Experiences along the Grand Tour - Fortress

The medieval castle above the town of Thun is a striking focal point at the entrance to the Bernese Oberland region. This almost completely preserved symbol of power contains the Knights' Hall, one of the few surviving halls of its type from the Middle Ages.

The exhibit of the Thurgau History Museum in Frauenfeld Castle describes the eventful 15th century when the borders of today’s Canton Thurgau were formed. An insightful multimedia walk transports you into the fascinating world of knights, monasteries and provincial governors.

Oberhofen Castle with its medieval keep and lake tower is located on the shore of Lake Thun. The castle, which dates back to the early 13th century, houses a living museum. The large castle park is supposed to be one of the most magnificent in the region of the Alps.

Today, the castle reflects the change from a medieval castle to a patrician residence.

For many centuries this feudal building was home to the noble Heidegg family - whereas today it houses the history and culture center of the Seetal valley. A living museum in which you learn stories and customs of aristocratic families, with the spirit of the past further rekindled with a stroll in the large park with its beautiful rose garden.

The Fort de Chillon in Veytaux is considered a newcomer among Switzerland’s museums. What used to be a réduit of the Swiss Armed Forces is now an interactive museum with impressive scenography. The world of experience that this has created provides exciting insights into the world of the military.

Montebello Castle is the second-largest castle in Bellinzona. It was built in the late Middle Ages and is often referred to as the “small castle”, “new castle” or “medium-sized castle”.

The Château de Prangins was built in the 18th century by Louis Guiguer, a Swiss banker living in Paris, and has hosted illustrious guests from Voltaire to Joseph Bonaparte.Overlooking Lake Geneva, this beautiful listed building is home to the Swiss National Museum.

The fortifications of Bellinzona are an extraordinary example of a late-medieval defensive structure located at a key strategic point on the Alpine pass. The castles of Bellinzona are among the most marvelous examples of medieval fortified architecture in the Alps.

Chillon Castle is located on a rock on the banks of Lake Geneva. The water castle is the most visited historic building in Switzerland. For nearly four centuries Chillon was the residence and profitable toll station of the Counts of Savoy.

Perched high above Lake Constance and nestled in large parklands, this elegantly furnished castle was once the residence of the last emperor of France. In what is now the Napoleonic Museum, the original furnishings have been preserved, and the palace gardens have recently been restored.

Munot has been proudly overlooking the town of Schaffhausen for well over 400 years. The tower contains the quarters of the Munot watchman, who rings the famous Munot bell for five minutes every evening at 9 p.m. – by hand, of course, just like in 1589.

On the edge of the old town, Zug Castle is the oldest still preserved profane building in Zug and is a landmark of the city. With its many nooks and crannies, Zug Castle has been home to the museum of cultural history for the city and the Canton of Zug since 1983.

There’s so much to do in Burgdorf Castle, with its unique combination of museum, restaurant and youth hostel. The new museum has many exciting things to reveal about the region and the wider world, while you can dine in a stately setting in the castle restaurant and then spend the night in the castle’s youth hostel. Live like the knights and damsels of old…

This international award-winning museum offers a rich variety of insights into castle life over the last 800 years.

The castle on Lake Thun stands in a delightful park surrounded by venerable old trees.