Popular Castles in Switzerland: modern, medieval and ancient castles. Photos of castles in Switzerland.
Castle Gruyères
Lausanne, Rue du Chateau 8, 1663 Gruyeres
 |
Castle Gruyères |
The name of the castle comes from the crane that adorns the coat of arms of the city and the family coat of arms of the Counts of Gruyères, whose residence the castle served from the 11th to the 16th century. After the bankruptcy of another count, the castle changed owners several times, until, finally, it was bought out by the canton of Friborg.
Chillon Castle
Montreux, Avenue de Chillon 21 1820 Veytaux
 |
| Chillon Castle |
Chillon Castle is located on a small rocky island in Lake Geneva near the Montreux resort. Only a long bridge connects the castle to the mainland. It was this castle that Byron visited in 1816 and, inspired, wrote the poem "The Prisoner of Chillon".
Habsburg Castle
Habsburg, Schloss Habsburg
 |
| Habsburg Castle |
Habsburg Castle is located in the Aargau canton, near the Aare river. According to legend, the castle owes its name to a hawk that sat on the walls when the construction of the castle was almost completed (in 1030).
Castelgrande Castle
Bellinzona, Via Salita Castelgrande, 18
 |
| Castelgrande |
The Castle of Castelgrande is part of a unique defense complex around the town of Bellinzona. The beginning of the construction of the castle dates back to the first century BC, this defensive structure was used to house the troops of the Roman Empire.
Montebello Castle
Bellinzona, Salita al castello di Montebello, 5
 |
| Montebello Castle |
Montebello Castle is part of the fortification system of the city of Bellinzona. The relief of the area did not give the inhabitants of the castle natural protection, therefore the castle is surrounded by a deep moat. Now the castle houses the historical and archaeological museums.
Jegenstorf Castle
Bern, General-Guisanstrasse, 5
 |
| Jegenstorf Castle |
Jegenstorf was once a classic medieval castle, later converted into an elegant Baroque country residence. This happened in 1720, when Albrecht Fririch von Erlach was the owner of the castle. The Bernese home decor museum has been opened in the castle since 1936.
Château d'Ouchy
Lausanne, Place du Port
 |
| Château d'Ouchy |
A luxurious neo-Gothic mansion with an ivy-covered tower cannot fail to attract the views of those strolling along the embankment of Lake Geneva. Château d'Ouchy is literally 200 meters from the water, a kilometer from Lausanne Central Railway Station and 2 km from the amazing Cathedral.
Switzerland is not only about banks and world-famous watches, you will be convinced of this by visiting local castles! In them - the true Switzerland - the country of masterpieces of medieval architecture! They are all in excellent condition and are looking forward to welcoming guests.
In Switzerland, there are about 600 preserved castles (and according to some sources, even about 1000), which impress tourists with their decoration and surrounding landscapes. A visit to them - of course, no vacation is enough for everything - will be a fascinating journey into the feudal, aristocratic and monarchical history of Europe.
Castles in Switzerland are a symbol of fabulous life, royal luxury, wealth and an extravagant approach to construction. They have stood proudly for many centuries, with their spiers directed into the blue sky. Each of them is completely unique, interesting and unique in its own way. They are carefully guarded. Some castles have housed museums, restaurants, local governments and even prisons. There are those that are in private ownership, and access to them is either limited or completely closed. Almost all Swiss castles are located in the most picturesque places and are often surrounded by beautiful gardens and parks, which gives them a special beauty and even fabulousness. There are especially many castles in the canton of Vaud, near Lake Geneva. Bellinzona's three castles, in the Italian part of Switzerland, are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Montebello Castle, located at the foot of three hills, still remembers the times of the Roman Empire, and Chillon Castle inspired Byron to create the poem "The Prisoner of Chillon".
Like most European medieval grandiose buildings, Swiss castles are fortified dwellings of feudal lords, usually equipped with a fortress wall. They had a defensive function, protecting the owners and residents of the city from the invasion of enemies.
Many Castles in Switzerland are closed for the winter. Tourists can visit them from April 1 to the end of October.
If you do not have time to get acquainted with the castles of this amazing country, visit at least little Switzerland. Not far from Lugano there is a miniature park - all the sights, including the main castles, are represented here by copies at a scale of 1:25. The main thing is that here you will see castles that belong to private individuals and are closed for live visits!