View source for Martigny

{{short description|Place in Valais, Switzerland}}
{{other uses}}
{{Infobox Swiss town
 | subject_name = Martigny
 | image_photo = Martigny - 2022.jpg
 | municipality_type = municipality
 | imagepath_flag = CHE Martigny Flag.svg
 | imagepath_coa = CHE Martigny COA.svg|pixel_coa=
 | canton = Valais
 | iso-code-region = CH-VS
 | district = [[Martigny (district)|Martigny]]
 |coordinates = {{coord|46|6|N|7|4|E|display=inline,title}}
 | postal_code = 1920
 | municipality_code = 6136
 | area = 24.97
 | elevation = 471|elevation_description=
 | population = 17215|populationof=2013
 | website = www.martigny.ch
 | mayor                = Anne-Laure Couchepin Vouilloz |mayor_asof=June 2023<ref>https://www.vs.ch/web/communes/-/martig-1 (Accessed 8 June 2023)</ref>|mayor_party=
 | mayor_title = Président du conseil municipal|list_of_mayors = List of mayors of Martigny
 | executive_name = Conseil municipal | executive_number_of_members = 9
 | parliament_name      = Conseil communal | parliament_number_of_members = 
 | places = Chemin-Dessous, La Bâtiaz, La Verrerie, Le Guercet, Martigny-Bourg, Martigny-Ville
 | demonym = Les Martignerains
 | neighboring_municipalities= [[Bovernier]], [[Dorénaz]], [[Fully]], [[Martigny-Combe]], [[Salvan, Switzerland|Salvan]], [[Vernayaz]], [[Vollèges]]
 | twintowns = [[Vaison-la-Romaine]] (France), [[Sursee]] (Switzerland)
|}}
'''Martigny''' ({{IPA|fr|maʁtiɲi}}; {{langx|de|Martinach}}, {{IPA|de|ˈmaʁtiːnaːx|pron}}; {{langx|la|Octodurum}}) is the capital city of the district of [[Martigny (district)|Martigny]], [[cantons of Switzerland|canton]] of [[Canton of Valais|Valais]], [[Switzerland]]. It lies at an elevation of {{convert|471|m|ft|sp=us}}, and its population is approximately 20,000 inhabitants (''Martignerains'' or "Octoduriens"). It is a junction of roads joining [[Italy]], [[France]] and Switzerland. One road links it over the [[Great St. Bernard Pass]] to [[Aosta]] (Italy), and the other over the [[col de la Forclaz]] to [[Chamonix]] (France). In winter, Martigny is known for its numerous nearby Alp ski resorts such as [[Verbier]].

==Geography==
Martigny lies at an elevation of {{Convert|471|m|ft|sp=us}}, about {{Convert|33|km|mi|sp=us}} south-southeast of [[Montreux]]. It is on the left foothills of the steep hillsides of the Rhone Valley, at the foot of the Swiss Alps, and is located at the point where the southwestern-flowing Rhone turns ninety degrees northward and heads toward [[Lake Geneva]]. The river [[La Drance]] flows from the southern [[Valais Alps]] (Wallis) through Martigny and joins the Rhone from the left just after Rhone's distinctive, almost rectangular change in direction.

Martigny has an area, (as of the 2004/09 survey), of {{Swiss area|6136|mi=on}}.{{Swiss area data|6136|QUELLE}} Of this area, 31.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 39.8% is forested.  Of the rest of the land, 23.3% is settled (buildings or roads) and 5.3% is unproductive land.<ref name=SFSO/>

In 1964 the current municipality was created with the merger of Martigny-Ville and Martigny-Bourg.<ref name=Fusion>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/nomenklaturen/blank/blank/gem_liste/03.html Amtliches Gemeindeverzeichnis der Schweiz] published by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office {{in lang|de}} accessed 19 July 2011</ref>

On 1 January 2021 the former municipality of [[Charrat]] merged into the municipality of Martigny.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.agvchapp.bfs.admin.ch/de/home |title=Applikation der Schweizer Gemeinden |year=2021 | work=bfs.admin.ch | publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office |access-date= 20 January 2021}}</ref>
[[File:View of Martigny-Ville (Panorama).jpg|thumb|center|600px|Panoramic of Martigny]]

