Rhein-Reuss-Rhôneweg: Martigny - St. Maurice

The chapel under the castle hill of Martigny is the actual pilgrimage site in the village at the foot of the Great St. Bernard. We walk on the ViaFrancigena towards Lake Geneva and take a look into the worth seeing Trento Gorge. As the first site of St. Mauritius, we arrive at the chapel at Vérolliez Martyrs' Square. There the mercenaries of the Egyptian legion from Thebes were decimated under the command of Mauritius because they did not want to persecute their Christian brothers. Five glass steles lead us to the town of the 1500-year-old Abbey of St. Maurice. We visit the abbey church and the excavation sites with the audio guide. Passing the tomb of Mauritius we reach the newly established Museum of the Abbey Treasury through a catacomb walkway. The reliquary shrines and the gifts that popes, emperors and kings have brought with them when visiting the tomb of St. Mauritius are the most valuable that Valais has.

A gorge and a waterfall are the natural highlights on the hike. Plan enough time to discover the monastery church, archaeological sites, and monastery treasure with the audio guide.