Oratoires ou mausolées dans le group épiscopal de Genève

Around 350 AD, a building circa 10 m long marks the Christian origins of Geneva. Two privileged graves are linked to it. This “oratory” was kept in situ during the construction works of the 1^stcathedral until it was finished by the end of the 4^th cent. In a contemporary church, next to the bishop’s residence, a funeral vault is build at the centre of the chancel ; a walking path limited by screens allows the faithful to get very close to the venerated vault. These two examples of inhumations inside the town bring a lot of questioning as the cemeteries are usually located extra muros. The very high dating of the primary “oratory” and its specific tripartite plan are both unique to the North of the Alps.