Jura Museum of Art and History, Delémont, Switzerland

Founded in 1909 by Arthur Daucourt, Musée jurassien d'art et d'histoire exhibits the history of Jura canton. It has 21 permanent exhibition rooms presenting the history of Jura, primarily in its cultural aspects, but also social, political and economic.

Museums in Switzerland

User Reviews

Zilioli Verena (3 months ago)
The Jura Museum of Art and History is one of the 50 best museums in Switzerland that is well worth seeing. The processing of the historically very comprehensive history of the Jura and the modern way it is presented to the visitor is instructive and exciting at the same time. WORTH SEEING

Ricardo Bastos (3 months ago)
Very pleasant atmosphere and excellent service provided by the employees, I recommend the visit

Yves Prongué (10 months ago)
Lieu de mémoire de l'histoire jurassienne...de fabuleux trésors avec une riche librairie et une exposition sur "Lionel O'Radiguet, Druide, Breton, écrivain et peintre" jusqu'au 10 janvier 2031.

Pomey Raphaël (11 months ago)
Very nice museum and great welcome. Worth the detour.

Sandro Restauri (12 months ago)
Very documented. History, culture, geography, industry. Enough to convince you, if necessary, that the Jura is not at the end of the world. Right off the bat, the museum warns you that you don't have to like everything, or read everything, and that you can stay there for 3 minutes or 3 hours. Nice welcome.

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The Abbey of Saint-Etienne, also known as Abbaye aux Hommes ('Men"s Abbey'), is a former monastery dedicated to Saint Stephen (Saint Étienne). It is considered, along with the neighbouring Abbaye aux Dames ('Ladies" Abbey'), to be one of the most notable Romanesque buildings in Normandy. Like all the major abbeys in Normandy, it was Benedictine.

Lanfranc, before being an Archbishop of Canterbury, was abbot of Saint-Etienne. Built in Caen stone during the 11th century, the two semi-completed churches stood for many decades in competition. An important feature added to both churches in about 1120 was the ribbed vault, used for the first time in France. The two abbey churches are considered forerunners of the Gothic architecture. The original Romanesque apse was replaced in 1166 by an early Gothic chevet, complete with rosette windows and flying buttresses. Nine towers and spires were added in the 13th century. The interior vaulting shows a similar progression, beginning with early sexpartite vaulting (using circular ribs) in the nave and progressing to quadipartite vaults (using pointed ribs) in the sanctuary.

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As a consequence of the Wars of Religion, the high lantern tower in the middle of the church collapsed and was never rebuilt. The Benedictine abbey was suppressed during the French Revolution and the abbey church became a parish church. From 1804 to 1961, the abbey buildings accommodated a prestigious high school, the Lycée Malherbe. During the Normandy Landings in 1944, inhabitants of Caen found refuge in the church; on the rooftop there was a red cross, made with blood on a sheet, to show that it was a hospital (to avoid bombings).

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