Gruyères Castle

Gruyères, Switzerland

The Castle of Gruyères is one of the most famous in Switzerland. It was built between 1270 and 1282, following the typical square plan of the fortifications in Savoy. It was the property of the Counts of Gruyères until the bankruptcy of the Count Michel in 1554. His creditors the cantons of Fribourg and Bern shared his earldom. From 1555 to 1798 the castle became residence to the bailiffs and then to the prefects sent by Fribourg.

In 1849 the castle was sold to the Bovy and Balland families, who used the castle as their summer residency and restored it. The castle was then bought back by the canton of Fribourg in 1938, made into a museum and opened to the public. Since 1993, a foundation ensures the conservation as well as the highlighting of the building and the art collection.

The castle is the home of three capes of the Order of the Golden Fleece. They were part of the war booty captured by the Swiss Confederates (which included troops from Gruyères) at the Battle of Morat against Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy in 1476. As Charles the Bold was celebrating the anniversary of his father's death, one of the capes is a black velvet sacerdotal vestment with Philip the Good's emblem sewn into it.

A collection of landscapes by 19th century artists Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Barthélemy Menn and others are on display in the castle.

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Details

Founded: 1270-1282
Category: Castles and fortifications in Switzerland

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Philippe Dame (4 months ago)
Cute castle worth visiting. Well preserved. Only odd thing was the inclusion of modern abstract art pieces in castle rooms with accent tapestries and frescos.
Marcus Smith (5 months ago)
Château Gruyères is one of my favorite castles to visit in Switzerland. Beautifully presented each room is interesting with beautifully painted walls, ancient tapestries, and furniture. The shops below are fun to visit. I had my first cheese fondue here, it was delicious. It’s a must see location (after visiting the Cailler (Nestle) chocolate factory of course just nearby.
Stephen Morrison (5 months ago)
Such a beautiful setting and an interesting history. The artwork adorning the interior is great and the antiques on display are very neat. The village is incredibly quaint and inviting. Highly recommended!
Anthony Teh (5 months ago)
Beautiful quaint cobblestone streets leading into a medieval town. There were like 2 level of street parking available and when we reached yesterday it was a welcoming sight to see the e cows grazing at the grassland just by the carpark; the symphony of bells ringing from the cowbells were amazing to listen to as the cows graze contently at the yummy grass. We easily spent 1-2 hours here just wondering the streets and surrounding area alone; not including the museum or castle tours.
Jura Konstancja (5 months ago)
Cool castle. Was worth a visit. They offer several combo ticket options to include other small museums in the area. The town itself is cute. Probably best to avoid peak travel times to avoid large tour groups. Parking available down the hill. 2CHF per hour. H.R. Geiger Museum was bizarre but definitely interesting!
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