Sion, Medieval castles in Sion, Switzerland.
Sion is the cantonal capital of Valais, sitting at 515 meters elevation on the north bank of the Rhone, where two fortified hills with medieval castles rise above the low-roofed houses of the old center. The town spreads between vineyards and the steep flanks of the Rhone Valley, with modern districts to the west adjoining historic lanes in the core.
Traces of human settlement reach back to 6200 BC, when Neolithic groups lived on the hills before the Romans controlled the area from 10 BC under the name Sedunum. In medieval times the site became a bishop's seat and experienced several fires and wars that destroyed parts of what is now the old town and led to rebuilding.
The Old Town shows a bilingual heritage, with most residents speaking French today while German place names survive in surrounding mountain villages. Visitors notice this linguistic boundary on street signs and hear it in market conversations, where Romance and Germanic traditions have met for centuries.
The town is easy to explore on foot, as most sights lie within the compact old center and the two castle hills are accessible via steep but short paths. Visitors should plan for sturdy shoes when climbing to Tourbillon or Valère, as the trails can be hot in summer and occasionally slippery in winter.
Archaeological excavations in 2019 brought to light six standing stones that point to prehistoric gatherings or ceremonies in the area. These menhirs were found near the present town center and show that the hills were already considered important sites in the Neolithic period.
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