La Bâtiaz Castle: A Medieval Fortress in Martigny, Switzerland

Visitor Information

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Official Website: new.batiaz.ch

Country: Switzerland

Civilization: Medieval European

Remains: Military

History

La Bâtiaz Castle ruins are situated in the municipality of Martigny in modern-day Switzerland. This hilltop fortress was constructed during the medieval period by the local bishopric of Sion, a religious authority influential in the region.

The origins of the castle date back to the 13th century when Landrit de Mont, the bishop of Sion, ordered the replacement of an earlier fortress called La Crête in Martigny-Bourg. The new castle was intended to secure control over the important alpine passage of the Great St. Bernard route, which was crucial for north-south trade across the Alps. Its name, derived from “bastida,” a word meaning fortress, highlights its military purpose.

After the mid-13th century, the castle became a point of conflict. Count Peter II of Savoy waged war against the episcopal authority in Martigny and succeeded in capturing both La Bâtiaz and the older La Crête fortress. During his control, between 1260 and 1268, he commissioned the construction of a large round tower that still dominates the ruins today. Later, the castle returned to the control of the bishopric of Sion, which reinforced its fortifications.

In the 14th century, shifts in territorial control divided the region. Savoy extended its authority from Sion to Lower Valais, while Upper Valais remained under the bishops of Sion. During the Burgundian Wars in the late 15th century, local Valaisan forces, allied with the Swiss Confederation, resisted Savoyard troops and managed to capture La Bâtiaz, which had suffered damage during the fighting.

The final significant event leading to the castle’s decline happened in the early 16th century. A power struggle between notable figures Georges Supersaxo and Matthieu Schiner escalated until, in 1518, Supersaxo’s men deliberately set fire to La Bâtiaz. The conflict ended with the castle destroyed and consequently never rebuilt. The ruins remained as a witness to its multi-century history, only receiving restoration efforts centuries later.

Remains

La Bâtiaz Castle is located on a hilltop, exemplifying the medieval fortress style designed for commanding views over the Great St. Bernard pass. The construction primarily involved stone masonry characteristic of 13th-century military architecture. The most striking surviving structure is the large round tower built between 1260 and 1268 during Count Peter II of Savoy’s occupation. This tower remains largely intact, preserved through restoration work completed in 1980, allowing visitors to ascend to its summit.

Among the castle’s notable features are its garderobes, or medieval toilets. These architectural elements hold particular significance because their design helped historians attribute the castle’s construction to the architect James of Saint George, who also worked for Savoy and later designed famous castles in Wales now recognized by UNESCO.

The castle grounds also include the remnants of other fortifications and evidence of siege weaponry, which underline its military role. Six siege engines are displayed on-site, including a wheeled mangonel built by local quarry workers, a regular mangonel, a couillard, a bricole, a trebuchet, and a bombarde—a type of early cannon. These machines reflect the types of weaponry used during the medieval period and illustrate the castle’s defensive capabilities before its destruction.

Although much of the structure lies in ruins, restoration has conserved the key components and stabilized the remains. This has allowed the castle to stand as a documented cultural monument of national importance within Switzerland. The surviving walls, tower, and siege weapon installations provide a tangible link to the site’s complex history of religious authority, military conflict, and regional power struggles.