Castles in Switzerland

Switzerland is known for its delicious chocolate, luxury watches, banking system, neutrality, pocketknives and gorgeous natural scenery, including snow-covered mountains and emerald lakes. However, the country is also home to many beautiful castles, fortresses, and palaces that are certainly worth a visit, many within easy reach of public transport. Here’s all you need to know about Swiss castles:

Expat guide to castles in Switzerland

When walking through the Swiss countryside, you may encounter some imposing fortresses perched atop hills and mountains. Being in the heart of Europe, castles in Switzerland have been built by the Romans, Germans, Austrians and the Swiss themselves, culminating in the stunning buildings you see today.

What is a castle?

A castle is a type of fortified structure typically built during the Middle Ages or medieval period, although there was a fashion for building castle-like mansions in the 19th century. Their purpose was to defend the surrounding land and people from bandits and invaders, and provide a base for the collection of taxes.

European castles were typically owned by local kings and nobility, who would give the fortress and the area around them to their children or allies. Castles were considered the centre of medieval life, hosting feasts, markets and religious ceremonies.

The most common feature of a castle is a large wooden or stone structure known as the keep or bailey. The keep and surrounding courtyard would be enclosed by thick walls, turrets and towers to protect the fortress’s defenders. Many castles have other features such as large drawbridges, interlinking castle walls and moats filled with water.

What do Swiss castles look like?

Unlike the large castles in the Netherlands, Germany and the UK, Swiss castles are typically smaller fortified houses. Many of the fortresses that stand today have been converted into private residences at some point in their history, removing the need to maintain large fortifications like walls and towers.

Those that do have walls typically only have one layer of fortifications, relying instead on extra defences like a city wall around the bastion, as was the case in Solothurn, or a large moat or hill around the perimeter like in Thun.

The walls themselves tend to have openings where defenders would have been able to throw rocks or fire arrows, crossbows, muskets and cannons down on the enemy. Some exceptions include Hallwyl Castle, which has a double wall and moat surrounding the fortress, and Lenzburg Castle, a huge castle complex with towers and gates that sits atop a large hill. 

How many castles are there in Switzerland?

Switzerland boasts some 500 castles and other fortified buildings, many of which are listed with the Swiss Heritage Sites of National Significance. A large number of them are situated along Europe’s most important trade routes, next to lakes or along mountain passes, sporting stunning natural vistas. This makes them incredibly popular with tourists and locals alike and they are usually busy during the school holidays.

History of castles in Switzerland 

While there is evidence of fortifications built by the Helvetii tribe and other Bronze and Iron Age inhabitants, most of the largest castles in Switzerland standing today were either built upon Roman ruins or upgraded by nobles after the fall of the empire. 

Of course, each castle has its own engaging and unique history to tell, so it is difficult to summarise, but here is a brief overview of the history of castle building in Switzerland.

First Swiss castles

Roman forts in Switzerland tended to be wooden outposts used to guard vital roads and strategic areas. From the fifth to 10th centuries, stone castles replaced or upgraded previous Roman fortifications, in order to protect the largest Swiss cities at the time, like Zurich, Bern and Thun.

After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 6th century, the nobility across what would become the Swiss cantons created large fortified locations in the passes through the mountains between Germany and Italy. These forts were aimed at providing protection to traders crossing the Alps, charging them tolls for passage. The famous castles of Chillon and Spiez started out as fortified toll areas.

Famous Swiss families controlled most castles

Between the fifth and 13th centuries, castle building was dominated by a series of powerful families that controlled the land on behalf of the Burgundians, French, Savoyards and the Holy Roman Empire. This means that many Swiss castles appear to have the same rough story attached to their history.

If the castle is in the northern, central or eastern cantons like Zurich, Schaffhausen and St. Gallen, the fortress was likely built and controlled by the Kyburg family, the Habsburgs or the Abbey of Saint Gall. To the west, in Canton Vaud, castles were controlled and upgraded by the House of Savoy and the Dukes of Burgundy. Other famous families that owned castles during the period included the houses of Zähringen - the founders of the city of Bern - and Werdenberg, a family from the mountain valleys near Liechtenstein.

The Old Swiss Confederacy and expansion

Familial control of castles in Switzerland continued until the founding of the Old Swiss Confederacy in 1291. As the influence of Swiss noble families declined, and the Habsburgs, Burgundians and Savoyards were ousted, their castles were sold to or conquered by Swiss cantons.

In most cases, the largest castles were used to keep control of the surrounding area and defend against invaders. Cantons would appoint a bailiff (Landvogt) to keep the castle running and ready to defend itself well into the late 1700s.

The decline of castles in Switzerland

Much like in the rest of Europe, advances in technology made the concept of a castle obsolete. By the end of the 18th century, many Swiss castles were either decommissioned or used as residences for cantonal governors.

Between the 19th century and today, most castles were either abandoned, sold as houses or turned into museums. As Switzerland has not experienced a foreign invasion since 1815, many of the largest castles remain fully intact to this day, meaning that locals and tourists can visit them.

Most popular castles to visit in Switzerland

Today, castles in Switzerland have taken on a new lease of life thanks to the loving preservation work and care given by cantonal authorities. Here are some of Switzerland’s most popular castles to visit:

Spiez Castle

Located in the council (Gemeinde) of Spiez in Canton Bern, Spiez Castle is one of the oldest castles in Switzerland and therefore has a rich history. While the nearby church has been referenced in documents dating from 762 AD, architectural investigations done in 2019 suggest that the oldest part of the castle, the tower, was built around 1245.