==History==
{{further|History of the Valais}}
[[File:Martigny, ville romaine et moderne, vestiges de canalisations romaines.jpg|thumb|left|Remains of a Roman water supply in Martigny]]
[[File:Château de la Bâtiaz - 2022 (2).jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[La Bâtiaz Castle|Château de la Bâtiaz]]]]

The [[Gaulish]] name of the settlement in the 1st century BC was either ''Octodurus'' or  ''Octodurum'' (whence Martigny is  sometimes also called ''Octodure'' in French), an  [[oppidum]] or [[Vicus (Rome)|vicus]] of the [[Veragri]].{{citation needed|date=May 2018}} 
Octodurus was conquered by the [[Roman Republic]] in 57 BC, and occupied by [[Servius Sulpicius Galba (praetor 54 BC)|Servius Galba]] with the [[Legio XII Fulminata|twelfth legion]] and some [[Roman cavalry|cavalry]] in order to protect the strategically important pass of Poeninus (now known as the  [[Great Saint Bernard Pass|Great St. Bernard]]), by which road the ''[[mercatores]]'' had used to travel at great risk as well as paying great tolls. (''B. G.'' iii. 1.)  Galba, after capturing many local strongholds and receiving the submission of the people, sent troops into the country of the [[Nantuates]], and with his remaining army determined to winter in Octodurus.  Galba gave one part of the town to the  Gauls to winter in, and assigned the other to his troops. He fortified himself with a ditch and rampart, and thought he was safe. He was, however, suddenly attacked by the Gauls before his defences were complete or all his supplies were brought into the camp, resulting in the [[Battle of Octodurus]], and a very indecisive Roman victory;  the Romans estimated the Gaulish force at more than 30,000, and Caesar says that more than a third part were destroyed; nevertheless Galba, "declining to try fortune too often" (''B. G.'' iii. 6), burned the hamlet and retreated to the Province the next day.

Octodurus was later on joined to the [[Roman Empire]], as part of the [[Alpes Poeninae]] province. [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]] (iii. c. 20) says that the Octodurenses received the ''[[Latinitas]]'' (''Latio donati'').  Octodurus declined over the following decades, and between AD 41 and 47 (during the reign of [[Claudius]]), a new Roman colony named  ''Forum Claudii Augusti'', later renamed 'to ''Forum Claudii Vallensium'',  was established nearby to take the role of capital of the  [[Vallis Poenina]] province. The town appears in the [[Antonine Itinerary]] and in the ''[[Tabula Peutingeriana]]''. In the ''Notit. Prov.'', the place is called '''Civitas Vallensium Octodurus'''. At a later period it was called '''Forum Claudii Vallensium Octodurensium''', as an inscription shows.

An episcopal see was established here in the 4th century (moved in the 6th century to [[Sion, Switzerland|Sion]]), making the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Sion]] the oldest bishopric in what is now Switzerland. The first historically attested bishop of Octodurus was [[Theodore of Octodurum|Theodulus]] (died in 391), who was present at the [[Council of Aquileia]] in 381. A restored [[Roman amphitheatre]], temples, citizen living quarters, and [[thermal bath]]s can be seen in Martigny today. One authority speaks of the remains of a Roman aqueduct at Martigny. Many coins, and other memorials of the Roman time, have been found about the place.

There are no records of the town during the early medieval period. In the Middle Ages, the town took [[Martin of Tours]] as its patron saint,{{citation needed|date=November 2017}} and became known by the German name ''Martinach'', recorded in Latinized form as ''Martiniacum''  in 1018. The church of Martigny, presumably at the site of the ancient cathedral, was consecrated to St. Mary in 1177, and to ''[[Our Lady of the Fields|Notre-Dame-des-Champs]]'' in 1420. Martigny was placed under the protection of the [[House of Savoy]] in 1351, passing to [[Saint-Maurice, Switzerland|Saint-Maurice]] in 1475, as the seven tithings (''Sieben Zenden'') in treaty with the bishop of Sion and the canton of Bern seized all of the Lower Valais. The town was granted a degree of autonomy, its citizens being allowed to elect their own local officials, known as the ''syndics'' (but no judges, as [[High, middle and low justice|justice]] lay with the bishopric until 1798).{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

