Today, there are more than 500 castles spread throughout Switzerland, some of which still belong to the family of the lords of the time.
Our selection invites you to discover the 10 most beautiful castles in the country.
A wonderful return to the time of the knights during this journey between history and culture!
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Château de Chillon, the jewel of Lake Geneva
The Château de Chillon guarded a strategic passage between the Vaud Riviera and the Rhône plain.
Markus Buehler / Switzerland Tourism
3 km from Montreux, Chillon Castle rises like a stone ship on Lake Geneva.
This massive fortress was built in the 12th century by the House of Savoy on an island 100 meters long and 50 meters wide.
The castle tells a whole section of the history of Switzerland, with the seizure of Bern in 1536 then of the Vaudois in 1798. It is essential today as the most visited historical monument of Switzerland, with more than 400,000 visitors per year.
Château de Chillon, avenue de Chillon 21, 1820 Veytaux.
Open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April to October (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from November to March).
Admission: 13.50 CHF (7 CHF for children from 6 to 15 years old and 11.50 CHF from 60 years old).
Website
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Bellinzona, the only Swiss fortress with Unesco
The castle of Castelgrande and the castle of Sasso Corbaro, on the heights of Bellinzona.
Bellinzona in Valli Turismo / parisiva.ch
The castles of Castelgrande, Montebello and Sasso Corbaro dominate the town of Bellinzona, capital of Ticino, in a succession of stages.
The ensemble was built from the 13th to the 15th century to guard this strategic crossing point between northern and southern Europe.
A majestic fortress inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2000 as an "admirable example of fortified medieval architecture in the Alps".
Bellinzona Fortress, 6500 Bellinzona.
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April to October (10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. from November to March).
Admission: 28 CHF for the 3 castles (free for children up to 6 years old and family package at 70 CHF).
Website
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Château de Gruyères, the Middle Ages move
The castle of Gruyères is built according to the architecture known as the "Savoyard square".
La Gruyère Tourism
Built in the 13th century by the Counts of Gruyère, the castle of Gruyères knew how to turn the medieval page to follow the styles and eras.
After several transformations during the Baroque period, the castle became a colony of artists in the 19th century, receiving in particular the French painter Camille Corot.
A tradition that continues today since the castle presents various temporary exhibitions dedicated to contemporary artists.
Château de Gruyères, rue du Château 8, 1663 Gruyères.
Open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April to October (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from November to March).
Admission: 12 CHF (4 CHF for children from 6 to 15 years old and 8 CHF from 60 years old).
Website
Château de Grandson, the warrior citadel
The Château de Grandson offers a breathtaking view of Lake Neuchâtel.
Raphael Dupertuis / Grandson Castle
Placed on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel, the Château de Grandson appears very peaceful today.
It was however the scene of the merciless war which opposed Charles the Bold to the Swiss Confederates, from 1474 to 1477. The castle still retains the scars of the siege and the bloody battle of 1476. Major renovation work will be launched at the autumn, until 2026, but the castle will remain open.
Better, visitors will be able to discover the trades of the various craftsmen who will intervene on the construction site.
Château de Grandson, place du château, 1422 Grandson.
Open daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission: CHF 10 (CHF 5 for children aged 6 to 18).
Website
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Thun Castle, the mark of power
The castle keep of Thun pierces the morning mist.
Andrew Bossi
Thun Castle was built around 1200 by the Dukes of Zähringen, yet no one ever lived there.
The castle was above all a demonstration of force, like its imposing keep with 4 turrets.
The castle was transformed into a museum in 1888, while housing a regional prison... Since then, the prison has closed its doors and the museum now occupies the 5 large rooms of the keep, including the impressive knights' room.
Among the exhibits: a heraldic tapestry stolen from the Burgundians in 1476.
Thun Castle, Schlossberg 1, 3600 Thun.
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April to October (1 p.m. to 4 p.m. from November to March).
Admission: 10 CHF (3 CHF for children aged 6 to 16).
