Burgkirche St. Romanus

The Burgkirche St. Romanus sits on a rocky hilltop above Raron. This historic church was built in the early 1500s directly onto the ruins of a hilltop castle, wrapping the chapel around an old defence tower. Rainer Maria Rilke chose the churchyard for his grave, which sits against the south wall with the Rhône valley dropping away below it. Shooting from below shows how the church overlooks the whole valley and highlights how it can be scene clearly from kilometres away. Up on the rugged hilltop the churchyard wall works as a great leading line towards the view as it spreads out over the valley. Inside, a Last Judgment fresco covers a full wall, roughly 8 by 12 metres and dominates the interior. Late afternoon puts warm light across the south side of the building. Reaching it means a steep walk from the village, since no road runs to the top. There is a museum in the old rectory but it only opens during the summer tourist season. If you go early you will get both amazing sunrises and usually have the whole place to yourself. (Raron, Valais, Switzerland)