kids encyclopedia robot

Sion, Switzerland facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Sion
Coat of arms of Sion
Coat of arms
Country Switzerland
Canton Valais
District Sion
Area
 • Total 34.86 km2 (13.46 sq mi)
Elevation
500 m (1,600 ft)
Population
 (Dec 2020 )
 • Total 34,978
 • Density 1,003.38/km2 (2,598.8/sq mi)
Postal code
1950
Surrounded by Ayent, Conthey, Grimisuat, Grône, Les Agettes, Nax, Nendaz, Saint-Léonard, Salins, Savièse, Vernamiège, Vex
Twin towns Colón (Argentina), Philippi (United States)

Sion is the capital of the Swiss canton of Valais. In 2002, it had a population of 27,700.

Landmarks include the Basilique de Valère and Château de Tourbillon.

Geography

The city is home to 28,013 people as of 31 December, 2005. It is in the center of the Rhône valley. Sion is the economic and commercial hub of the region and canton.

The older area of the city still stays and is well preserved. As well as the two Château's, a number of other important buildings are there, such as the Château de la Majorie, the Hôtel de Ville and the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Sion.

History

Sion really started to develop during the time when Celts were big.

It takes its name from the Latin word Sedunum. It housed the Romans with the rest of the surrounding area in the first century BCE.

The Roman Catholic bishop of Sion is the oldest in Switzerland and one of the oldest north of the Alps.

On 1 January 2013 the former municipality of Salins merged into the municipality of Sion.

Since 2017, Les Agettes part of the municipality.

Economy

The tertiary sector is the main economic sector in Sion. Tourism is also an important sector due to its historic château's and museums.

Sion is the third largest wine making region in Switzerland, however, the valuable agricultural land and vineyards are undergoing constant regression due to the process of urbanisation.

Sion has also become an important medical site. The Sion-Region hospital is here next to the central institute of Valaisan hospitals and the Romande clinic for physical rehabilitation (SUVA).

Finally, the commune hosts a waste incinerator which disposes of the waste from 44 surrounding communes. This incinerator has a catalytic converter, something that reduces harmful gases to below unacceptable levels. The heat created from the burning is converted into electrical energy that is then provided to local communes.

Airshows

Public Airshows have been held at the airfield of Sion. Participated Aerobatic teams have been for example the Frecce Tricolori from Italy was well as the Patrouille de France.

Transport

Sion is on the main railway line, the motorway and also has an airport (Sion Airport).

Images for kids

  • Sion, la ville, nécropole du Petit-Chasseur

    Necropolis at Le Petit-Chasseur

  • Sion, la ville la nécropole du Petit-Chasseur, menhirs

    Menhir at Le Petit-Chasseur

  • Valais1300 english

    Valais between 1260–1337

  • Wappen 1594 BSB cod icon 326 016 crop

    Coat of Arms of Hildebrand Riedmatten, Bishop of Sion in 1594

  • Braun Sion UBHD

    Sion in 1572, from Beschreibung vnd Contrafactur der vornembster Stät der Welt, Köln 1582

  • Merian Sitten

    Sion in 1640, from Topographia Helvetiae, Rhaetiae et Valesiae, 1642

  • Bisse de Montorge (1)

    Vineyards outside Sion and Sion town

  • 1 sion panorama 2022

    Panorama of Sion

  • Grand-Pont, Sion - view of street (872624406)

    Grand-Pont, street in the town center

  • Stade de Tourbillon

    Stadium and apartment buildings in Sion

  • Sion de la Bisse de Clavau

    Sion and the Rhône

  • Vineyards near Sion castle, Switzerland

    Vineyards near Sion castle

  • RoyLindmanSion

    Haut de Cry mountain at the west side of Sion

  • Reformierte Kirche Sion 1

    Reformed church in Sion

  • Saint Théodule de Sion-Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame (2)

    Saint Théodule de Sion

  • Fritz de Quervain

    Fritz de Quervain

  • Micheline Calmy-Rey 2011

    Micheline Calmy-Rey, 2011

  • Noémie Schmidt Cabourg 2016

    Noémie Schmidt, 2016

  • Rathaus von Sion - Town hall of Sion

    Hôtel de Ville

  • Majorie

    La Majorie

  • Tourbillon Castle 3

    Tourbillon Castle

  • Sion, la Maison Supersaxo

    Maison Supersaxo

  • Sion, Musée cantonal des Beaux-arts

    Fine Arts Museum

  • Reconstitution of tomb no 546 of Sion Sous-le-Scex 05

    Skeleton from the History Museum

  • Sion, cathédrale - ch

    Notre-Dame Cathedral

  • Sion Valere Castle 20070730

    Valère Basilica

  • St. Théodule

    St. Théodule

  • Chapelle Tous les Saints

    Chapelle de Tous les Saints Sion

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Sion (Suiza) para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Sion, Switzerland Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.