See also: Mef= [[Canton of Geneva]] for the canton and [[Geneva (homonymy)]]


Geneva is the second Ville of Switzerland and the Chef-lieu of the Canton of Geneva. The common of Geneva counts: 185524 inhabitants in 2007.

It is the regional center in the fields of health, education, the culture and transport and its urban Aire form a transborder Agglomération, the Bassin free-valdo-Genevese, extending on the Canton from Vaud and the French Départements from the Ain and the Haute-Savoie, for a total of approximately: 780000 inhabitants. The Arc lemanic is the urban Aire located around the lake Léman - two principal poles, Geneva-Annemasse and Lausanne, distant of 60 kilometers as well as the towns of Vevey - Montreux and Thonon - Evian - and extending until Annecy at the south.

Geneva is the second money market of the country. According to a study undertaken by Mercer Consulting , it is the metropolis which offers best quality of life to the world with Zurich, in front of Vancouver and Vienna. Geneva also forms part of the world cities.

Etymology

The name of Geneva Celtic east of origin: Genava . Even if Geneva is mentioned in the form of Genava in texts Latin S, the name itself is basically Celtic. It is also transformed by different cultures. Thus in Francoprovençal, one finds it in the form of Geneva and in the Swiss national languages, Geneva is written German Genf in , Italian Ginevra in and Genevra in Romanche.

Geography

Site

Geneva, center commercial, banking, Industry L, intellectual and academic, extends at the south-western end from the Lac Léman, on two banks of the the Rhone, in the center of a basin framed by mountains which all are on French territory: the Voirons, the Salève, the Mount of Sion, the Vuache (department of the Haute-Savoie) and the Massive of the Jura (left located in the Department Ain).

The old woman-city, made up of the districts of City-center and Saint-Gervais, was formed on and around a Colline on left bank of the lake and on both sides of the Rhone around the ìle.

This hill constituted as of the Préhistoire a natural refuge protected by the lake, the Rhone, the Arve, of the Marécage S and the ditch S in the east. The city extends to the 19th century after the demolition from the Fortification S (1850 - 1880).

In the roads of Geneva are located the Pierres of Niton, two rocks emerging of the lake Léman and dating from the glacial last era. One of them is chosen by the general Guillaume-Henri Dufour like point of reference of the calculation of all altitudes in Switzerland.

In 2000, the commune obtains the Prix Wakker Swiss League of the national inheritance for its concept of refitting of the banks of the Rhone and its immediate urban environment. The project of the Wire of the Rhone then is gradually implemented.

Climate

In Geneva, the Hiver is cold and generally not very sunny. During the season, one can observe with some recoveries several days without thaw like one day or two with strong frosts where the Thermomètre posts -10°C. When the north wind starts to blow, the feeling of cold is accentuated and can make sometimes the conditions rather hard. The sun remains relatively rare because masked by Stratus or the Brouillard. One observes several days per month of them and, in the event of stable anticyclonic conditions, they can persist during several days. As of March, the Température S increase and become almost estival at the end of May. However, the Précipitation S intensify and take often a character Orage ux during May. They can be short but strong and pour in a few minutes several tens of millimetres of Pluie. The be S are often hot and rather wet even if some can be fresher. The mornings remain they relatively fresh. During the season, the rains are done less frequent but more intense. It is indeed the season of the storms exceptionally accompanied by Grêle. If the climate of at the beginning of September is still estival, time cools then quickly to become almost winter in November. The early morning frosts make their reappearance then. The Automne is also the season of the fogs, October being often the month when there are the most fogs in the year.

Administrative geography

The commune of Geneva was constituted under its current form in 1930, at the time of the fusion of the communes of Geneva (historical), of Plainpalais, the Water-Sharp and the Petit-Saconnex. A project removing the commune and putting the city under the supervision of the canton fails in front of the Genevese people in December 1926. After fusion, four districts (bearing the names of the old communes) are maintained until in 1958, date on which, with the process of depopulation of the center of the city and displacement of the population to its periphery, they are removed.

