St Blaise Chapel in Saint-Triphon

St Blaise Chapel is a historic Romanesque ruin on the Lessus hill above the village of Saint-Triphon, in the municipality of Ollon, canton of Vaud, Switzerland. Its walls tell a story spanning several centuries, and parts of them stand out clearly from later reconstruction work.

What will I see on site?

The visible remains belong to two chapels. The older, southern one is documented around 1174 in a deed of donation. The younger, northern one was added later and is attested in 1313. Guillaume de Pontverre is linked to its construction in the 13th century. The whole complex is Romanesque in style.

Why is it a ruin?

Over time the buildings fell out of religious use. Joseph Plepp's 1636 map of the Rhône already shows the chapel partly demolished. The ruin kept deteriorating until the end of the 19th century.

How was it restored?

In 1899 cantonal archaeologist Albert Naef began excavations. In 1901 a large campaign of rebuilding and consolidation followed. To mark the boundary of the ruin, crushed brick was added to the mortar, so original sections can still be told apart from the reconstructed ones today. A further partial restoration took place in 2009.

What else is nearby?

The same hill carries a square tower about 18 metres high, dated by sources to the 13th century and partly destroyed in 1476. In 1232 the Counts of Savoy granted the castle there to Guy de Saillon. The village of Saint-Triphon appears in the Swiss inventory of cultural property of national significance, so a stop at the chapel is also a chance to explore a wider group of heritage sites.

Frequently asked questions

When does the chapel date from? The older part is mentioned around 1174, the younger one in 1313.

Is it an authentic ruin? Partly. Many walls were rebuilt in 1901, but the additions are marked with crushed brick in the mortar, so you can see what is original.

Where exactly is it? On the Lessus hill above Saint-Triphon, municipality of Ollon, canton of Vaud. Coordinates are roughly 46.2957 N, 6.9774 E.

Who led the excavations? Albert Naef, the cantonal archaeologist, starting in 1899.

Who is it for?

Anyone interested in medieval architecture, history and quiet viewpoints in the Vaud region. It is a short visit, but it shows how a ruin evolved over almost nine centuries: from a Romanesque foundation, through demolition and neglect, to twentieth-century conservation. Combine it with a look at the tower remains and the rest of the hill, which together give a clear picture of an old fortified and sacred site in this corner of Switzerland.