The Basilica of the Visitation in Annecy is located on the crêt du Maure, the first foothill of the Semnoz. It appears to dominate the city and can be seen from kilometres around, making it a prominent element of the urban landscape. The basilica is regarded as a symbol of Annecy’s religious past and stands next to the motherhouse monastery of the Order of the Visitation, founded in 1610 by François de Sales and Jeanne de Chantal.
Built between 1922 and 1930 to plans by Grenoble architect Alfred-Henri Recoura, with a crypt designed by Henri Adé, the basilica was consecrated in 1949 by Cardinal Federico Tedeschini. It was built in the typical style of the late 19th century. The bell tower rises 54 metres and is topped by a bronze cross measuring 2.7 metres. The nave rests on a crypt with lowered arches designed by Henri Adé. The basilica also contains the bodies of two saints in gilded bronze sarcophagi, and the remains of two missionaries were transferred to a caveau in the crypt.
Nearby Objects
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Château d'Annecy 550 m away -
Saint-François-de-Sales Church 700 m away -
Église Saint-Maurice 750 m away -
St. Peter's Cathedral 800 m away -
Notre-Dame-de-Liesse Church 850 m away
Location and Symbolic Presence
The Basilica of the Visitation of Annecy is located on the c ret du Maure, which is the first contrefort of the Semnoz. From this position, it appears to dominate Annecy and can be seen from kilometers around. Its visible presence gives it a strong landmark role, and it is regarded as a symbol of Annecy's religious past.
Construction and Religious Memorials
The Basilica of the Visitation was built between 1922 and 1930 from plans by Grenoble architect Alfred-Henri Recoura, with its crypt designed by Henri Ade. It was consecrated in 1949 by Cardinal Federico Tedeschini. The building stands adjacent to the motherhouse monastery of the Order of the Visitation, an order founded in 1610 by Francois de Sales and Jeanne de Chantal.
The basilica also serves as a place of remembrance for figures connected with the religious history of Annecy. The bodies of two saints rest above the two side naves in gilded bronze sarcophagi. They were placed in the basilica with grand ceremony on an unspecified date and are accompanied by a large crowd of Annecians devoted to Francois de Sales, who served as bishop of Geneva in exile at Annecy from 1602 to 1622. In the crypt, a caveau received the remains of two missionaries on an unspecified date: Father Pierre-Marie Mermier, who died in 1862 and founded the Congregation of Saint-Francois-de-Sales, and Pierre-Joseph Rey. These remains had previously rested in a crypt on adjacent land, before the Congregation sold that property to a real estate developer. The other bodies were transferred to the Missionaries caveau in the Loverchy cemetery on avenue du Rhone.
Architecture and Interior Features
The Basilica of the Visitation was built in the typical style of the late 19th century. Its bell tower rises to a height of 54 meters and is topped with a bronze cross measuring 2.7 meters. The nave rests on a crypt with lowered arches designed by Henri Ade, and the vault was constructed in a full semicircle shape. Inside, stained glass windows depict the lives of the two founding saints. The basilica also has a carillon of 23 bells, including the bourdon Marie Françoise, which sounds a low A note and weighs nearly four tons. Two Christ crucifixes above two altars were created by sculptor Philippe Besnard in 1949. In 1986, during the visit of Pope John Paul II, two bells were cast by the Paccard foundry, and the second bell, weighing 900 kg and named Karol, was integrated into the basilica carillon.