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Dating back to the 13th century, the castle of Avenches features a renovated Renaissance-style façade, one of the most beautiful testimonies of this type of architecture in Switzerland. Today, the castle accommodates offices, classrooms, a theatre, an art gallery and a library.
Located next door to the arenas, the castle of Avenches dominates the capital of Roman Switzerland. This public and historic building boasts an art gallery and a theatre, an exceptional setting where artists present their works throughout the year. Apart from these halls dedicated to the arts, the castle comprises offices, apartments, classrooms and a library.
The castle of Avenches owes its construction and emblematic keep to the bishops of Lausanne, who, as the town’s suzerains, built the building in the 13th century. The building was renovated in the 15th century and during the Bernese domination. The architects of that era spared the magnificent keep, extended the castle and added a remarkable façade, which is one of the most beautiful examples of Renaissance architecture in Switzerland.
References:Duino Castle was built by the Wallsee family in 1389 on the cliffs overlooking the Gulf of Trieste. It replaced an older castle from the 11th century. Over time, the Wallsee family disappeared and the castle, after having been used as a prison, became the residence of the Luogar and Hofer.
At the end of the 19th century it became the property of Prince Alexander von Thurn und Taxis from the Czech branch of the House of Thurn and Taxis. It remains with the family to this day with his great-grandson Prince Carlo Alessandro della Torre e Tasso, Duke of Castel Duino the current owner. The castle has been opened to the public as a museum and park.