It appears, at the beginning of the 21e century, that a distinction of the tasks of the city and those of the canton still are not clearly carried out. In this context, the Council of State proposes in 1999 a fusion between city and canton but the city, managed by a left majority opposed to that of the Genevese government, refuses the step in the name of municipal autonomy.

The town of Geneva remains however subdivided in four sections: City, Plainpalais, Water-Sharp and Petit-Saconnex. Whereas the federal Office of the statistics counts at the federal level the communes in Switzerland, it is the Genevese cantonal Administration which takes care of the cutting of the Genevese communes (under-sectors):

History

See also: History of Geneva

Antiquity

The Roman tender of the country of the Allobroges intervenes as of 121 av. J. - C. Geneva then becomes a advanced station in the north of the province of the transalpine Gaulle (will take the name of Gaulle Narbonnese starting from the reign of Auguste). The installation of a port intervenes in 123 - 105 front J. - C. the city then consists of modest a Agglomération where the dwellings are built in Bois and in Torchis. Geneva enters the history in 52 av. J. - C., when Jules César mentions his passage in this city ( Genua ) in its De Bello Gallico . Wanting to prevent the passage of the Helvètes, César cuts the bridge on the the Rhone. When César settles temporarily with its troops in 58 av. J. - C., the Oppidum still increases consequently becomes a Roman city (Vicus then Civitas). However, Nyon ( Colonia Julia Equestris ) then Avenches ( Aventicum ) occupies a more important place in the regional urban network. After a Fire in the middle of the 1st century, town planning is modified and constructions in stone replace the light material buildings. At the end of the 4th century, the complex is completed: it consists of a church of more than thirty meters of long broadside by a gantry of access towards the Baptistère and its appendix. At the beginning of the Middle Ages, the horizontal development of the Roman epoch then the reduction of urban space imposed by the system of fortification adopted is replaced by a medieval city built in height.

The Middle Ages

The structure of the capacity between the arrival of Burgondes and the Traité of Seyssel of 1124 is the subject of debates which are not closed today. Opposite the king burgonde, the bishop has the spiritual authority. But the dynastic quarrels weaken the monarchy burgonde which disappears in 534 with the profit from the Francs. Geneva then becomes the center of a Pagus which depends on the reigning king with Orleans or of the king of Neustrie. As of the time of the Carolingian , the Diocèse of Geneva is the stake of power struggles between the sovereigns of the area and the emperor. If he exerts a certain number of regalities like that to beat Monnaie, the bishop does not receive the comtaux rights in one or the other part of his diocese which are exerted by the count de Genève which has a castle above the Borough-of-Furnace. In 1309, the bishop recognizes with the citizens the right to constitute syndics or prosecutors to treat their common businesses provided that they do not encroach on the episcopal jurisdiction. N the other hand, it imposes to them the construction of a market, necessary to the storage of the goods intended for the fairs, and one the third of the receipts ensures some to them. Consequently, the citizens, assembled at the beginning of each year within the General advice, elect for one year the Syndics of Geneva. In 1387, the bishop Adhémar Fabri confirms the franknesses granted to the citizens and to their syndics by a charter which will dominate during a hundred and fifty years the Genevese political life. The bishop turns then to the winners and concludes, the November 14th 1477, with the towns of Bern and Freiburg a treaty of combourgeoisy for five years. In 1519, it is the community of the citizens which signs with Freiburg a treaty of combourgeoisy but the constrained duke of Savoy the Genevese to be given up this alliance directed against him. The political institutions include/understand the General advice, where sit the members of the Bourgeoisie of Geneva, the Council of the Two hundreds, the Conseil of the Sixty and, for the religious affairs, the Consistory. As of its advent in 1580, the attacks of the duke Charles-Emmanuel {{Ier}} of Savoy multiply. Geneva extends then its alliance with Soleure, Zurich and France. In April 1589, the Genevese and their allies try to make move back the Savoyard ones which manage to maintain their position.