[[File:CH-NB - Martigny - Collection Gugelmann - GS-GUGE-30-23.tif (cropped).png|thumb|upright=1.5|Martigny in 1820, [[Lithography|lithograph]] illustrated by [[James Pattison Cockburn]], printed by [[James Duffield Harding]]]]
The economy of Martigny was traditionally based on agriculture and [[viticulture]].  The town was often flooded by the Dranse, most severely in 1595 and in 1818. From 1798 to 1802, Martigny was part of the imperialist Napoleonic [[Republic of Valais]], then in the [[Rhodanic Republic]], which passed to [[First French Empire|France]] from 1810 to 1814. The Valais/Wallis passed to Switzerland in 1815. In the 1840s, Martigny was the stage of a confrontation between the liberal-radical "Young Switzerland" and the conservative "Old Switzerland" movements, culminating in the Battle at the Trient of 21 May 1844, taking place a few kilometres outside town.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}} The town was split into independent municipalities of ''Martigny-Ville'', ''Charrat'', ''Martigny-Bourg'' and ''Martigny-Combe'' in the 1830s. ''La Bâtiaz'' and ''Trient'' were further split off ''Martigny-Combe'' in 1845 and 1899, respectively. This administrative fragmentation of the town was reversed in the 20th century, with a fusion of Martigny-Ville with La Bâtiaz in 1956 and with Martigny-Bourg in 1964.

Martigny was connected to the Simplon railway in 1878, with a separate railway station built in 1906. It was connected to the Swiss motorway system in 1981 with the completion of the Great-St-Bernard exit of the A9.  Martigny had a population of 2,545 in 1850, of 3,550 in 1900 and of 5,915 in 1950.<ref name=HDS/>

==Coat of arms==
The [[blazon]] of the municipal [[coat of arms]] is ''Gules, a lion rampant argent bearing a hammer or.''<ref>[http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ch-vs076.html Flags of the World.com] accessed 15-September-2011</ref>
[[File:ETH-BIB-Martigny-LBS H1-011362.tif|thumb|Historic aerial photograph by Werner Friedli from 1949]]

==Demographics==
[[File:Martigny rhone valley.jpg|thumb|Martigny and surrounding fields]]
Martigny has a population ({{as of|{{Swiss populations YM|CH-VS}}|lc=on}}) of {{Swiss populations|CH-VS|6136}}.{{Swiss populations ref|CH-VS}}  {{as of|2008}}, 30.6% of the population are resident foreign nationals.<ref name=HDS_superweb>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/onlinedb/superweb/login.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office - Superweb database - Gemeinde Statistics 1981-2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628151016/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/infothek/onlinedb/superweb/login.html |date=2010-06-28 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 19 June 2010</ref>  During 2000–2010, the population has increased at a rate of 13.1%.  It has changed at a rate of 6.7% due to migration and at a rate of 3.5% due to births and deaths.<ref name=SFSO>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105172441/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/regionen/02/key.html |date=2016-01-05 }} accessed 15-September-2011</ref>

Most of the population ({{as of|2000|lc=on}}) speaks French (12,227 or 85.1%) as their first language, [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] is the second most common (602 or 4.2%) and [[Italian language|Italian]] is the third (597 or 4.2%).  There are 227 people who speak German and 9 people who speak [[Romansh language|Romansh]].<ref name=STAT2000/>

{{as of|2008}}, the gender distribution of the population was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.  The population was made up of 5,114 Swiss men (32.4% of the population) and 2,566 (16.3%) non-Swiss men.  There were 5,830 Swiss women (37.0%) and 2,268 (14.4%) non-Swiss women.<ref name=VS_Pop>[http://www.vs.ch/Navig/navig.asp?MenuID=14752 Ständige Wohnbevolkerung nach Geschlecht und Heimat am 31.12.2009.xls] {{in lang|de|fr}} accessed 24 August 2011</ref>  Of the population in the municipality 5,162 or about 35.9% were born in Martigny and lived there in 2000.  There were 3,554 or 24.7% who were born in the same canton, while 1,439 or 10.0% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 3,694 or 25.7% were born outside of Switzerland.<ref name=STAT2000/>

