Nicolas Revenaz came from a line of peddlers, itinerant merchants specialising in the cloth trade. He managed to accumulate a remarkable fortune, even becoming a bourgeois merchant with close ties to the imperial family of the Holy Roman Empire. Building a chapel was one of the most significant actions a Catholic could take to guarantee his eternal life.
- Historic site and monument
Chapelle des Pratz
The chapel in Pratz was built in 1707 thanks to Nicolas Revenaz, a rich merchant born in Pratz who later moved to Vienna.
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The Pratz chapel is dedicated to the Virgin of Sorrows, Saint Anthony the Hermit, Saint Anthony of Padua and the Holy Shroud, all depicted on the altarpiece. At the centre of the work is the Virgin Mary, her heart pierced by seven swords symbolising the many sufferings she endured throughout her life. The chapel also features several statues, including that of Saint Christopher, recognisable by the child he carries on his shoulder. Listed as a Historic Monument in 1941, it has commemorated an episode of the Second World War since 1945. In 1944, shortly before the Liberation, resistance fighters killed two German soldiers at Les Pratz. Fearing reprisals, the inhabitants were relieved to see that only a barn had been set on fire, without causing any casualties. The parish priest attributed this miracle to the Virgin Mary, and a commemorative plaque in front of the chapel commemorates the event.
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From 15/06 to 31/10, daily.
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