Raron

Raron
Coat of arms
Raron Show map of Switzerland Raron Show map of Canton of Valais
Location of Raron
Coordinates: 46°18.6′N 7°48′E / 46.3100°N 7.800°E / 46.3100; 7.800Coordinates: 46°18.6′N 7°48′E / 46.3100°N 7.800°E / 46.3100; 7.800
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Valais
District	Raron
Government
• Mayor	Daniel Troger
Area
• Total	30.31 km2 (11.70 sq mi)
Elevation	638 m (2,093 ft)
Population (Dec 2015)
• Total	1,905
• Density	63/km2 (160/sq mi)
Postal code	3942
SFOS number	6199
Surrounded by	Ausserberg, Baltschieder, Blatten (Lötschen), Bürchen, Niedergesteln, Unterbäch, Visp, Wiler (Lötschen), Zeneggen
Website	www.raron.ch SFSO statistics

Raron (French: Rarogne) is a municipality in the district of Raron in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

Raron is first mentioned around 1101-1200 as Rarogni. In 1146 it was mentioned as Rarun.

A settlement on the Heidnischbiel, a burial ground at Blatt and scattered finds in the surrounding vineyards indicate that there was a permanent settlement in the vicinity of Raron from the Neolithic to the La Tène period. The settlement seems to have been abandoned in the Roman era.

During the Middle Ages, the hill west of the Heidnischbiel, was fortified. In the 12th century the Viztum of Raron was established and the Viztume tower house was added to the hill. The tower The families of Raron, Asperlin and de Chevron-Villette all held the office of Vizedominat of Raron as a fief from the Bishop of Sion. During the Raron affair of 1417, the tower was partially destroyed. It was purchased in 1538 by the municipality and then served as city hall and a jail. At the beginning of the 21st Century it was privately owned. In addition, to the Viztume tower, the Meier tower was built in the 13th century. The Meier tower was mostly occupied by the Asperlin family. Raron was important in local politics and held the title Raronia prudens. One bishop and several provincial governors all came from Raron.

The center of the local parish was, most likely, originally St. German. The church of St. German existed since about the 8th or 9th centuries. By 1299, the church in Raron had become a parish church. This large parish comprised the four municipalities of the middle third of the Zenden of Raron. In 1554, Unterbäch and Bürchen separated from the parish and in 1867 Ausserberg left as well. The entire Church of St. Romanus, except the tower, was destroyed in 1494 when the Bietschbach flooded. The tower of the church remained until 1938, when it was demolished. The uninhabited Meier tower was converted into a gothic church by Ulrich Ruffiner in 1508-14. In the early 16th century, this castle church was dedicated to St. Romanus to replace the earlier church. The restored castle church was abandoned in the 1970s and was replaced in 1974 a modern rock church which was built at the foot of the hill.