The age distribution of the population ({{as of|2000|lc=on}}) is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 23.8% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 61.3% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 14.8%.<ref name=SFSO/>

{{as of|2000}}, there were 5,918 people who were single and never married in the municipality.  There were 6,723 married individuals, 922 widows or widowers and 798 individuals who are divorced.<ref name=STAT2000>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.3%20-%202000/40.3%20-%202000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=3&openChild=true STAT-TAB Datenwürfel für Thema 40.3 - 2000] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809142611/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.3%20-%202000/40.3%20-%202000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=3&openChild=true |date=2013-08-09 }}  {{in lang|de}} accessed 2 February 2011</ref>

{{as of|2000}}, there were 6,001 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.3 persons per household.<ref name=SFSO/>  There were 2,211 households that consist of only one person and 385 households with five or more people.  {{as of|2000|alt=In 2000}}, a total of 5,766 apartments (84.4% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 900 apartments (13.2%) were seasonally occupied and 168 apartments (2.5%) were empty.<ref name=Housing>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_09%20-%20Bau-%20und%20Wohnungswesen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen.asp?lang=1&prod=09&secprod=2&openChild=true Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB - Datenwürfel für Thema 09.2 - Gebäude und Wohnungen] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907111534/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_09%20-%20Bau-%20und%20Wohnungswesen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen/09.2%20-%20Geb%C3%A4ude%20und%20Wohnungen.asp?lang=1&prod=09&secprod=2&openChild=true |date=2014-09-07 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 28 January 2011</ref>  {{as of|2009}}, the construction rate of new housing units was 6.2 new units per 1000 residents.<ref name=SFSO/>  The vacancy rate for the municipality, {{as of|2010|alt=in 2010}}, was 2.72%.<ref name=SFSO/>

The historical population is given in the following chart:<ref name=HDS>{{HDS|2732|Martigny}}</ref><ref>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.4%20-%201850-2000/40.4%20-%201850-2000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=4&openChild=true Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB Bevölkerungsentwicklung nach Region, 1850-2000] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140930162751/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_40%20-%20Eidgen%C3%B6ssische%20Volksz%C3%A4hlung/40.4%20-%201850-2000/40.4%20-%201850-2000.asp?lang=1&prod=40&secprod=4&openChild=true |date=2014-09-30 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 29 January 2011</ref>
<timeline>
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  color:yellowgreen width:40   mark:(line,white) align:center
  bar:1850 from:start till:2545 text:"2,545"
  bar:1860 from:start till:2992 text:"2,992"
  bar:1870 from:start till:3083 text:"3,083"
  bar:1880 from:start till:3244 text:"3,244"
  bar:1888 from:start till:3208 text:"3,208"
  bar:1900 from:start till:3550 text:"3,550"
  bar:1910 from:start till:4892 text:"4,892"
  bar:1920 from:start till:4801 text:"4,801"
  bar:1930 from:start till:4828 text:"4,828"
  bar:1941 from:start till:5507 text:"5,507"
  bar:1950 from:start till:5915 text:"5,915"
  bar:1960 from:start till:7593 text:"7,593"
  bar:1970 from:start till:10478 text:"10,478"
  bar:1980 from:start till:11309 text:"11,309"
  bar:1990 from:start till:13481 text:"13,481"
  bar:2000 from:start till:14361 text:"14,361"
  bar:2010 from:start till:16143 text:"16,143"
  bar:2020 from:start till:18269 text:"18,269"
</timeline>

