolas church in Hérémence, a true emblem of contemporary heritage, impresses with its massive architecture in raw concrete and its bold aesthetics.
Built between 1967 and 1971, the building is the fruit of the innovative vision of Zurich architect and sculptor Walter Förderer. Inspired by the surrounding mountain landscape, he imagined the church as a sculpted rock, in harmony with the site's rock faces. Its irregular, jagged forms recall the steep relief of the valley.
The genesis of this work goes back to 1966, when parishioners almost unanimously approved the replacement of the old church, damaged by the 1946 earthquake. The concrete used for its construction comes from the same raw material used to build the majestic Grande Dixence dam. The mastery of reinforced concrete techniques brought by this major project marked a new prosperity for the region.
Built on a cramped, sloping site with an impressive 17-metre drop, St-Nicolas church blends harmoniously into its surroundings, yet stands out for its unique character. The parish priest at the time, Marius Charbonnet, declared: "A church in a village should not be a copy of the surrounding chalets. Nor should it simply reflect the past.
Today, the Hérémence church remains a place of meditation and a striking testimony to the alliance between art, architecture and the Alpine landscape.
