A bijou at the gateway to the Val-de-Ruz - Valangin
Intro
Situated at the entrance to the verdant Val-de-Ruz, colourful Valangin has retained a picturesque charm. Its landmark is a castle that crowns a rocky ledge overlooking the town.
Founded in the fourteenth century, the little market town sits like a bottle cork in the bottom of the narrow Val-de-Ruz valley directly at the entrance to the Gorge du Seyon, which links it with Neuchâtel to the south. The whitewashed castle, perched on a rocky ledge, dominates the skyline. Formerly of strategic importance, the stronghold was built in several phases between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries, and is enclosed by a curtain wall punctuated by towers.
The historic fabric of this compact town, which dates mainly from two stages of expansion, has been largely preserved. In the older quarter, directly below the castle, two parallel, colourfully lime-washed rows of fourteenth-century houses frame an elongated square. A former gateway with pavilion roof and clock separates this secular neighbourhood from the more recent church quarter, which was built outside the medieval ring wall in the sixteenth century. This, too, features rows of terraced buildings arranged around a slightly irregular square, at the centre of which stands the reformed church – erected in 1505 but greatly reduced in size in 1841.
Not only is the town wonderfully preserved, it is also remarkable for the way it fits snugly into the narrow valley, bounded by steep wooded slopes that have helped deter any significant development.
Trip tip
The castle now accommodates the regional museum with numerous exhibits that recount the history of Canton Neuchâtel. A stroll through Valangin and along the surrounding paths is particularly rewarding. The 1588-built Maison Touchon near the church houses an art gallery.
ISOS
ISOS is the Federal Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites of national importance. The inventory is maintained by the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) and lists the most significant settlements in Switzerland. Today, some 1,200 places are included in the inventory, from hamlets right through to cities. The inventory provides information on the development and identity of the settlements listed in it, thereby contributing to the preservation of architectural diversity in Switzerland and promoting both sustainable planning and a high-quality Baukultur.