The December 11th 1602, the new night attack of Savoyard, defeat remained in the history under the name of “Climbing”, constrained the duke to accept a durable peace sealed by the Treated of Saint-Julien of the July 12th 1603 which recognizes the independence of the city. On the economic plan, many Protestants Italy NS but especially French double the population during the Années 1550 and give a new dynamism to the city. These newcomers, business men, bankers or craftsmen, however bring money and relations with the foreign mediums of businesses and develop the role of commercial relay of Geneva. The manufacturing activities established by their care - Soie laughs whose Masters are Italian, Dorure and Horlogerie after the disappearance of the silk trade in the middle of the 15th century - develop for the first time with the Exportation thanks to the support that the municipal authorities grant to them.

18th century

The century, economically and culturally flourishing, is shaken by political disturbances that the contemporaries call the “revolutions of Geneva”. Indeed, the political system in place rests on the distinction between two groups: those which profit from the political and civil rights, aristocrats and middle-class which remain minority (27% in 1781), and those which do not have political rights and only certain civil laws (inhabitants and natives). It is however inside the group formed by the citizens and the middle-class men that the fight ends up bursting. A movement of revolt bursts in 1707 because of a dissatisfaction with economic order. The revolt has as a chief a member of the aristocracy, the lawyer Pierre Fatio, which fixes a program at the confused aspirations. Rising fails thanks to the support of Bernese troops and inhabitants of Zurich and Fatio shot secretly in prison. In 1737, a new revolt causes eleven dead. Overcome, the government alerts France which intervenes by a satisfactory arbitration for the citizens. However, contradicting the certificate of tolerance decreed by the Encyclopedia of Diderot and Alembert , the Small Council condemns in 1762 two works of Rousseau - Emile or Of education and Of the social Contract - to being flarings in front of the Hotel-of-City because “tending to destroy the Christian religion and all the governments”. The citizens protest by presenting to the government complaints indicated under the name of “representations”. The middle-class men and the natives thus end up occupying the city in February 1781 and vote a law granting the civil equality the natives, the inhabitants and the subjects of the countryside. But the Aristocratie calls Louis XVI with the assistance: three united armies - French, Sardinian and Bernese - besiege Geneva which capitulates the July 2nd 1782. In 1793, the Old Mode ends in Geneva: a constitution, written by an National Assembly and voted by the citizens the February 5th 1794, institutes a control extended on behalf of the citizens on the acts of the government and the administration.

The Genevese economy is then dominated - 32% of the credits - by the sector of the clock industry and its additional trades gathered under the name of “Factory”, network small Atelier S artisanal located at the upper floor of the buildings. In addition, the fabric economy sees developing an industry of the Indians - characterized by great manufactures - in the first third of the century to become the second sector in term of importance. Dependant on the development of the international business and to the needs for money for the wars of Louis XIV, bankings become one of the pivots of the Genevese economy starting from 1700.

19th century

The April 15th 1798, the Treaty of Meeting integrates Geneva into the territory of the French Republic. At the end of August, after having given up its sovereignty and its alliances, Geneva is selected like prefecture and Chef-lieu of the department of Léman. Geneva becomes a French city then among others and its inhabitants make the experiment of the Napoleonean Centralisme. But the defeat of the Napoleonean Armée returns its independence to him. The December 30th 1813, the French garrison leaves the city and the Austrian general Ferdinand von Bubna und Littitz made there its entry. The following day, after the final withdrawal of the prefect, a government reactionary directed by the former syndic Ami Lullin proclaims the restoration of the republic of the Old Mode. However, the magistrates are conscious that Geneva cannot form one isolated State any more and turn to the old Swiss allies by asking the entry of the republic in the Swiss Confederation. In spite of the fear of the Swiss catholics vis-a-vis “Protestant Rome” and to the disorders which she knew at the XVIIIe century, fastening is effective the May 19th 1815. In 1833 and 1834, the Strike S of the tailors and metal workers are among the first strikes of the 19th century in Switzerland and, in November 1841, a riot has as a consequence the election of a constituent assembly. The constitution of 1842 adopts the male vote for all and equips the town of Geneva from clean municipal institutions. However, the Guerre of Sonderbund ends up involving the fall of the mode. The October 3rd 1846, the authorities refuse to recommend to the Genevese members federal Diète to vote the dissolution of the Sonderbund. The working district of Saint-Gervais is raised consequently, two days afterwards, and pushes back the governmental troops. It is the release of a Révolution of left carried out by the Radical party of James Fazy which reverses the government and establishes a new constitution the May 24th 1847 which removes in particular the character dominating of Protestantism.

