Palaces

With its rust-red exterior, Palazzo Castelmur is one of the landmarks of the Bergell. The exhibition there follows the life of the emigrants from Bergell, who made careers as confectioners all over Europe.

Schloss Valangin is a medieval castle that has succeeded in maintaining its character as defensive fortress over the years. And its interior naturally reminds one of times long gone by.

The mediaeval castle has had an eventful history. First badly damaged by an earthquake, it only became really well known after the Saffron War. In 1798, the angry rural population set the castle on fire, after which the ruins were left to their fate and to crumble away.

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.

In the heart of the small medieval town of Estavayer-le-Lac stands the Château de Chenaux, overlooking Lake Neuchâtel and the reed beds of the Grande Cariçaie nature reserve.

There are so many legends and historical tales associated with this building, its inhabitants, and its destruction in 1499. The castle was the ancestral home of the barons of Vaz.

A little over 300 years old, Sins Castle in Paspels is located in the middle of orchards just below Altsins Castle and has its own baroque gardens.

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

The name of this fortress is based on its geographical location: the Castello is located on a rock as dark as the feathers of a raven (from dialect “corbatt”).

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.

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.

A visit to the vine and wine museum in the imposing Château de Boudry is a must for all wine enthusiasts. This region has been home to vineyards and winegrowers for over two thousand years. Of the six million litres of wine produced in the Neuchâtel vineyards in the 17th and 18th centuries, around four million were consumed in the region itself.

In the heart of Switzerland, just a stone’s throw from the capital Bern and set amid a paradisiacal park, lies Baroque Castle Jegenstorf. Inside, the former Bernese patrician country estate boasts all kinds of treasures and gems, with tales to take visitors of all ages on a magical journey back in time.

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.

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 palace on the edge of Lausanne's Old Town, just around the corner from the cathedral, is an architectural masterpiece, a showcase of the Florentine Renaissance – and a place full of charm.

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…

How did people live in days of old when knights were bold? The eventful history of the castle acts as a prism through which you can learn a lot about the region and the people who have lived here for centuries.

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.

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.

The castle ruin of Castello Mesocco sits on a rock outcrop in the Italian-speaking southern Mesolcina Valley (Misox).

Ten years ago the region started to revive the old tradition of viticulture and has produced its own wine ever since.

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.

Grasburg was once the home of feudal tyrant Count Amadeus. He oppressed his subjects in every possible way and threw people in the castle dungeons for no reason. A maid finally pushed him into the roaring waters of the River Sense one stormy night.

The Wyher Moated Castle was first mentioned in 1304. Several families of minor nobility held sway over Wyher in the High Middle Ages, including the influential Feer and Pfyffer families from Lucerne.

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

For around 1,000 years, Alt-Bechburg has towered over the Solothurn municipality of Holderbank from its position on a rocky outcrop. The well-preserved castle ruins not only offer a wonderful view, but also afford the opportunity to visit the remains of the curtain wall, the tower, the outer bailey and the gatehouse.

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

Waldegg Castle is rightly considered the most beautiful country manor of the Solothurn patriciate. Here, where ambassadors and the aristocracy once went in and out, visitors can immerse in the same bygone world today - and learn of a time when Solothurn was the seat of the French ambassadors with the aid of a modern, multimedia guide.

Laupen Castle towers high above the medieval town of the same name at the confluence of the rivers Sense and Sarine. The splendid fortress is the emblem of the region, and a protected monument of national importance.