Porrentruy
Intro
The city of Porrentruy (Pruntrut in German) in the Jura is considered to be the cultural center of the region. The cityscape is dominated by the mighty medieval castle, which served as the residence of the prince bishops of Basel for 200 years.
Located near the French border, Porrentruy is the second largest city in Canton Jura. The Old Town, which has burgher houses in the Aaroque, Gothic and Neoclassical style, is well worth a visit. Large fountains such as the Samaritan Fountain (1564) and the Swiss Fountain (1518) are interspersed between the houses. The "Porte de France", built in 1563, is a remnant of the medieval city fortifications.
The churches of Saint Pierre (14th century) and Saint Germain (13th century) house rare side altars and church treasures. The oldest part of the castle dates back to 1271. The castle towers above the city and was the residence of the prince bishops of Basel from 1527-1792.
Stained-glass windows in the Jura: an artistic phenomenon unique in Europe. With their almost sixty churches and chapels, the inhabitants in the Jura canton have, in less than half a century, created a museum of art – modern, alive and open. This is the largest concentration of stained glass across a relatively small region in Europe. Great masters – Frenchmen, Swiss and Jura canton inhabitants – created these works.