Being so old, the castle has naturally changed hands a few times over the years, with the families Strättligen, Bubenberg and von Erlach playing an important part in the castle’s upkeep and extensions. Nowadays, the castle is owned by the Spiez Castle Foundation and can be visited from May 1 until October 31 each year. During wintertime, the castle is closed.

Vufflens Castle

Situated in Vufflens-le-Château in the Canton of Vaud, Vufflens Castle (or Château de Vufflens) is a medieval castle and Swiss heritage site of national significance.

Though home to a fortress since the 1100s, the castle you can see today was constructed around 1420 by Henri de Colombier, who was an important military figure and therefore chose for the building to be created in a military style. In 1641, it was acquired by the Senarclens family.

Nowadays, the castle is privately owned. This means that while the courtyard can be visited, the interior is closed off to the public.

Rapperswil Castle

Located in Rapperswil-Jona in the Canton of St. Gallen, medieval Rapperswil Castle is perched atop a rocky hill on the Lindenhof hill peninsula, 38 kilometres from the city of Zurich. It boasts magnificent lake views as it's surrounded on three sides by Lake Zurich.

The castle was built in the early 13th century by the House of Rapperswil. After the death of the last heir, the castle was passed on to the House of Homberg. Around 1309, it came into possession of the Austrian Count Rudolf von Habsburg-Laufenburg. After the extinction of this line, the castle was given to the citizens of Rapperswil.

In 1870, the castle was leased for 99 years to the Polish National Museum, which is still located in the castle today. Please note that only the Polish National Museum is open to the public, the rest of the castle remains closed, save for special city tours - although it is also used for marriages.

Castles of Bellinzona: Castelgrande, Montebello, Sasso Corbaro

Situated at the foot of the Alps, around the town of Bellinzona in Canton Ticino, you’ll find the Castles of Bellinzona: Castelgrande, Montebello, and Sasso Corbaro. These three castles and their fortified walls have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

Castelgrande

The oldest and largest of the 13th-century castles is Castelgrande, overlooking the valley from the rocky peak it’s located on. The walls of this castle connect to Montebello Castle. It is open for visitors throughout the year, houses the Museum of Art of Bellinzona, and is the only one of the three castles that can be accessed via a lift from the city itself.

Montebello Castle

Situated on a rocky hilltop east of Bellinzona, Montebello Castle is surrounded by deep moats. It was built in 1313 for the Rusca family. Nowadays, the castle houses the Archaeological and Civic Museum, which is open from March to November.

Sasso Corbaro

Of the three castles of Bellinzona, Sasso Corbaro, also known as Unterwalden or Santa Barbara, is the castle with the highest elevation, and it is not integrated into the city walls. It measures 25 by 25 metres and features square towers on the northeast and southwest corners. Today, the castle houses a museum which exhibits the Sala Emma Poglia, the wooden room built for the Emma family during the 17th century.

Oberhofen Castle

With magnificent views of Lake Thun, Oberhofen Castle is situated in the municipality of Oberhofen of the Canton of Bern in Switzerland.

It is thought that the central keep dates from around 1200, and over the years, the rest of the castle developed around it. Over the centuries, the castle passed through various Bernese patrician families. Nowadays, the castle is owned by the Oberhofen Castle foundation and it’s open to visitors from May to October. If you plan to visit, don’t forget to check out the oriental smoking room, which offers a unique experience and amazing vistas.

Chillon Castle

One of Switzerland’s (and Europe’s) most visited castles is Chillon Castle. Built strategically on the island of Chillon, south of Veytaux in Canton Vaud, the castle offers majestic views of Lake Geneva. 

No wonder then that the castle has attracted many famous poets and writers from around the world over the years, including Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Gustave Flaubert and Lord Byron, whose poem “The Prisoner of Chillon” is directly inspired by François Bonivard, a Genevese monk and patriot who was imprisoned in the castle by the Counts of Savoy.

While the oldest parts of the castle have not been dated, the castle was first mentioned in documents in 1005. In 1150, a charter named the castle owner as Gaucher de Blonay. Then from the mid-12th century, the castle belonged to the Counts of Savoy. It was occupied by the Bernese from 1536 until 1798. Today, it belongs to Canton Vaud and is open to the public year-round.

Gruyères Castle

Now, you may know the town of Gruyères, located in the Canton of Fribourg, because of the famous Swiss Gruyères cheese. However, this medieval town is also home to Gruyères Castle, which was built between 1270 and 1282.

The castle belonged to the Counts of Gruyères until Count Michel declared bankruptcy in 1554. From 1555 to 1798, it was the residence of bailiffs and prefects sent by Fribourg. In 1849, the castle was sold to the Bovy and Balland families, who restored the castle to its former glory. In 1938, the Canton of Fribourg bought the castle back and turned it into a museum. The castle is open to the public all year round.

Aigle Castle

Situated in the municipality of Aigle near the southern tip of Lake Geneva, Aigle Castle sits on top of a hill, surrounded by a renowned vineyard.

Aigle had a small fortification in the 12th century, but it wasn’t until the second half of the 13th century that the castle was rebuilt with a fortified donjon and a curtain wall. However, during the Burgundian Wars, armed forces attacked Aigle and destroyed the castle. In 1488, Bern had the castle rebuilt. Then in 1804, the castle was acquired by the city of Aigle. Nowadays, the castle houses the Vine and Wine Museum and is open to visitors.

Other castles in Switzerland

As Switzerland is home to hundreds of castles, we couldn’t do justice to them all. A few others that are certainly worth a visit are:

• Thun Castle in Bern
• Aarburg Castle in Aargau
• Lenzburg Castle in Aargau
• Neuchâtel Castle in Neuchâtel