Martigny, Switzerland
Encyclopedia
Martigny is the capital of the French-speaking district of Martigny in the canton
of Valais
in Switzerland
. It lies at an elevation of 471 metres (1,545.3 ft), and its population is approximately 15000 inhabitants (Martignerains or "Octoduriens"). It is a junction of roads joining Italy
, France
and Switzerland. One road links it over the Great St. Bernard Pass
to Aosta
(Italy), and the other over the col de la Forclaz
to Chamonix
(France). In winter, Martigny is appreciated for its numerous nearby Alp ski resorts such as Verbier
.
. It is on the east edge of the Rhône valley, at the foot of the Swiss Alps, and is located at the point where the southwestern-flowing Rhone turns ninety degrees northward and heads toward Lake Leman (Lake Geneva). The Dranse River flows from the Valais Alps into the Rhone here.
Martigny has an area, , of 24.9 square kilometre. Of this area, 31.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 39.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 23.3% is settled (buildings or roads) and 5.3% is unproductive land.
In 1964 the current municipality was created with the merger of Martigny-Ville and Martigny-Bourg.
s, and Napoleon's troop
s have left behind traces. A restored Roman amphitheatre
, temples, citizen living quarters, and thermal bath
s can be seen in Martigny today. Martigny became the first bishop
's seat in Switzerland. Today it is admired for its historical districts of La Bâtiaz and Vieux-Bourg which feature churches and secular buildings worth seeing.
In the 1st century BC, present-day Martigny was an oppidum
or vicus
of a Celtic tribe, the Veragri
. It was then called Octodurus or Octodurum. When Julius Caesar
was in Gaul
(57-56 BC), he sent Servius Galba
with the twelfth legion
and some cavalry
into the country of the Nantuates
, Veragri, and Seduni
. His purpose in sending this force was to open the pass over the Alps
, the pass of the Great St. Bernard, by which road the mercatores had used to travel at great risk as well as paying great tolls. (B. G. iii. 1.) The local people of the Alps had allowed these Roman merchants, from what is now Italy, to pass, because if they extracted too much or mistreated them they would no longer come. But the locals got as much from this merchant trade as they could. Galba, after capturing many local strongholds and receiving the submission of the people, sent troops into the country of the Nantuates, and with the his remaining army determined to winter in Octoduru. Octoduru, which town being situated in a valley not having extensive level ground near it, is confined on all sides by very lofty mountains. There is some level ground at Martigny, and the valley of the Rhone at this part is not narrow. Caesar says that the town of Octodurus was divided into parts by a river, but he does not mention the river's name. It is the Dranse. Galba gave one part of the town to the Galli
to winter in, and assigned the other to his troops. He fortified himself with a ditch and rampart, and thought he was safe. He was, however, suddenly attacked by the Galli before his defences were complete or all his supplies were brought into the camp. Thus began the Battle of Octodurus
. The Romans obstinately defended themselves in a six hours' fight; when, seeing that they could no longer keep the enemy out, they made a sortie, which was successful. The Romans estimated the Galli at more than 30,000, and Caesar says that more than a third part were destroyed. The slaughter of the enemy was prodigious, which has been made an objection to Caesar's veracity, or to Galba's, who made his report to the commander. It has also been objected that the valley is not wide enough at Martigny to hold the 30,000 men. There may be error in the number that attacked, and also in the number who perished. After this escape Galba prudently withdrew his troops, and marching through the country of the Nantuates reached the land of the Allobroges
, where he wintered.
The region joined the Roman Empire
. In 47, Emperor Claudius
founded Forum Claudii Augusti, later renamed Forum Claudii Vallensium to avoid confusion with another city that was dear to him. Octodurus was the principal town of the area until the displacement of the episcopal see to Sion
in the 4th century. Pliny
(iii. c. 20) says that the Octodurenses received the Latinitas (Latio donati). The town appears in the Antonine Itinerary
and in the Tabula Peutingeriana
. In the Notit. Prov., the place is called Civitas Vallensium Octodurus. At a later period it was called Forum Claudii Vallensium Octodurensium, as an inscription shows. One authority speaks of the remains of a Roman aqueduct at Martigny. Many coins, and other memorials of the Roman time, have been found about the place.
