Medieval castles in Switzerland
Marschlins Castle
Marschlins Castle was built in the 13th century, though there may have been 11th or 12th century castles on the site and local legend claims it dates back to the Carolingian era. However, the 13th century castle was probably built for the Bishop of Chur. The castle is built in the Savoyard style, a square castle with corner towers, one of which is enlarged to serve as the donjon. This style of castle is unique in Graubün ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Landquart, Switzerland
Mesocco Castle
Mesocco Castle ruins are among the largest in the canton. Originally the seat of the noble family von Sax, from the 12th century until 1480 it was held by the Freiherr of Misox/Mesocco. From 1480 until 1549 it was held by the Trivulzio family. A small fortified church, the Church of S. Carpoforo, was built on the hill top around the 7th century as a refuge castle for the surrounding villages. Around 1000, the fortifi ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Mesocco, Switzerland
Neuburg Castle
Neuburg Castle was first built during the late 13th century or early 14th, most likely for the Baron Tumb von Neuburg from Vorarlberg. It is unclear whether there was an earlier castle or why the Tumb von Neuburg family acquired land in Graubünden. It was first mentioned in 1345 as Nüwburg. In 1360 they had to give the castle to Heinz and Martin Buwix as collateral for a loan, but by 1385 they were back in possession of ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Untervaz, Switzerland
Norantola Castle
The oldest parts of the Norantola Castle were probably built in the 12th century for a local noble family. In 1248 Locarnus de Norantola is mentioned in a record and in 1295 Petrus de Norantola is mentioned. However, by around 1300 the castle was owned by the powerful Counts of Sax/Misox and the Norantola family vanished from historical records. In 1324 Ugolinus von Sax was listed as the owner of the castle. In the early ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Cama, Switzerland
Obertagstein Castle
Obertagstein Castle was probably built in the 13th century by the Masein/Rialt family near Untertagstein Castle. In 1316 Margareta von Rialt left all her properties in Tagstein to her nieces. The first mention of a castle in the area is in 1322, but it probably refers to Untertagstein in Masein. In 1322 the male line of the Rialt family died out and it was inherited by the Bärenburg family. The Bärenburg family were min ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Thusis, Switzerland
Rhäzüns Castle
Rhäzüns Castle may be one of the oldest castles in Switzerland. In 960 Emperor Otto I traded a church in in castello Beneduces et Ruzunnes (in the castle of Bonaduz and Rhäzüns) to the Bishop of Chur and a 976 document by Otto II confirms the trade the existence of the castle. Over the following centuries the fortified church became a feudal castle and in 1139 Arnoldus de Ruzunne appears in the records as a Romans ...
Founded: 10th century |
Location:
Rhäzüns, Switzerland
Rietberg Castle
The central tower and oldest part of the Rietberg Castle was built in the 13th century, though it may have been built around an earlier 12th-century tower. It was built for the Lords of Rietberg, who in 1286 were vassals of the Freiherr von Sax-Misox. In the 14th century they became vassals of the Bishop of Chur. At that time they held the castle and estates in Schams, Chur and Oberhalbstein and were the bishop"s rep ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Pratval, Switzerland
Riom Castle
Riom was inhabited during the Roman era, from the 1st century through the 4th. During this time, it was a mansion or way-station along the Julier Pass road. After the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, farmers and herders continued to live here during the Early Middle Ages. In 840 it was personally owned by the king of Raetia Curiensis and was a local administrative center as well as the site of major church. The church wa ...
Founded: c. 1226 |
Location:
Surses, Switzerland
Steinsberg Castle
During the High Middle Ages a fortified church with a ring wall and perhaps a tower was built near the current Steinsberg Castle. By the end of the 12th century, these fortifications were demolished and a new castle was built above formerly fortified plateau and the Church of St. Lazius. It was probably built for a local noble family. In 1209 Albert von Frickingen sold all his estates and villages as well as the castle ab ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Scuol, Switzerland
Strassberg Castle
The castle was built in the 12th century to guard the road from Chur over the alpine passes. The oldest part of the castle, the ring wall, was built in the second half of the 12th century. The main tower was added in the early 13th century. The Lords of Strassberg first appear in the historical record in 1253. The ring wall around the main castle originally had a residential building along the north side and still shows ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Churwalden, Switzerland
Tarasp Castle
Tarasp Castle was probably built in the 11th century or possibly as early as the 10th century. The name comes from terra aspera or wild earth, which may refer to the newly lands in the Inn river valley. They had adopted the name of the castle by 1089 when Ulrich von Tarasp was mentioned in a papal mandate to the Bishop of Chur. Around the same time the family founded Scuol Monastery, which later moved to Marienberg Abbey ...
