Down the paved streets of Old Sion, you are caught in a constant game of chase with the sun as it waltzes across the grounds. The wayward rays seem to have a life of their own leading you on past the shop fronts of smiling locals greeting you with pleasantries. At this point, you have little sense of direction left and time has lost its sense of linearity; you could be walking through the streets of 1920 or 2020 for all you knew. This is when you stumble upon a towering spire blocking the slanting rays before you, the rectangular column of stone adorned by a cross announcing its identity as that of a cathedral at the heart of the city.

Though bowed in contrast to the infamous Valere Basilica, the Cathedral Notre Dame du Glarier was built in the midst of the thronging marketplace of old as an accessible seat of the Diocese to be taken by the bishop of Sion when he descends from his residence at the watchtower of the city, Castle Tourbillon. In typical gothic fashion, the Cathedral is a gem of pastel blue as seen from above, quietly complementing the pale stonework that makes up the structure. In an exploration of this chance discover, you step into its cool shade and cavernous column of air as the ceiling vaults several meters high above. Ornate columns adorned in painted gold are arranged in tiers while pillars wider than your arms extend towards the ceiling in holding up the chambers. Stained glass fills the stone frames high above, colored glass a fragmented beauty with a story to be uncovered by visitors. No element of the gothic movement is left out, from the extravagant embellishments to the solid stone skeleton within. You are wont to leave the Cathedral still trapped in awe, glad at having found this unexpected gem within the vintage streets.