Thun Castle
Overview
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Intro
A medieval museum castle above the old town of Thun: a route across seven levels from the cellar up into the towers, with the Knights' Hall, medieval tapestries and the world's most important collection of Thun majolica.
High above the old town stands the keep, built by the Dukes of Zähringen around 1200 – one of the great keeps of the European High Middle Ages. Since 1888 it has housed the Historical Museum, run by the non-profit Schloss Thun Foundation. In 2027/28 the museum celebrates its 140th anniversary.
The visit leads across seven levels, from the cellar up into the towers: the history of the town in the cellar, the Thun town hall collection with trophies, coats of arms and reliquaries, 800 years of Bernese governors, the Knights' Hall as a uniquely preserved ceremonial hall of the High Middle Ages, the granary and the prison, the Bernese hipped roof – and at the very top the four corner towers, with views over Thun, Lake Thun and the Alps.
The collection holds more than 17,000 objects, some 600 of them on display: two ecclesiastical tapestries from the 13th and 15th centuries, the armorial tapestry of Charles the Bold captured at Grandson, town banners and arms. Temporary exhibitions are shown in the Neues Schloss.
For children there is a detective game and the «Made in Thun» treasure hunt, both available at the ticket office without booking, and from May to October the Knights' Trail across the three castles of Thun, Oberhofen and Spiez.
Good to know: the castle is a ten-minute walk from Thun railway station. Allow an hour for a visit, two if you like to take your time. The museum is reached by stairs and there is no lift inside the building; the castle courtyard and the Neues Schloss are, however, wheelchair accessible. Guided tours in German, French, Italian and English on request.
Wedding
This place is made for a glittering party. The historic Zäringer Castle has been renovated in recent years and offers various very interesting rooms.
What to experience
Museum tour of the keep (1-2 hours)
On 5 floors you will immerse yourself in the history of Thun: From the urban development in the basement to coats of arms and armour to the knights' hall on the 3rd floor. The Knights' Hall is one of the best-preserved representative halls of the High Middle Ages in Switzerland. From the corner towers you have a view of Thun, Lake Thun and the Alps.
- Good to know: The tour is accompanied by an audio guide in different languages.
- Tip: The Swiss Travel Pass entitles you to free admission to the Castle Museum.
Tower climb and view
From the 4 towers you have a fantastic view of Lake Thun and the Alps as well as the old town of Thun below. The towers are accessible by stairs. From Thun train station, you can walk to the castle via the old town and the castle stairs in about 15 minutes.
- Good to know: There are no public parking spaces directly at the castle.
- Tip: Sturdy shoes are recommended for the ascent.
Knights' Trail for families (1.5–6 hours)
Experience the Knights' Trail through the castles of Thun, Oberhofen and Spiez with your children between the ages of 6 and 12. In three stages – from page to squire to knight – a training level is completed in each castle. Each stage lasts 1.5 to 2 hours. If you pass all the tests, you will receive the knighthood.?
- Good to know: A separate pass is required for the Knights' Trail, available at the castle.
- Tip: Visit all three castles on Lake Thun and earn your knighthood.
General information
| Contact address |
Schloss Thun - Das Museumsschloss
Schlossberg 1 3600 Thun 033 223 20 01 info@schlossthun.ch |
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Group & pricing information
| Further prices (starting from) |
Adults:
CHF 10.00 (Museum Castle) CHF 5.00 (Special Exhibition) CHF 15.00 (Combined Ticket) AHV/IV recipients, students, apprentices, military personnel: CHF 8.00 (Museum Castle) CHF 3.00 (Special Exhibition) CHF 11.00 (Combination Ticket) Children ages 6 to 16: CHF 3.00 PanoramaCard/Guest Card and groups of 10 or more: CHF 8.00 CHF 3.00 (special exhibition) CHF 11.00 (combined ticket) With Kulturlegi: Adults: CHF 6.00 Children ages 6 to 16: free Swiss Museum Pass, Raiffeisen Member Card, Swiss Travel Pass, and children under 6: free Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children): CHF 20.00 |
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Booking Information
Book online
The contents listed here are maintained by the regional / local tourist offices or service providers, which is why Switzerland Tourism can not guarantee the contents.
Discover the surroundings
Address
Schloss Thun
Schlossberg 1
3600
Thun
Switzerland
Phone
+41 (0)33 223 20 01
info@schlossthun.ch
schlossthun.ch
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