==Heritage sites of national significance==
The Centre valaisan du film, [[La Bâtiaz Castle]], the three museums (Musée gallo-romain, Musée des voitures, [[Fondation Gianadda|Fondation Pierre Gianadda]]) and the [[Switzerland in the Roman era|Roman era]] city are listed as Swiss [[Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance|heritage site of national significance]].  The entire town of Martigny-Ville and the small town of Martigny-Bourg are part of the [[Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/de/home/themen/kgs/kgs_inventar/a-objekte.html |title=Kantonsliste A-Objekte |year=2009 |work=KGS Inventar |publisher=Federal Office of Civil Protection |language=de |access-date=25 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628110559/http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/de/home/themen/kgs/kgs_inventar/a-objekte.html |archive-date=28 June 2010 }}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Fondation Gianadda.jpg|Fondation Gianadda
File:Martigny DSCF1989.JPG| La Bâtiaz Castle
File:20020809 circus 04.jpg|Restored Roman era amphitheater
File:Cowfight1.jpg|Cow fight in the amphitheater
</gallery>

===Culture and the Gianadda Museum===
The Romans left many archaeological remains in Martigny. The city is known for its [[amphitheater]], which was restored in 1978. [[Cow fighting|Cow fights]] are held in the amphitheater during early autumn for the "Comptoir". The city is notable for its Pierre Gianadda Foundation (Fondation Pierre Gianadda) museum. This is the most important cultural attraction in Martigny and, in addition to the Gallo-Roman Museum, houses a car museum. The building was constructed around the remains of a former Roman temple built on top of Roman ruins. The foundation hosts three painting exhibitions every year, with works by renowned masters.

==Politics==
In the [[2007 Swiss federal election|2007 federal election]] the most popular party was the [[FDP.The Liberals|FDP]] which received 37% of the vote.  The next three most popular parties were the [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|CVP]] (26.23%), the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]] (13.5%) and the [[Swiss People's Party|SVP]] (13.39%).  In the federal election, a total of 5,030 votes were cast, and the [[voter turnout]] was 56.9%.<ref>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/17/02/blank/data/04/03.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office, ''Nationalratswahlen 2007: Stärke der Parteien und Wahlbeteiligung, nach Gemeinden/Bezirk/Canton''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514211354/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/17/02/blank/data/04/03.html |date=2015-05-14 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 28 May 2010</ref>

In the 2009 [[Conseil d'État (Switzerland)|Conseil d'État/Staatsrat]] election a total of 4,057 votes were cast, of which 335 or about 8.3% were invalid. The voter participation was 46.4%, which is much less than the cantonal average of 54.67%.<ref>[http://www.vs.ch/Navig/navig.asp?MenuID=4363&Language=de&link= Staatsratswahlen vom 1. März 2009] {{in lang|de}} accessed 24 August 2011</ref>  In the 2007 [[Swiss Council of States election, 2007|Swiss Council of States election]] a total of 4,947 votes were cast, of which 412 or about 8.3% were invalid.  The voter participation was 57.0%, which is similar to the cantonal average of 59.88%.<ref>[http://www.vs.ch/navig/navig.asp?MenuID=4360&RefMenuID=0&RefServiceID=0 Ständeratswahl 2007] {{in lang|de}} accessed 24 August 2011</ref>

== Economy and agriculture ==
[[File:Martigny de la batiaz.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left|Martigny in the [[Rhône]] valley]]
Martigny is the headquarters of the {{interlanguage link|Groupe Mutuel|fr}} and is the headquarters of the watch brand {{interlanguage link|121TIME|fr}}. The city is surrounded by vineyards and orchards and field crops.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}} The relatively warm Valais (for Switzerland) sunshine is good for growing strawberries, apricots, asparagus, and the wine grapes which grow on the adjacent hills and steep slopes. The nearby Dranse River drains to the [[Rhône]] in the valley where Martigny lies.

{{as of|2010|In 2010}}, Martigny had an unemployment rate of 6.5%.  {{as of|2008}}, there were 251 people employed in the [[Primary sector of the economy|primary economic sector]] and about 74 businesses involved in this sector.  2,211 people were employed in the [[Secondary sector of the economy|secondary sector]] and there were 188 businesses in this sector.  7,812 people were employed in the [[Tertiary sector of the economy|tertiary sector]], with 871 businesses in this sector.<ref name=SFSO/>  There were 7,227 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 44.2% of the workforce.