Website
Lenzburg Castle, the dragon's lair
Lenzburg Castle dominates the canton of Aargau from the Schlossberg, a 508 meter high hill.
Lenzburg Castle
Between Basel and Zürich, the castle of Lenzburg wins the title of largest castle in Switzerland.
It is also one of the oldest: the first mention of this Aargau fortress dates back to 1077. The whole remains perfectly preserved and well staged, from the kitchens to the 17th century prison.
Children are not forgotten with a floor just for them.
The bravest can even meet Fauchi, the castle's legendary dragon!
Lenzburg Castle, 5600 Lenzburg.
Open every day, except Monday, from April 1 to October 31, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: CHF 5 without the museum or CHF 14 with the museum (CHF 2.50 or CHF 8 for children aged 4 to 16).
Website
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Fortress of Munot in Schaffhausen, guardian of the Rhine
Dominating Schaffhausen and the Rhine, the fortress of Munot adopts a circular plan.
Bruno Sternegg
Munot Fortress was built in the 16th century to defend the city of Schaffhausen and monitor traffic on the Rhine.
To get there from the old town, you have to find the entrance to the narrow staircase that climbs steeply through vines.
Visitors will be rewarded for their efforts with an unprecedented view of the Rhine!
In summer, the fortress comes alive with outdoor cinema screenings and opera evenings.
The tower still houses a guard, responsible for ringing the bell of Munot every evening, at 9 p.m., for 5 minutes.
Fortress of Munot, Munotstieg 17, 8200 Schaffhausen.
Open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Free admission.
Website
Château d'Aigle, the passion for wine
Aigle Castle was the seat of the Bernese Governors from 1475 to 1798. Leemburg-CH
In the heart of a magnificent vineyard at the foot of the Alps, this castle erected by the House of Savoy in the 12th century has turned its back on its military vocation.
Since 1970, it has housed the Museum of Vine and Wine, which tells the story of local viticulture.
The collection has more than 10,000 objects: presses, stills, corkscrews, carafes... The museum is also interested in wine labels from all over the world, with 1,000 labels exhibited by theme and a fund that totals more than 400,000 labels.
Château d'Aigle, place du château 1, 1860 Aigle.
Open every day, except Monday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (until 5 p.m. from November to March).
Admission: 11 CHF (5 CHF for children aged 6 to 16).
Website
Château de Tourbillon, the cursed ruins
The Château de Tourbillon crowns a hill which rises 182 meters above Sion.
Photogenic.ch
Tourbillon Castle was erected on the highest hill in Sion in the 13th century for Bishop Boniface de Challant and his successors.
A calm eagle's nest overlooking the Rhone Valley.
Its destiny was however tumultuous, suffering violent revolts of the population in the 15th century and a fire in 1788. Saved from destruction in the 19th century and listed as a historical monument, the castle is now patiently restored.
Do not miss the painted decorations in the chapel.
Château de Tourbillon, Place Maurice Zermatten, 1950 Sion.
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from May to September (11 a.m. to 5 p.m. from March 15 to April 30 and from October 1 to November 15).
Free admission.
Website
Stockalper Castle, the little Baroque madness
The Stockalper castle was acquired by the municipality of Brig in 1948, which notably installed its administration, the local court and a museum there.
Silvio Burgener / Brig Simplon Tourismus
The Stockalper castle was built from 1651 to 1671 in Brig, in the Upper Valais, by Kaspar Stockalper, an entrepreneur with many hats and an influential politician.
His colossal fortune and power earned him the nickname "King of the Simplon".
The castle, in Baroque style, is dominated by 3 surprising granite towers surmounted by golden bulbs and named after the Three Kings.
At the foot of the castle, the magnificent French garden is dotted with roses.
Stockalper Castle, Alte Simplonstrasse 28, 3900 Brig.
The museum is open every day, except Monday, from 9:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and from 1:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. from May to October (Thursday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. from January to April).
Website
SEE ALSO
- The Dassault Grand Trophy: the 2022 winner, Bournaze Castle, Villefranche-de-Rouergue (Aveyron)