On the economic plan, the Industrialization of the area evolves/moves, with the appearance of workshops of Mécanique, switchgears and Automobile S, whereas the electrification of the city is made under the impulse of the administrative adviser Theodore Turrettini with the construction of the factories of the Driving forces and Goats. In addition, the arrival increasingly more massive of foreign workmen completes to transform the social aspect of the agglomeration. Whereas at the beginning of the 19th century, one can still distinguish a countryman from a townsman, the differences grow blurred gradually and the population presents a face increasingly more cosmopolitan.

20th century

The international mission of the city continues particularly after the First World War: it becomes - in particular by the action of Gustave Ador and William Rappard - the seat of the Société of the Nations in 1919.

In the wake of the First World War, the Class struggle is accentuated and led to the general strike of the November 11th 1918 directed since the German-speaking Switzerland . But ambient francophilia reduced largely its impact to Geneva. Small parts of fascistic inspiration , like the National union, attack the socialist leaders the November 9th 1932, which involves a manifestation of the left antifascist. On this occasion, young people recruits shoot without summation at crowd making thirteen died and 63 wounded. This tragedy generates, a few days later, a new general strike in sign of protest.

After the Second world war, the European seat of UNO and tens of international organizations settles in Geneva, which will be advantageous with the development of the Tourisme of leisures and businesses. With the arrival of the Years 1960, Geneva is one of the first Swiss areas where the xenophobe movements are a certain success, with the appearance of the Vigilants, but also the third canton to grant the right to vote cantonal and communal with the women.

Structure and town planning

Monuments

Principal tourist attractions of Geneva include the Mur of the Reformers, the flowered Clock, the Monument Brunswick, the Jet of water and the Palais of the Nations which shelters the European seat of the United Nations.

One of the most visited monuments city remains the cathedral Saint-Pierre located at the top of the old woman-city. An underground museum presents the evolution of the site and the establishment of Christianity in the city. It is supplemented by the international Musée of the Reform located in the Mallet House. An underground corridor, reopened at the time of the opening of the museum of the Reform, connects the two buildings.

Another appreciated site of the tourists is the old woman-city itself. It indeed preserves the typical architecture of a European city of the 18th century. Many personalities lived in this part of the city of which Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Franz Liszt.

However, the symbol of Geneva remains the water Jet, located at the end of the pier of the Water-Sharp, which culminates with 140 meters, which makes it visible of a good part of the city.

. Today, it is exceeded by Zurich but remains placed in front of Basle, Bern and Lausanne, is nearly 180 nationalities. Even if Geneva is not a metropolis on a world level, the foreign communities are numerous because of the reception which was made to the migrants come from France, of Italy, Spain, the Portugal or of ex-Yugoslavia like to the presence of the international agencies based in Geneva. The expatriates thus play a great part in the Genevese social life.

Culture

Geneva has a cultural life of a great richness. It is besides the town of Europe which devotes the greatest part of its budget to the culture (more 20  %). Its very many museums, its libraries, the Large Theater and the Orchestre of the French-speaking Switzerland strongly contributed to its radiation. Since a score of years, a new type of urban cultural centres was created in buildings unused and preserved under monuments the such Markets of the Island, the Factory or the House of Arts of Grütli.

Museums

The places of exposures are particularly numerous in Geneva. Municipal museums, private museums, centers of art and galleries square the city. The commune is owner and responsible for 16 museums. Among them, the Museums of art and history - Museum of art and history, House Tavel and Museum Rath - form the greatest muséal unit of Switzerland with its 8 museums and their million objects, his iconographic center, its library, its research laboratory and its workshops of restoration.

At its sides the Academy and Botanical garden and their Herbier S are, gathering some six million samples, the Musée of ethnography and its appendix of Conches, the Muséum of natural history, the Musée of Ariana or the Institut and museum known Voltaire internationally for his documentation of the 18th century.

The private museums, that they are subsidized - as the Mamco - or entirely private - as the Musée Patek Philippe and the international Musée of the Reform -, are almost a score to place at the disposal of the Genevese population the richnesses of their collections.