The name Octodur is manifestly Celtic. The second part of the name is Dur, water. The first part, probably some corrupt form, is not explained. The town sat on the Roman road from Augusta Praetoria (modern Aosta) in Italy.
Martigny is first mentioned in 1018 as Martiniacum.
Martigny is in the region known as the Chablais which in modern times incorporates a portion of Switzerland Vaud east of the Rhone, Switzerland Valais west of the Rhone, and France in the former Savoy. In 1845-47 there was an attempt by a group of primarily Catholic Swiss cantons to secede from Switzerland and form a Catholic confederation called the Sonderbund. The Valais was to be part of the Sonderbund. General Henri Dufour with 97,000 Federal troops in 1847 prevented secession in a relatively bloodless confrontation against a slightly smaller rebel army in what is known as the Sonderbund war. The Valais decided to not fight.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Gules, a lion rampant argent bearing a hammer or.
Most of the population speaks French (12,227 or 85.1%) as their first language, Portuguese
is the second most common (602 or 4.2%) and Italian
is the third (597 or 4.2%). There are 227 people who speak German and 9 people who speak Romansh.
, the gender distribution of the population was 48.7% male and 51.3% female. The population was made up of 5,114 Swiss men (32.4% of the population) and 2,566 (16.3%) non-Swiss men. There were 5,830 Swiss women (37.0%) and 2,268 (14.4%) non-Swiss women. Of the population in the municipality 5,162 or about 35.9% were born in Martigny and lived there in 2000. There were 3,554 or 24.7% who were born in the same canton, while 1,439 or 10.0% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 3,694 or 25.7% were born outside of Switzerland.
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 23.8% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 61.3% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 14.8%.
, there were 5,918 people who were single and never married in the municipality. There were 6,723 married individuals, 922 widows or widowers and 798 individuals who are divorced.
, there were 6,001 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.3 persons per household. There were 2,211 households that consist of only one person and 385 households with five or more people. , a total of 5,766 apartments (84.4% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 900 apartments (13.2%) were seasonally occupied and 168 apartments (2.5%) were empty. , the construction rate of new housing units was 6.2 new units per 1000 residents. The vacancy rate for the municipality, , was 2.72%.
The historical population is given in the following chart:
Gianadda) and the Roman era
city are listed as Swiss heritage site of national significance
. The entire town of Martigny-Ville and the small town of Martigny-Bourg are part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
.
are held in the amphitheater during early autumn for the "Comptoir". The city is notable for its Pierre Gianadda Foundation (Fondation Pierre Gianadda) museum. This is the most important cultural attraction in Martigny and, in addition to the Gallo-Roman Museum, houses a car museum. The building was constructed around the remains of a former Roman temple built on top of Roman ruins. The foundation hosts three painting exhibitions every year, with works by renowned masters.
The Earth Science Museum (Musee des Sciences de la Terre)is another must-see museum in Martigny if you are interested in understanding the Alps better. Indeed, this museum presents a three-storey exhibition about geology in Valais, crystals from Valais and mines of Valais.
the most popular party was the FDP
which received 37% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP
(26.23%), the SP
(13.5%) and the SVP
(13.39%). In the federal election, a total of 5,030 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
was 56.9%.
In the 2009 Conseil d'Etat/Staatsrat
election a total of 4,057 votes were cast, of which 335 or about 8.3% were invalid. The voter participation was 46.4%, which is much less than the cantonal average of 54.67%. In the 2007 Swiss Council of States election
election a total of 4,947 votes were cast, of which 412 or about 8.3% were invalid. The voter participation was 57.0%, which is similar to the cantonal average of 59.88%.
, Martigny had an unemployment rate of 6.5%. , there were 251 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 74 businesses involved in this sector. 2,211 people were employed in the secondary sector and there were 188 businesses in this sector. 7,812 people were employed in the tertiary sector, with 871 businesses in this sector. There were 7,227 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 44.2% of the workforce.
the total number of full-time equivalent
jobs was 8,663. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 145, of which 137 were in agriculture and 8 were in forestry or lumber production. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 2,100 of which 897 or (42.7%) were in manufacturing, 2 or (0.1%) were in mining and 1,082 (51.5%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 6,418. In the tertiary sector; 1,491 or 23.2% were in the sale or repair of motor vehicles, 582 or 9.1% were in the movement and storage of goods, 594 or 9.3% were in a hotel or restaurant, 103 or 1.6% were in the information industry, 740 or 11.5% were the insurance or financial industry, 827 or 12.9% were technical professionals or scientists, 286 or 4.5% were in education and 964 or 15.0% were in health care.