Founded: 11th century |
Location:
Tarasp, Switzerland
Santa Maria in Calanca Castle
The Santa Maria in Calanca castle ruins are located on a hill top at the entrance to the Calanca valley. The hill top was inhabited prehistorically and by the late Roman era was home to the Church of Santa Maria. By the High Middle Ages it was the political center of the entire valley. By the 12th century the first castle was built on the hill below the church. This castle was probably built for the de Calanca family, of ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Santa Maria in Calanca, Switzerland
Tschanüff Castle
The oldest part of the Tschanüff castle is the main tower, which was built as a bergfried (a fighting tower without permanent inhabitants) in the 12th century for the Lords of Ramosch. A ring wall was added in the 13th century. On 12 March 1256 Count Meinhard of Tyrol granted the knight Nannes of Ramosch the right to build a castle at Ramosch. Since there was already a fortification, this permission was probably to expan ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Valsot, Switzerland
Wildenberg Castle
The Wildenberg family was a cadet branch of the Greifenstein family of Filisur. In addition to Wildenberg Castle in Falera, they owned castles and estates throughout the valleys of Graubünden. Wildenberg Castle in Zernez was first mentioned as the home of the family in 1280/90. In 1296 the Bishop of Chur took the right to collect tithes from Wildenberg and pledged it to the Lords of Planta. It is unclear if the castle we ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Zernez, Switzerland
Wynegg Castle
Wynegg castle was built in the 13th century for the Wynegg family. The first known member of the family, Ludwig von Wynegg, appears in a record in 1254. The family last appears in 1270 when Ulrich von Wynegg was mentioned. The family probably served the Bishop of Chur or the Freiherr von Vaz. After the family died out, the castle and lands were inherited by Vaz family, though the Bishop also claimed that he owned the cast ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Malans, Switzerland
St. Andreas Castle
St. Andreas Castle is a privately owned castle located in Cham, in the Canton of Zug. The castle hill has been used since at least 400 AD, based on Roman artifacts found there. The site of the neighboring chapel has been used for religious ceremonies since the Roman era. During the 8th century the chapel site was used by a 'holy bishop without a name' for Christian services. Today the castle and chapel are located on a ...
Founded: 9th century AD |
Location:
Cham, Switzerland
Zug Castle
The first castle in Zug was probably a wooden manor house built around 1000 and owned by a ministerialis family in service to either the Counts of Aargau or of Lenzburg. Based on archeological excavations, it was built on an island between two small streams and surrounded by a wooden palisade. While the local nobleman occupied the house and island, his men built a village along the streams. Later the steams were dammed to ...
Founded: c. 1200 |
Location:
Zug, Switzerland
Hünenberg Castle
Hünenberg Castle was built in the 12th century and mentioned first time in 1173. At the Battle of Sempach in 1386 Hünenberg fought on the side of Habsburg family and the castle was destroyed after the defeat. During the following three decades the Hünenberg family also lost their power and reputation. In 1416, Rudolf von Hünenberg sold the ruined castle and its rights to the Bütler brothers. The keep was still standi ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Hünenberg, Switzerland
Buonas Castle
Buonas Castle was probably built in the 11th century. In 1478 the castle burned down and the reconstruction began until 1494. The new building was completed in 1498 and received another floor. So-called new castle was built next to the medieval one in 1877. Today the castle site is a training center.
Founded: 1494 |
Location:
Buonas, Switzerland
Wildenburg Castle
Wildenburg castle was founded in the 13th century by the Lords of Hünenberg, vassals of the counts of Kyburg and Habsburg. The first plant was probably just a stone ring wall with wooden buildings. A round keep and a palas in the northeastern corner were added later. In 1386, the knights of Hünenberg fought against the Confederates at the Battle of Sempach on the side of Habsburg Austria. Wildenburg was destroyed after ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Baar, Switzerland