Arts

In Geneva, the majority of the theaters are the property of communities. So some are true institutions, others, turned towards the independent companies, also manage to set up of the complete seasons. Others still do not have artistic director but are rented with the local companies.

Ernest Ansermet and the Orchestra of the French-speaking Switzerland, the Large Theater, the Victoria Hall, Armin Jordan, the Factory, Artamis or the black Cat made and make always the even international local reputation of the city.

Geneva also shelters theatrical companies which were born there or decided to be established to with it.

Except for Ballet of the Large Theater which has a place of repetition and a room of representation, the companies of Genevese dances do not have fixed rooms. Defended by Association for the contemporary dance, they militate for the creation of a House of the dance.

Festivals and events

Many demonstrations take place throughout the year among which:

Traditions

Since 1818, a chestnut tree of the walk of the Treillised vineyard is used in order to determine the beginning of the Printemps. It is the Sautier which observes the tree and which notes the day of the arrival of the first bud. The sautier then publishes a press release which is included in the local press.

Thursday following first Sunday of September, Geneva celebrates the Genevese Jeûne. According to the local tradition, this festival would commemorate the news of the Massacre of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre reported by the Huguenot S arrived at Geneva.

Teaching

Geneva is the seat of the Université of Geneva, founded by Jean Calvin in 1559, auquelle is attached the Bibliothèque of Geneva (old Public library and academic).

The city in addition shelters one of most prestigious specialized establishments in International relations, the Institut of high international studies, the International institute of Lancy (founded in 1903) but also of the oldest international school in the world, the international of Geneva, founded École in 1924 following the Société of the Nations, and the Institut Florimont.

The Genevese education system is divided into childish schools (4 to 5 years), primary educations (6 to 11 years), cycles of orientation (12 to 14 years) and colleges (15 to 18 years), oldest of them being the Collège Calvin located in the old buildings of the University, thus being able to be regarded as the oldest public school of the world.

Geneva also has post-secondaries establishments such as the École of Engineers de Genève as well as a great number of musical educational establishments of which the Institut Jaques-Dalcroze and the Conservatoire of Geneva.

, the new administrative counsel, taken up duty on June 1st, is composed in the following way:

Popular rights

The citizens and citizens are entitled to vote and eligible on the condition of being of Swiss nationality and to be domiciled on the territory of the commune. Foreigners domiciled since at least eight years in Swiss (of which three months in the commune) also have the communal right to vote since the adoption of a popular Initiative cantonal at the time of the Votation of the April 24th 2005. The other initiative granting the right of eligibility on the other hand was refused. Geneva thus follows the majority of the French cities, more liberal than the Germanic cities, as for the possibilities given the abroads to take part in the local political life.

The citizens and citizens of the Town of Geneva have the right of referendum and popular initiative. These rights also exist at the cantonal and federal level. They make it possible to subject to the electorate a decree voted by the Municipal council or a request for deliberation on a given object. It is with this intention necessary to join together the signatures of: 4000 voters at least, in the forty days which follow the adoption of the decree or the launching of the initiative. If the signatures are joined together, the electorate is obligatorily called with the ballot boxes.

International city

She is for a long time regarded as a ground of asylum from her role of town of reception during persecutions against the Protestants who followed the Reform. With the reception of many reformers like Guillaume Farel, Jean Calvin or Theodore de Bèze, it gains its nickname of “Protestant Rome” or “city of Calvin”. Many international personalities find there refuge like celebrates it Lénine before the Russian Révolution of 1917.

It is thanks to this tradition of reception and with the neutrality of Switzerland that many international organizations decide to install their seat there:

Geneva also accommodates many International Conferences of which some remained famous. Thus, they is here that are signed the Geneva Conventions in 1949, fundamental instrument of the humane International law developing the convention of 1864, as well as the convention of 1951 on the statute of the Réfugié S. Later, the Accords of Geneva put an end to the Guerre of Indo-China and the Initiative of Geneva tries to contribute to the resolution of the israélo-Palestinian Conflit. Within sight of the number of conventions having been signed in Geneva, the page Geneva Convention (homonymy) gathers some of them.