, there were 4,424 workers who commuted into the municipality and 2,362 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 1.9 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving. Of the working population, 10.4% used public transportation to get to work, and 58.8% used a private car.
. Of the rest of the population, there were 115 members of an Orthodox church
(or about 0.80% of the population), there were 13 individuals (or about 0.09% of the population) who belonged to the Christian Catholic Church
, and there were 309 individuals (or about 2.15% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church. There were 2 individuals (or about 0.01% of the population) who were Jewish
, and 696 (or about 4.85% of the population) who were Islam
ic. There were 29 individuals who were Buddhist
, 18 individuals who were Hindu
and 13 individuals who belonged to another church. 769 (or about 5.35% of the population) belonged to no church, are agnostic
or atheist
, and 745 individuals (or about 5.19% of the population) did not answer the question.
). Of the 1,487 who completed tertiary schooling, 53.2% were Swiss men, 29.3% were Swiss women, 11.0% were non-Swiss men and 6.5% were non-Swiss women.
, there were 835 students in Martigny who came from another municipality, while 502 residents attended schools outside the municipality.
Martigny is home to the Médiathèque Valais - Martigny library. The library has 57,756 books or other media, and loaned out 144,524 items in the same year. It was open a total of 280 days with average of 22 hours per week during that year.
Thanks to Martigny's transport connections the winter sports regions of the "4 Vallées", Portes-du-Soleil and Ovronnaz are easily reached.
It has been nearly one century that the two original railway companies Martigny-Orsières (MO) and Martigny-Châtelard (MC) began serving the valleys of Entremont and Trient. In 1990, the Boards of directors of MO and MC decided to combine for common management, however each company would maintain an independent status. Two new trains were started: the Saint-Bernard Express for the MO, and the Mont Blanc Express for the MC. Later the Octodure-Voyages and Orsières-Octodure-Transports companies were taken over. TMRSA is an important employer in the region with some 180 permanent staff.
The French holiday resort of Chamonix is accessible from Martigny in one-and-a-half hours using the scenic narrow-gauge tracks of the "Mont Blanc Express". Crossing the wild Trient Gorge and ascending to breath-taking heights towards Chamonix (France), travelers will see waterfalls crashing down and majestic mountain crags rising in the background. Shady forests alternate with cozy villages and ultimately give way onto the grandiose glacier of Mont Blanc, Europe's highest peak. The "St Bernard Express" takes passengers from Martigny to Orsières and from there by bus through beautiful mountain countryside to the hospice on the Great St. Bernard. Pass through the Val d'Entremont to Orsières, from where a bus will take you to Champex-Lac, La Fouly or if it is summer (June to end of September) to the hospice on the Grand St. Bernard Pass. There are the legendary kennels where the dogs of the same name are bred, as well as the small local museum to view the Roman artifacts found here.
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It lies at an elevation of 471 metres (1,545.3 ft), and its population is approximately 15000 inhabitants (Martignerains or "Octoduriens"). It is a junction of roads joining Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Switzerland. One road links it over the Great St. Bernard Pass
Great St. Bernard Pass
Great St. Bernard Pass is the third highest road pass in Switzerland. It connects Martigny in the Canton of Valais in Switzerland to Aosta in Italy. It is the lowest pass lying on the ridge between the two highest summits of the Alps, Mont Blanc and Monte Rosa...
to Aosta
Aosta
Aosta is the principal city of the bilingual Aosta Valley in the Italian Alps, north-northwest of Turin. It is situated near the Italian entrance of the Mont Blanc Tunnel, at the confluence of the Buthier and the Dora Baltea, and at the junction of the Great and Little St. Bernard routes...
(Italy), and the other over the col de la Forclaz
Col de la Forclaz
Col de la Forclaz is a mountain pass in the Alps in the Canton of Valais in Switzerland. It connects Martigny at and Le Châtelard . The road from Martigny to the Col has an average gradient of 6% but in parts is more like 8%...
to Chamonix
Chamonix
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc or, more commonly, Chamonix is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the 1924 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics...