{{as of|2008|alt=In 2008}} the total number of [[full-time equivalent]] jobs was 8,663.  The number of jobs in the primary sector was 145, of which 137 were in agriculture and 8 were in forestry or lumber production.  The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 2,100 of which 897 or (42.7%) were in manufacturing, 2 or (0.1%) were in mining and 1,082 (51.5%) were in construction.  The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 6,418.  In the tertiary sector; 1,491 or 23.2% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 582 or 9.1% were in the movement and storage of goods, 594 or 9.3% were in a hotel or restaurant, 103 or 1.6% were in the information industry, 740 or 11.5% were the insurance or financial industry, 827 or 12.9% were technical professionals or scientists, 286 or 4.5% were in education and 964 or 15.0% were in health care.<ref>[http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_06%20-%20Industrie%20und%20Dienstleistungen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen.asp?lang=1&prod=06&secprod=2&openChild=true Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB Betriebszählung: Arbeitsstätten nach Gemeinde und NOGA 2008 (Abschnitte), Sektoren 1-3] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225013454/http://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/Database/German_06%20-%20Industrie%20und%20Dienstleistungen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen/06.2%20-%20Unternehmen.asp?lang=1&prod=06&secprod=2&openChild=true |date=2014-12-25 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 28 January 2011</ref>

{{as of|2000|alt=In 2000}}, there were 4,424 workers who commuted into the municipality and 2,362 workers who commuted away.  The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 1.9 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving.<ref name=commuter>[http://www.media-stat.admin.ch/stat/pendler/pop.php Swiss Federal Statistical Office - Statweb] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120804043150/http://www.media-stat.admin.ch/stat/pendler/pop.php |date=2012-08-04 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 24 June 2010</ref>  Of the working population, 10.4% used public transportation to get to work, and 58.8% used a private car.<ref name=SFSO/>

==Religion==
From the {{as of|2000|alt=2000 census}}, 11,089 or 77.2% were [[Roman Catholic]], while 715 or 5.0% belonged to the [[Swiss Reformed Church]].  Of the rest of the population, there were 115 [[Eastern Orthodox Church|members of an Orthodox church]] (or about 0.80% of the population), there were 13 individuals (or about 0.09% of the population) who belonged to the [[Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland|Christian Catholic Church]], and there were 309 individuals (or about 2.15% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church.  There were 2 individuals (or about 0.01% of the population) who were [[Judaism|Jewish]], and 696 (or about 4.85% of the population) who were [[Muslim]].  There were 29 individuals who were [[Buddhism|Buddhist]], 18 individuals who were [[Hinduism|Hindu]] and 13 individuals who belonged to another church.  769 (or about 5.35% of the population) belonged to no church, are [[Agnosticism|agnostic]] or [[Atheism|atheist]], and 745 individuals (or about 5.19% of the population) did not answer the question.<ref name=STAT2000/>

==Sport==
[[HC Valais-Chablais|HCV Martigny]] currently plays in the second tier, [[Swiss League]] (SL). Their home arena is the 3,500-seat Forum d'Octodure.

[[FC Martigny-Sports]] is Martigny's amateur football team.

==Education==
In Martigny about 4,520 or (31.5%) of the population have completed non-mandatory [[Education in Switzerland#Secondary|upper secondary education]], and 1,487 or (10.4%) have completed additional higher education (either [[List of universities in Switzerland|university]] or a ''[[Fachhochschule]]'').  Of the 1,487 who completed tertiary schooling, 53.2% were Swiss men, 29.3% were Swiss women, 11.0% were non-Swiss men and 6.5% were non-Swiss women.<ref name=STAT2000/>

{{as of|2000}}, there were 835 students in Martigny who came from another municipality, while 502 residents attended schools outside the municipality.<ref name=commuter/>

Martigny is home to the ''Médiathèque Valais - Martigny'' library.  The library has ({{as of|2008|lc=on}}) 57,756 books or other media, and loaned out 144,524 items in the same year.  It was open a total of 280 days with average of 22 hours per week during that year.<ref>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/16/02/02/data.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office, list of libraries] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706231342/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/16/02/02/data.html |date=2015-07-06 }} {{in lang|de}} accessed 14 May 2010</ref>