Economy

August 1st

Infrastructures

Transport

See also: International airport of Geneva, public Transport Genevese

The international airport of Geneva, at Cointrin, is located at less than ten minutes of the downtown area and accessible in drunk or Train. Large companies such as EasyJet, British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa and Swiss propose lines bound for all the Europe and of the rest of the world. The city is served by the Swiss railway networks (CF) and French (the SNCF). Connections direct TGV connect it to Paris and Marseilles. Regional trains also circulate between Lancy - Bridge-Red and Coppet and the RER (the Rhone Regional express) connects it to Bellegarde. These two regional lines are insufficient today and cover the agglomeration unequally. The Réseau regional express really complete will once be carried out the project of CEVA (Cornavin- Water-Sharp - Annemasse) which is planned since 1884. By connecting the Swiss network with the network of Haute-Savoie (by a tunnel under part of the city) the trains will be able to circulate in the transborder area all around Geneva and, thanks to new stations, will serve zones densément populated of the city.

Within the city, Genevese public Transport (TPG) exploits a dense network of bus and Trolleybus as well as a network of Tramway S in full rebirth. A service of Bateau is also ensured by the Genevese Mouettes, connecting between them two banks of the roads. Of a use first primarily tourist, their development current enables them more and more to ensure a true role in the urban transport.

Geneva is connected to the Swiss highway network by the A1 and French by the A40.

The Cornavin station is also the departure of the roads cyclist main road number 1 called Route of the Rhone which leads to Andermatt.

Energy

See also: industrial Services of Geneva

The Drinking water, the Natural gas and the electricity are provided by the industrial Services of Geneva (SIG).

80  % of water is extracted from the lake Léman and 20  % of a Ground water born from infiltrations of Arve. 30  % of electricity is produced locally by the hydroelectric Barrage S on the Rhone (Seujet, Verbois and Chancy-Pougny) or by the Chaleur induced by the Combustion of the domestic Déchet S with the factory of Cheneviers. 70  % remaining are imported other Swiss Cantons or other European countries . The SIG do not buy whereas electricity produced by renewable energies.

The natural gas is imported by the Swiss company Gaznat.

Media

See also: Tribune de Genève, Blue Léman

One of the principal newspapers of the city east Tribune de Genève . the Mail , founded in 1868, is constant at the origin by the Roman Catholic church but becomes independent in 1996. Mainly centered on Geneva, it tries to extend in French-speaking Switzerland but knows financial problems regularly. Time and the Morning (based with Lausanne) does not cover the local topicality specifically. Since March 2006, the free daily newspaper 20 minutes has a Genevese edition and becomes the main competitor of the Matin Bleu . The financial topicality is covered by the daily newspaper Agefi but also since 2007 by a new free monthly magazine, the Extension (which makes following the newspaper the Extension created in 1987), which has vocation to process Genevese data and of its area under the socio-economic angle.

Switzerland , considered newspaper, disappears in 1994. As for the Newspaper of Geneva , it amalgamated in 1998 with the Nouveau Daily newspaper and becomes Time . Many radios are available of which those of the SR, in particular the Radio French-speaking Switzerland, like Radio Lake, NRJ Léman, OneFM, Rouge FM, Radio More or Radio the East (in Arab) and World Radio Switzerland (in English), carried out in the Genevese studios of RSR and known until November 1st 2007, date of its national extension, under the name of World Radio Geneva.

With regard to television, in addition to the French-speaking Switzerland Television based in a tower of 17 stages of the district of Plainpalais, Geneva has its local chain, Léman Bleu, founded in 1996.

Sports

The principal sporting team of Geneva was a long time the club of Football of the founded Servette FC in 1890. However, in 2005, of the problems of management cause the bankruptcy of the club which is relegated in league amateur. Servette FC evolves/moves in 2007 in the second Swiss division. The team is based with the Stade of Geneva which replaced the Stade of the Hedges.

Geneva also has a team of Hockey, the Geneva-Servette Hockey Club, which plays in National league has.

Geneva with the only French team of Handball which is resulting from the regrouping between the clubs of Chênois and Servette and is right now ensured to take part in the season 2007-2008 in national Line A.