(France). In winter, Martigny is appreciated for its numerous nearby Alp ski resorts such as Verbier
Verbier
Verbier is a village located in southwestern Switzerland in the canton of Valais. It is one of the largest holiday resort and ski areas in the Swiss Alps, is recognized as one of the premiere "off-piste" locations in the world...
.
Geography
Martigny lies at an elevation of 471 metres (1,545.3 ft), about 33 kilometres (20.5 mi) south-southeast of MontreuxMontreux
Montreux is a municipality in the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.It is located on Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps and has a population, , of and nearly 90,000 in the agglomeration.- History :...
. It is on the east edge of the Rhône valley, at the foot of the Swiss Alps, and is located at the point where the southwestern-flowing Rhone turns ninety degrees northward and heads toward Lake Leman (Lake Geneva). The Dranse River flows from the Valais Alps into the Rhone here.
Martigny has an area, , of 24.9 square kilometre. Of this area, 31.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 39.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 23.3% is settled (buildings or roads) and 5.3% is unproductive land.
In 1964 the current municipality was created with the merger of Martigny-Ville and Martigny-Bourg.
History
Martigny's history reaches back two thousand years: Celtic tribes, the RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
s, and Napoleon's troop
Troop
A troop is a military unit, originally a small force of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron and headed by the troop leader. In many armies a troop is the equivalent unit to the infantry section or platoon...
s have left behind traces. A restored Roman amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
, temples, citizen living quarters, and thermal bath
Thermal bath
A thermal bath is a warm body of water. It is often referred to as a spa, which is traditionally used to mean a place where the water is believed to have special health-giving properties, though note that many spas offer cold water or mineral water treatments.A thermal bath may be part of a...
s can be seen in Martigny today. Martigny became the first bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
's seat in Switzerland. Today it is admired for its historical districts of La Bâtiaz and Vieux-Bourg which feature churches and secular buildings worth seeing.
In the 1st century BC, present-day Martigny was an oppidum
Oppidum
Oppidum is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. The word is derived from the earlier Latin ob-pedum, "enclosed space," possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *pedóm-, "occupied space" or "footprint."Julius Caesar described the larger Celtic Iron Age...
or vicus
Vicus (Rome)
In ancient Rome, the vicus was a neighborhood. During the Republican era, the four regiones of the city of Rome were subdivided into vici. In the 1st century BC, Augustus reorganized the city for administrative purposes into 14 regions, comprising 265 vici. Each vicus had its own board of...
of a Celtic tribe, the Veragri
Veragri
The Veragri were an ancient tribe located in present day Switzerland. The Veragri are placed by Julius Caesar in the canton of Valais between the Nantuates and the Seduni. Their chief town was Octodurus , whence the Veragri are called Octodurenses by Pliny. Dio Cassius The Veragri (Greek: ) were...
. It was then called Octodurus or Octodurum. When Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
was in Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
(57-56 BC), he sent Servius Galba
Servius Sulpicius Galba (praetor 54 BC)
Servius Sulpicius Galba, praetor in 54 BC.As legate of Julius Caesar's 12th Legion during his Gallic Wars, he was defeated by the Nantuates in 57 BC. Later, however, angered due to Caesar's opposition to his campaign for the consulship, he joined the conspiracy with Brutus and Cassius, and was...
with the twelfth legion
Legio XII Fulminata
Legio duodecima Fulminata , also known as Paterna, Victrix, Antiqua, Certa Constans, and Galliena, was a Roman legion, levied by Julius Caesar in 58 BC and which accompanied him during the Gallic wars until 49 BC. The unit was still guarding the Euphrates River crossing near Melitene at the...
and some cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
into the country of the Nantuates
Nantuates
The Nantuates or Nantuatae were an ancient people of modern day Switzerland, whose territory extended into adjacent areas now in modern-day France....
, Veragri, and Seduni
Seduni
The Seduni or Sedunii were an ancient people in the valley of the Upper Rhone at Roman contact, whom Julius Caesar mentions: Nantuates Sedunos Veragrosque. These tribes were conquered by Rome are also mentioned in the Trophy of the Alps in the same order. They were east of the Veragri, in the...
