Saint-Maurice (Valais)

Geschichte

Saint-Maurice, or Saint-Maurice d'Agaune, is a small city located in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It is also the capital of the district and of the municipality of Saint-Maurice. The district of Saint-Maurice (district) is composed with 9 municipalities (commune, Gemeinde): Collonges, Dorénaz, Evionnaz, Finhaut, Massongex, Salvan, St-Maurice, Vernayaz and Vérossaz. On 1 January 2013, the former municipality of Mex merged into the municipality of Saint-Maurice.The city of Saint-Maurice is the site of the Roman outpost of Agaunum and the mediaeval St. Maurice's Abbey, which has become a famous high school in Switzerland (Collège de Saint-Maurice).Saint-Maurice is located at the entrance a pass leading to the upper part of the Rhône valley. As such, it has a strategic importance, and defence work were built from the 15th century to control this access. The Fortress Saint-Maurice was constructed in the surrounding mountainsides from 1880 through 1995.HistorySaint-Maurice is first mentioned in 200 as Acaun Gal. In respect to Saint Maurice, the name was changed from Acaunum (Agaune) to Saint-Maurice in 1003.