Thun Castle

Geschichte

Thun Castle is a castle in the city of Thun, in the Swiss canton of Bern. It was built in the 12th century, today houses the Thun Castle museum, and is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.HistoryDuring the Early Middle Ages there was a small fort and church on the top of the castle hill. The castle was built between 1180 and 1190 by Duke Berthold V of Zähringen, who constructed the still preserved keep to the level of the Knights' Hall (Rittersaal). The 14m tall Knights' Hall was built as the centerpiece of a monument to Zähringen power. However, the family never lived in the castle, preferring Burgdorf Castle. In 1218 it was inherited by the House of Kyburg, who built the upper levels above the Zähringen castle. A quarrel over who would rule the southern Kyburg lands led, in 1322, to Eberhard II von Kyburg murdering his brother Hartmann II at the castle. To protect his newly acquired land from the Habsburgs Eberhard II then sold them to Bern and was promptly given them back as a fief. The Kyburgs ruled over the region for nearly two centuries until a failed raid by Rudolf II on Solothurn, in 1382, started the Burgdorferkrieg (also Kyburgerkrieg). After several decisive Bernese victories the Kyburgs were forced to concede an unfavorable peace. In 1384 Bern bought Thun and Burgdorf, the most important cities of the Kyburg lands. The castle came under Bernese control and became the seat of their local administration.

"Mächtig und erhaben thront das mittelalterliche Schloss über der Stadt Thun. Das Bauwerk aus der Zeit um 1200 ist ein einzigartig erhaltener Zeuge der Baukunst der Herzöge von Zähringen und zählt zum schweizerischen Kulturgut von nationaler Bedeutung.Der „Rittersaal“ ist einer der grössten intakten Festsäle des Hochmittelalters in Europa.Auf dem Rundgang durch die fünf Stockwerke können kleine und grosse Besucherinnen und Besucher in die mittelalterliche Vergangenheit von Schloss und Region eintauchen. Von seinen vier Türmen bietet das architektonische Juwel einen unvergleichlichen Ausblick auf Berge, Stadt und See."