. His purpose in sending this force was to open the pass over the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, the pass of the Great St. Bernard, by which road the mercatores had used to travel at great risk as well as paying great tolls. (B. G. iii. 1.) The local people of the Alps had allowed these Roman merchants, from what is now Italy, to pass, because if they extracted too much or mistreated them they would no longer come. But the locals got as much from this merchant trade as they could. Galba, after capturing many local strongholds and receiving the submission of the people, sent troops into the country of the Nantuates, and with the his remaining army determined to winter in Octoduru. Octoduru, which town being situated in a valley not having extensive level ground near it, is confined on all sides by very lofty mountains. There is some level ground at Martigny, and the valley of the Rhone at this part is not narrow. Caesar says that the town of Octodurus was divided into parts by a river, but he does not mention the river's name. It is the Dranse. Galba gave one part of the town to the Galli
Gauls
The Gauls were a Celtic people living in Gaul, the region roughly corresponding to what is now France, Belgium, Switzerland and Northern Italy, from the Iron Age through the Roman period. They mostly spoke the Continental Celtic language called Gaulish....
to winter in, and assigned the other to his troops. He fortified himself with a ditch and rampart, and thought he was safe. He was, however, suddenly attacked by the Galli before his defences were complete or all his supplies were brought into the camp. Thus began the Battle of Octodurus
Battle of Octodurus
The Battle of Octodurus took place in the winter of 57-56 BC in the Gallic town of Octodurus in what is now Martigny, Valais, Switzerland. The battle was the result of a Roman attempt to open the Great St. Bernard Pass over the Alps...
. The Romans obstinately defended themselves in a six hours' fight; when, seeing that they could no longer keep the enemy out, they made a sortie, which was successful. The Romans estimated the Galli at more than 30,000, and Caesar says that more than a third part were destroyed. The slaughter of the enemy was prodigious, which has been made an objection to Caesar's veracity, or to Galba's, who made his report to the commander. It has also been objected that the valley is not wide enough at Martigny to hold the 30,000 men. There may be error in the number that attacked, and also in the number who perished. After this escape Galba prudently withdrew his troops, and marching through the country of the Nantuates reached the land of the Allobroges
Allobroges
The Allobroges were a Celtic tribe of ancient Gaul, located between the Rhône River and the Lake of Geneva in what later became Savoy, Dauphiné, and Vivarais. Their cities were in the areas of modern-day Annecy, Chambéry and Grenoble, the modern of Isère, and modern Switzerland...
, where he wintered.
The region joined the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. In 47, Emperor Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
founded Forum Claudii Augusti, later renamed Forum Claudii Vallensium to avoid confusion with another city that was dear to him. Octodurus was the principal town of the area until the displacement of the episcopal see to Sion
Sion, Switzerland
Sion is the capital of the Swiss canton of Valais. it had a population of .Landmarks include the Basilique de Valère and Château de Tourbillon. Sion has an airfield for civilian and military use, which, because of its location in a valley, causes a reasonable amount of noise pollution. FC Sion...
in the 4th century. Pliny
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
(iii. c. 20) says that the Octodurenses received the Latinitas (Latio donati). The town appears in the Antonine Itinerary
Antonine Itinerary
The Antonine Itinerary is a register of the stations and distances along the various roads of the Roman empire, containing directions how to get from one Roman settlement to another...
and in the Tabula Peutingeriana
Tabula Peutingeriana
The Tabula Peutingeriana is an itinerarium showing the cursus publicus, the road network in the Roman Empire. The original map of which this is a unique copy was last revised in the fourth or early fifth century. It covers Europe, parts of Asia and North Africa...
. In the Notit. Prov., the place is called Civitas Vallensium Octodurus. At a later period it was called Forum Claudii Vallensium Octodurensium, as an inscription shows. One authority speaks of the remains of a Roman aqueduct at Martigny. Many coins, and other memorials of the Roman time, have been found about the place.
The name Octodur is manifestly Celtic. The second part of the name is Dur, water. The first part, probably some corrupt form, is not explained. The town sat on the Roman road from Augusta Praetoria (modern Aosta) in Italy.
Martigny is first mentioned in 1018 as Martiniacum.
