The Aiglon Chapel in a new light
Now that the first renovation phase of the Aiglon College Chapel is complete, discover how fresh stonework, re-wiring, and innovative lighting have rejuvenated this valued community space.
White as snow, our unassuming chapel, situated next to the Villars Palace, harmoniously blends with its surroundings in winter. Inside, however, following recent optimisations this summer, the small space now holds even greater year-round appeal, and, with further improvements in the pipeline, promises for a an even brighter future.
First established in 1883 by the Intercontinental Church Society, the English chapel came into the hands of Aiglon College just over a century later in 1996. Fascinatingly though, the pasts of Aiglon College and the chapel have long been intertwined. The chapel also commemorates British skiers lost during the WWII, including the son of Alpine College’s founder. Alpine College is where John Corlette - founder of Aiglon College – was educated.
Aiglon alumni have preached here. Students and parents have attended services and ceremonies here. College staff families have celebrated marriages and christenings here. Its four beautiful stained-glass windows were conceived by our teachers and funded by parents of Aiglon alumni.
Indeed, when the sun shines through these windows it casts a kaleidoscope of colours across the pews and, framed by the new decorative stone wall, creates a magical atmosphere. Adding to this, the recently installed light features bring a touch of modernity to our Chapel, which is of course available to the broader school family for a variety of functions throughout the year.
While the Chapel cannot accommodate whole school events, the next phase of renovations will further increase the Chapel’s adaptability and potential. Plans for the construction of a partial second floor with a large meeting room will allow for increased meeting possibilities. Guests will be better catered for thanks to the installation of a bar, and, vitally, flexible seating in the main nave area will open up the Chapel for more unconventional events such as cinema projections and exhibitions. Consequently, these advances will enable extended engagement with our village.