Thun Castle: A Medieval Fortress and Museum in Switzerland
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.5
- Popularity
- Medium
- Country
- Switzerland
- Primary era
- Medieval
- External website
- Open
- Eras represented
- Medieval, Modern
- Civilizations
- Holy Roman Empire, Swiss
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Castle
On this page15 sections
History
Thun Castle is a hilltop castle in Thun, Switzerland, built in stone by Duke Berthold V of Zähringen between 1180 and 1190 on the site of earlier fortifications. Its position above the settlement helped shape the growth of Thun, while the castle later served as a political, military, judicial, and administrative center.
Early Fortifications and Zähringen Rule
In the early Middle Ages, a small fort and a church stood on the summit of the castle hill. Local inhabitants could shelter there during enemy invasions, and the town below grew rapidly around this protected site. Berthold V replaced the earlier defenses with a substantial stone castle during the late twelfth century.
The Zähringen family did not use Thun Castle as its principal residence. Instead, Burgdorf Castle was favored as the family’s main seat. Even so, the construction established the fortress as an important stronghold in the region.
Kyburg Inheritance and Conflict
Thun passed by inheritance to the House of Kyburg in 1218. The Kyburgs were a major medieval noble house whose lands included the region around Thun. Under their rule, the main building was raised by several storeys, and additional outer defenses were constructed.
In 1322, a dispute over control of the southern Kyburg lands ended in violence inside the castle. Eberhard II of Kyburg killed his brother Hartmann II there. To protect the lands he had acquired from claims by the Habsburgs, a powerful European dynastic house, Eberhard sold them to Bern and received them back as a feudal holding.
The Kyburgs continued to rule the region for almost two centuries. In 1382, Rudolf II launched an unsuccessful raid on Solothurn. This action began the Burgdorfer War, also called the Kyburg War, a conflict between Bern and the Kyburgs. After several decisive Bernese victories, the Kyburgs were forced to accept an unfavorable peace.
Bernese Administration
In 1384, Bern bought Thun and Burgdorf, the two most important strongholds in the Kyburg territories. Thun Castle then came under Bernese control and remained a seat of local administration for several centuries.
During the Bernese period, the complex housed a garrison, the local court, an archive, and various administrative services. At least from the seventeenth century, rooms beneath the roof of the main tower served as a prison. This arrangement placed the cells in the upper part of the tower rather than in underground rooms, as occurred in many other fortresses.
Decline and Civic Reuse
By the beginning of the nineteenth century, the castle had lost its military importance. Many administrative institutions moved into purpose-built buildings in Thun, although some judicial services remained at the castle. The complex subsequently began to deteriorate.
A new prison was built on the castle grounds in 1886. Two years later, a museum opened in the castle. For a time, the prison keeper both sold museum tickets and guarded the museum. Imprisonment eventually ended as rooms were progressively assigned to permanent museum displays and cultural events.
The municipality of Thun purchased the castle from the Canton of Bern in 2006. The Bernese Oberland District Court remained based there until the end of 2009. Thun Castle is now municipally owned and recognized as a Swiss cultural property of national significance. The complex includes a museum, lodging, and hospitality facilities, while the museum presents cultural and historical exhibitions covering the development of the region over approximately 4,000 years.
Remains
Main Fortress
Thun Castle’s upper castle is a stone-and-brick fortress centered on a massive bergfried, a fortified medieval tower used chiefly for defense and refuge. The tower has an approximately rectangular ground plan and five storeys. A single large roof covers the main complex and encloses the former courtyard beneath it. This roof was built between 1430 and 1436.
Knight’s Hall
The Zähringen-period castle survives in parts of its foundations and walls, as well as in the Knight’s Hall. This spacious room formed the central part of the complex and has a ceiling 14 metres high. It is now used for concerts and theatrical performances and can also be rented for private events.
Corner Towers
A round tower is attached to each corner of the main building. The four towers are equal in height and have matching conical roofs, giving the upper castle a unified appearance beneath its broad roof.
Outer Fortifications and New Castle
Foreburg
Two large wings adjoin the castle on its southern side. Together with other buildings, they form an open courtyard and once served as the foreburg, the outer fortified section positioned beyond the principal stronghold.
New Castle
Shortage of space led to the construction of an administrative and residential wing west of the main fortress in 1429. Built in the Late Gothic style, the later phase of Gothic architecture, this building is traditionally known as the New Castle.
Museum and Prison Areas
Main Tower Museum
The museum occupies all five floors of the main tower. Its oldest exhibits are approximately 4,000 years old and include archaeological finds from neighboring valleys, connecting the castle’s preserved medieval fabric with the longer history of the surrounding region.
Prison Cells
Prison cells beneath the roof of the main tower formed an unusual part of the complex’s later use. Their position differed from the underground prison rooms found in many other fortresses. A separate prison building was added on the grounds in 1886, and the castle itself is now described as fully restored. A hotel and restaurant operate within the complex.