Martigny is in the region known as the Chablais which in modern times incorporates a portion of Switzerland Vaud east of the Rhone, Switzerland Valais west of the Rhone, and France in the former Savoy. In 1845-47 there was an attempt by a group of primarily Catholic Swiss cantons to secede from Switzerland and form a Catholic confederation called the Sonderbund. The Valais was to be part of the Sonderbund. General Henri Dufour with 97,000 Federal troops in 1847 prevented secession in a relatively bloodless confrontation against a slightly smaller rebel army in what is known as the Sonderbund war. The Valais decided to not fight.
Coat of arms
The blazonBlazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
of the municipal coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is Gules, a lion rampant argent bearing a hammer or.
Demographics
Martigny has a population of . , 30.6% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (2000–2010 ) the population has changed at a rate of 13.1%. It has changed at a rate of 6.7% due to migration and at a rate of 3.5% due to births and deaths.Most of the population speaks French (12,227 or 85.1%) as their first language, Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
is the second most common (602 or 4.2%) and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
is the third (597 or 4.2%). There are 227 people who speak German and 9 people who speak Romansh.
, the gender distribution of the population was 48.7% male and 51.3% female. The population was made up of 5,114 Swiss men (32.4% of the population) and 2,566 (16.3%) non-Swiss men. There were 5,830 Swiss women (37.0%) and 2,268 (14.4%) non-Swiss women. Of the population in the municipality 5,162 or about 35.9% were born in Martigny and lived there in 2000. There were 3,554 or 24.7% who were born in the same canton, while 1,439 or 10.0% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 3,694 or 25.7% were born outside of Switzerland.
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 23.8% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 61.3% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 14.8%.
, there were 5,918 people who were single and never married in the municipality. There were 6,723 married individuals, 922 widows or widowers and 798 individuals who are divorced.
, there were 6,001 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.3 persons per household. There were 2,211 households that consist of only one person and 385 households with five or more people. , a total of 5,766 apartments (84.4% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 900 apartments (13.2%) were seasonally occupied and 168 apartments (2.5%) were empty. , the construction rate of new housing units was 6.2 new units per 1000 residents. The vacancy rate for the municipality, , was 2.72%.
The historical population is given in the following chart:
Heritage sites of national significance
The Centre valaisan du film, La Bâtiaz Castle, the three museums (Musée gallo-romain, Musée des voitures, Fondation PierreGianadda) and the Roman era
Switzerland in the Roman era
The history of Switzerland in the Roman era encompasses the roughly six centuries during which the territory of modern Switzerland was a part of the Roman Republic and Empire...
city are listed as Swiss heritage site of national significance
Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
. The entire town of Martigny-Ville and the small town of Martigny-Bourg are part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
The Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites is part of a 1981 Ordinance of the Swiss Federal Council implementing the Federal Law on the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage.-Sites of national importance:-Types:...
.
Culture and the Gianadda Museum
The Romans left many archaeological remains in Martigny. The city is known for its amphitheater, which was restored in 1978. Cow fightsCow fighting
Cow fighting is a traditional Swiss event. Unlike bullfighting, in which humans fight bulls, cow fighting pits cow against cow.Each year, the Swiss canton of Valais hosts a series of cow fights known as combats de reines , which began in the 1920s and has drawn as many as 50,000 spectators in a year...
are held in the amphitheater during early autumn for the "Comptoir". The city is notable for its Pierre Gianadda Foundation (Fondation Pierre Gianadda) museum. This is the most important cultural attraction in Martigny and, in addition to the Gallo-Roman Museum, houses a car museum. The building was constructed around the remains of a former Roman temple built on top of Roman ruins. The foundation hosts three painting exhibitions every year, with works by renowned masters.
The Earth Science Museum (Musee des Sciences de la Terre)is another must-see museum in Martigny if you are interested in understanding the Alps better. Indeed, this museum presents a three-storey exhibition about geology in Valais, crystals from Valais and mines of Valais.