Its access to the lake Léman enables him to be an important nautical center with its nautical company, where the trade union Alinghi is based, and the Régate of the Bol of gold.

Geneva is also a pionnière city with regard to the Handisport: created in 1956, Handisport Geneva is at the origin of the sports activities for people handicapped in Switzerland.

Geneva in arts

Literature

Data base

Cinema and television

Music

Geneva inspired Chokebore, for a song of their last album studio, It' S.A. Miracle , quite simply called Geneva . In the words of this song, one can read: “Geneva was just like you' D expect it, full off radiance, full off low lights and sad girls” that one can translate by “Geneva was right as you expected that it is, full with luminosity, full with sad lights low and girls”. One finds this same song on the album live of the group: has Share from Life .

Cemeteries

Between 1700 and 1853, only the Cemetery of the east city that of Plainpalais. At the beginning of the Years 1850, the cemetery of Châtelaine is built, then that of Saint-Georges in the Années 1880. The cemetery of the Petit-Saconnex is integrated into the city in 1931 following the fusion of the communes.

At the end of the 19th century, studies are started for the construction of a crématorium with the cemetery of Saint-Georges. The project succeeds and the inauguration takes place in March 1902. Beside the installation, one builds a columbarium (increased in 1916). In 1907, a second furnace is installed. During the two last years of the First World War, the incinerations are stopped because of the fuel shortage. The installation is modernized as a whole in 1942.

Thereafter, of the funerary centers are built like the vault of the Kings in 1956 and the funerary center of Saint-Georges in 1976.

Plainpalais

The Town of Geneva enters in possession of the cemetery protesting of Plainpalais (also called cemetery of the Kings ) in 1869. It is then managed by the General hospital of Geneva. Until 1876, only the Protestants are buried there. As of 1883, the cemetery is closed for the ordinary burials and is reserved to the people having acquired a concession. The price of the concession being higher there than in the other cemeteries, the number of burials falls and the habit to bury at this place the advisers of State, the administrative advisers or other personalities settles little by little. Around 1945, installations are carried out and the place can from now on be related with a Parc.

Among the personalities which rest there, one can quote:

Lady of the manor

Opened in 1853, the cemetery known as of the Lazaret is initially reserved for the catholic . As of 1864, one in general buries there the people died on Right Bank of the Rhone and it is increased considerably. However, marshy nature of the ground poses many problems and work of drainage must be undertaken. Between 1899 and 1911, the number of burials is thus limited to the strict minimum. It is truly reopened in 1918. As of 1946, the burials are again limited, then restricted as of 1969 with the reserved squares.

Saint-Georges

The cemetery is open in 1883. During the first ten years, only half of space is used. In 1898, a convention passed with the commune of Lancy which yields ground to Geneva in order to increase the surface of the site. Generally, Saint-Georges accommodates the people died on left bank of the Rhone. In 1911, the cemetery is still increased because of its promotion like single cemetery for the ordinary burials of the people domiciled in Geneva. A special and free site is conceded for the German soldiers deceased in Geneva during the First World War. Between 1942 and 1944, the site is cultivated and several ton S of Légume S and Céréale S is collected each year. In 1945, the oriental party is transformed into park. Ferdinand Hodler figure among the personalities buried here.

Petit-Saconnex

The Petit-Saconnex constitutes a commune with whole share until 1931. Its cemetery is open in 1815 and divided in two parts until in 1878. As from July 1931, Geneva deals with the maintenance of the site. This cemetery is then increased in 1932 and 1942. Since 1946, the Administrative counsel decides that all the people died on Right Bank of the Rhone are buried at the Petit-Saconnex. As of 1947, the number of burials increases following the provisional closing of the cemetery of Lady of the manor.

Appendices

Personalities

Via Gebennensis

Geneva is one of the big steps on the way of the Pèlerinage of Saint-Jacques-to-Compostelle. She gives her name to the Via Gebennensis which leaves Geneva (where the pilgrims from Switzerland and from Germany gather) and goes until the Puy-en-Velay (where she takes the name of Via Podiensis). The way is marked out of Geneva with Pampelune according to French classification GR. 65 .

See too

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External bonds

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