Porrentruy: Musee de l'Hotel-Dieu - Église Saint Pierre
Few places in the Swiss Jura have a history as closely tied to the Prince-Bishops of Basel as Porrentruy. From 1527 to 1792, it served as their residence after the Reformation transformed Basel. The old town still reflects its former role as the administrative and religious centre of the prince-bishopric. Église Saint-Pierre is one of its ecclesiastical landmarks, while the Musée de l’Hôtel-Dieu occupies a former hospital and preserves material connected with local life. Porrentruy stands on the Allaine in the Ajoie, a lowland region at the northern edge of the Jura Mountains, where tiled-roof streets give way to the surrounding countryside.
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Porrentruy is best known within Switzerland’s Jura for Porrentruy Castle, the former residence of the prince-bishops of Basel. Set in the valley of the Allaine, the town is the historic centre of Ajoie, a French-speaking district close to the French border. When the Reformation took hold in Basel, the prince-bishops moved their seat here in 1527 and remained until 1792, leaving the castle as the clearest reminder of Porrentruy’s former political role. Its old centre combines narrow streets with the baroque Hôtel-Dieu, built as a hospital in the 18th century. Porrentruy is now a regional centre of the canton of Jura. Discover nearby webcam locations for complementary perspectives on Porrentruy and the Jura.
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Jura is best known within Switzerland for being the country’s youngest canton, created in 1979. Centred on its capital, Delémont, this French-speaking region lies among the folded limestone ridges and wooded valleys of the Swiss Jura. The Doubs forms part of the border with France, while the open plateaux of the Franches-Montagnes are associated with horse breeding. Porrentruy, formerly a residence of the prince-bishops of Basel, recalls the area’s long connection with the Bishopric of Basel. A strong Francophone identity and rural mountain setting set Jura apart from Switzerland’s high Alpine regions. Discover other points of interest through webcams located across Switzerland’s Jura canton.
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Switzerland stretches from the Jura Mountains in the northwest to the Alps in the south, encompassing a central plateau of cities, farms and lakes. The Rhine rises in the Swiss Alps, while Lake Geneva forms part of the country’s southwestern border. Zürich, Geneva and Basel are major urban centres, yet mountain railways and passes remain central to how many regions are experienced. Four national languages—German, French, Italian and Romansh—reflect Switzerland’s distinct cantonal identities. The Matterhorn above Zermatt is among Europe’s most recognisable peaks, and the 1291 Federal Charter is closely associated with the country’s founding tradition. Continue through nearby webcams to explore different parts of Switzerland.
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