Politics
In the 2007 federal electionSwiss federal election, 2007
Elections to the Swiss Federal Assembly, the federal parliament of Switzerland, were held on Sunday, 21 October 2007. In a few cantons, a second round of the elections to the Council of States was held on 11 November, 18 November, and 25 November 2007...
the most popular party was the FDP
FDP.The Liberals
FDP.The Liberals is a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It is the joint-largest party in the Federal Council, third-largest party in the National Council, and second-largest in the Council of States....
which received 37% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
(26.23%), the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(13.5%) and the SVP
Swiss People's Party
The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...
(13.39%). In the federal election, a total of 5,030 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
was 56.9%.
In the 2009 Conseil d'Etat/Staatsrat
Conseil d'Etat (Switzerland)
In Switzerland, Conseil d'Etat is the name of the council constituting the cantonal government of French-speaking cantons. It is not to be confused with the Conseil des États which is a chamber of the Swiss parliament....
election a total of 4,057 votes were cast, of which 335 or about 8.3% were invalid. The voter participation was 46.4%, which is much less than the cantonal average of 54.67%. In the 2007 Swiss Council of States election
Swiss Council of States election, 2007
Elections were held to the Council of States of Switzerland in October and November 2007 as part of the 2007 federal election. All 46 members of the Council of States were elected from all cantons of Switzerland. The first round was held on 21 October...
election a total of 4,947 votes were cast, of which 412 or about 8.3% were invalid. The voter participation was 57.0%, which is similar to the cantonal average of 59.88%.
Economy and agriculture
Martigny is the headquarters of the Groupe Mutuel and is the headquarters of the watch brand 121time. The city is surrounded by vineyards and orchards and field crops and is famous for the resulting gastronomy which is celebrated at many area restaurants and guesthouses. The relatively warm Valais (for Switzerland) sunshine is ideal for growing strawberries, apricots, asparagus, and the wine grapes which grow on the adjacent hills and steep slopes. The nearby Dranse River drains to the Rhone in the valley where Martigny lies., Martigny had an unemployment rate of 6.5%. , there were 251 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 74 businesses involved in this sector. 2,211 people were employed in the secondary sector and there were 188 businesses in this sector. 7,812 people were employed in the tertiary sector, with 871 businesses in this sector. There were 7,227 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 44.2% of the workforce.
the total number of full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...
jobs was 8,663. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 145, of which 137 were in agriculture and 8 were in forestry or lumber production. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 2,100 of which 897 or (42.7%) were in manufacturing, 2 or (0.1%) were in mining and 1,082 (51.5%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 6,418. In the tertiary sector; 1,491 or 23.2% were in the sale or repair of motor vehicles, 582 or 9.1% were in the movement and storage of goods, 594 or 9.3% were in a hotel or restaurant, 103 or 1.6% were in the information industry, 740 or 11.5% were the insurance or financial industry, 827 or 12.9% were technical professionals or scientists, 286 or 4.5% were in education and 964 or 15.0% were in health care.
, there were 4,424 workers who commuted into the municipality and 2,362 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 1.9 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving. Of the working population, 10.4% used public transportation to get to work, and 58.8% used a private car.
Religion
From the , 11,089 or 77.2% were Roman Catholic, while 715 or 5.0% belonged to the Swiss Reformed ChurchSwiss Reformed Church
The Reformed branch of Protestantism in Switzerland was started in Zürich by Huldrych Zwingli and spread within a few years to Basel , Bern , St...
. Of the rest of the population, there were 115 members of an Orthodox church
Orthodox Christianity
The term Orthodox Christianity may refer to:* the Eastern Orthodox Church and its various geographical subdivisions...
(or about 0.80% of the population), there were 13 individuals (or about 0.09% of the population) who belonged to the Christian Catholic Church
Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland
The Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland is the Swiss member church of the Union of Utrecht, also known as Old Catholic Church, originally founded by the jansenists, with a later influx of discontented Catholics following their disappointment with the First Vatican Council. It has 14,000...
, and there were 309 individuals (or about 2.15% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church. There were 2 individuals (or about 0.01% of the population) who were Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, and 696 (or about 4.85% of the population) who were Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic. There were 29 individuals who were Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, 18 individuals who were Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
and 13 individuals who belonged to another church. 769 (or about 5.35% of the population) belonged to no church, are agnostic
Agnosticism
Agnosticism is the view that the truth value of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, but also other religious and metaphysical claims—is unknown or unknowable....
or atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
, and 745 individuals (or about 5.19% of the population) did not answer the question.