== Transportation ==
{{main|Martigny railway station}}
[[File:Martingy station.jpg|thumb|Martigny train station]]
Martigny is on the high-speed [[Simplon Railway|Simplon line]] of the Swiss Federal Railway, SBB, which connects Italy (Domodossola) and southern Switzerland to northeastern Switzerland and the cities of Lausanne and Geneva. It also is the origin of narrow gauge railroads and bus routes that climb into the nearby mountains on both sides of the Rhone valley in which Martigny lies. One railroad goes west to Chamonix, France, crossing the border at Le Chatelard. The other railroad goes southeast to Chable and Orsieres. The regional transportation agency known as TMR SA (Transports de Martigny et Regions) operates this service and the ski trains known as the Mount-Blanc Express (to Chamonix) and the St. Bernard Express (to Orsieres). See the transportation map provided by the TMR website in the External Links section below. 
Thanks to Martigny's transport connections the winter sports regions of the "4 Vallées", Portes-du-Soleil and Ovronnaz are easily reached.

It has been nearly one century since the two original railway companies Martigny-Orsières (MO) and Martigny-Châtelard (MC) began serving the valleys of Entremont and Trient. In 1990, the boards of directors of MO and MC decided to combine for common management, however each company would maintain an independent status. Two new trains were started: the Saint-Bernard Express for the MO, and the Mont Blanc Express for the MC. Later the Octodure-Voyages and Orsières-Octodure-Transports companies were taken over. TMRSA is an important employer in the region with some 180 permanent staff.

The French holiday resort of Chamonix is accessible from Martigny in one-and-a-half hours using the narrow-gauge tracks of the "Mont Blanc Express".{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}

The nearest airports to the city are [[Geneva Airport]], located {{convert|135|km|0|abbr=on}} to the west and [[Bern Airport]], located {{convert|137|km|0|abbr=on}} to the north-east of Martigny.

==Notable people==
[[File:Pascal Couchepin, 2009.jpg|160px|thumb|Pascal Couchepin, 2009]]
* [[Alfred Tissières]] (1917–2003), Swiss molecular biologist 
* [[François Couchepin]] (born 1935), a Swiss lawyer and former politician
* [[Pascal Couchepin]] (born 1942), a politician, [[President of the Swiss Confederation]] in 2003 and 2008
* [[Nicolas Puech]] (born 1943), a French billionaire, heir and businessman; lives in Martigny
* [[Gérald Métroz]] (born 1962), a journalist, sports consultant, wheelchair sportsman and motivational speaker
* [[Pierre-Marie Taramarcaz]] (born 1968), a Swiss ski mountaineer
* [[Johann Lonfat]] (born 1973), a Swiss former footballer, over 350 club caps and 24 for [[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland]]
* [[Latifa Echakhch]] (born 1974), a Moroccan-French visual artist, lives and works in Martigny
* [[Yannick Ecoeur]] (born 1981), a Swiss ski mountaineer and mountain runner
* [[Stéphane Lambiel]] (born 1985), figure skater, coach and two-times World champion
* [[Sébastien Reichenbach]] (born 1989), a Swiss cyclist
* [[Antoine Dorsaz]] (born 1989), a Swiss pair skater
* [[Justin Murisier]] (born 1992), a Swiss World Cup giant slalom alpine ski racer

==International relations==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Switzerland}}

===Twin towns — Sister cities===
Martigny is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|
* {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Aosta]], Italy
||
* {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Vaison-la-Romaine]], France <ref>[https://archive.today/20120730121333/http://www.asccre.ch/N209/valais-wallis-vallese/?M=230 Conseil des Communes et Regions d'Europe] {{in lang|fr}} accessed 27 April 2011</ref>
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{DGRG|title=Octodurus|url=https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofgree02smit#page/462/mode/2up|pages=462-63}}
* [http://www.martigny.ch/ Martigny Homepage] {{in lang|fr|en}}
* {{HDS|2732|Martigny (municipality)}}
{{Municipalities of the district of Martigny}}
{{SwissArchaeologicalSites}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Martigny| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Roman towns and cities in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Rhône]]
[[Category:Cultural property of national significance in Valais]]