Education
In Martigny about 4,520 or (31.5%) of the population have completed non-mandatory upper secondary education, and 1,487 or (10.4%) have completed additional higher education (either university or a FachhochschuleFachhochschule
A Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
). Of the 1,487 who completed tertiary schooling, 53.2% were Swiss men, 29.3% were Swiss women, 11.0% were non-Swiss men and 6.5% were non-Swiss women.
, there were 835 students in Martigny who came from another municipality, while 502 residents attended schools outside the municipality.
Martigny is home to the Médiathèque Valais - Martigny library. The library has 57,756 books or other media, and loaned out 144,524 items in the same year. It was open a total of 280 days with average of 22 hours per week during that year.
Transportation
Martigny is on the high speed Simplon line of the Swiss Federal Railway, SBB, which connects Italy (Domodossola) and southern Switzerland to northeastern Switzerland and the cities of Lausanne and Geneva. It also is the origin of narrow gauge railroads and bus routes that climb into the nearby mountains on both sides of the Rhone valley in which Martigny lies. One railroad goes west to Chamonix, France, crossing the border at Le Chatelard. The other railroad goes southeast to Chable and Orsieres. The regional transportation agency known as TMR SA (Transports de Martigny et Regions) operates this service and the ski trains known as the Mount-Blanc Express (to Chamonix) and the St.Bernard Express (to Orsieres). See the transportation map provided by the TMR website in the External Links section below.Thanks to Martigny's transport connections the winter sports regions of the "4 Vallées", Portes-du-Soleil and Ovronnaz are easily reached.
It has been nearly one century that the two original railway companies Martigny-Orsières (MO) and Martigny-Châtelard (MC) began serving the valleys of Entremont and Trient. In 1990, the Boards of directors of MO and MC decided to combine for common management, however each company would maintain an independent status. Two new trains were started: the Saint-Bernard Express for the MO, and the Mont Blanc Express for the MC. Later the Octodure-Voyages and Orsières-Octodure-Transports companies were taken over. TMRSA is an important employer in the region with some 180 permanent staff.
The French holiday resort of Chamonix is accessible from Martigny in one-and-a-half hours using the scenic narrow-gauge tracks of the "Mont Blanc Express". Crossing the wild Trient Gorge and ascending to breath-taking heights towards Chamonix (France), travelers will see waterfalls crashing down and majestic mountain crags rising in the background. Shady forests alternate with cozy villages and ultimately give way onto the grandiose glacier of Mont Blanc, Europe's highest peak. The "St Bernard Express" takes passengers from Martigny to Orsières and from there by bus through beautiful mountain countryside to the hospice on the Great St. Bernard. Pass through the Val d'Entremont to Orsières, from where a bus will take you to Champex-Lac, La Fouly or if it is summer (June to end of September) to the hospice on the Grand St. Bernard Pass. There are the legendary kennels where the dogs of the same name are bred, as well as the small local museum to view the Roman artifacts found here.
Notable Martignerain
- Pascal CouchepinPascal CouchepinPascal Couchepin is a Swiss politician, former member of the Swiss Federal Council and President of the Confederation in 2003 and 2008...
, politician, President of the Swiss Confederation in 2003 and 2008; - Christian Coppey, Architect
- Yannick EcoeurYannick EcoeurYannick Ecoeur is a Swiss ski mountaineer.Ecoeur was born in Martigny VS. He started ski mountaineering in 2003 and has been member of the national team since 2005.- Selected results :* 2005:...
, ski mountaineer - Pierre-Marie TaramarcazPierre-Marie TaramarcazPierre-Marie Taramarcaz from Verbier is a Swiss ski mountaineer.Taramarcaz was born in Martigny VS and has been member of the national team since 1998.- Selected results :* 2002:** 6th, World Championship single race* 2003:...
, ski mountaineer - Stéphane LambielStéphane LambielStéphane Lambiel is a Swiss figure skater and a choreographer. He is a two-time World Champion, the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, a two-time Grand Prix Champion and a nine-time Swiss national champion...
, figure skater, two-times World champion
External links
- Martigny Homepage /
- Homepage of Transports Martigny et Regions (TMR SA)
- MAP of Railroads and Bus lines of Martigny region