Castle of Gruyères

Gruyere Castle is one of the most frequently visited tourist destinations in Switzerland. It is located on a high hill, at the foot of which a tiny town named the castle is comfortably located. Green Swiss landscapes, a city that has preserved the appearance of the Middle Ages and a fabulous castle at the head of it all, a truly magical view that anyone will like.

The history of Gruyere Castle

If you believe the legends, Gruyere Castle was founded back in the fifth century, by the leader of the Vandal tribe named Gruerius. But, the dating from the thirteenth century is closer to reality, and in the name of the royal forester Grand Gruer, the lands were granted to him for his service. Also, the name of the city and castle is associated with a crane, which is depicted on the family coat of arms of the family, grue - crane from French.

The active construction and strengthening of the fortress castle took place in the 15th century, but the oldest building dates back to the 13th century. In the middle of the 16th century, the Gruyeres, experiencing financial difficulties, sold Gruyere Castle to the city of Fribourg and it was used to house the city heads. And in the 19th century, the fortress was acquired by the Bovi brothers. They contributed to the restoration and decoration of the castle, and it served as their summer residence. In 1938, the city of Fribourg bought the Gruyere Castle again and made it public, turning it into a museum.

Gruyere Castle Attractions

By itself, Gruyere Castle is already a unique structure, which has been beautifully preserved to this day. But at the same time, it is necessary to mention some of its parts separately.

• The Count's hall is the master bedroom with a four-poster bed, a carved armchair at the desk. Many of the interior objects in these rooms are more than 300-400 years old.
• The hunting hall is a must-have attribute of a medieval deputy, hung with horns and furnished with stuffed animals.
• Koro Salon is a room decorated with brushes of 19th century artists. A very elegant room, different from other medieval halls of the castle.
• St. John's Chapel, inside the chapel is decorated with stained glass windows, paintings and wooden sculptures from the 15th century. The chapel itself, the same age as the castle, was built in the 13th century.
• From one of the balconies of the castle, you can enjoy a view of the 19th-century French garden built near the fortress walls, followed by the forest and majestic mountains.

The Legends of Gruyere Castle

The history of almost any castle is intertwined with legends and fairy tales, Gruyere is no exception. Starting with the legend of the founding of the castle by the Vandal chieftain and continuing with the romantic story of the shepherdess Luce. Luce was the sweetest and most charming among the shepherdesses, and, of course, Count Jean Gruyere noticed the beautiful creature. Exactly how the relationship between the count and the shepherdess developed and whether they existed at all is not known for sure, but there is a room dedicated to the girl in the castle.

One of the exhibits of the Gruyere Castle Museum is a hand. According to one version, it belongs to an Egyptian mummy, according to another, it is a trophy from the battlefield. There is also an opinion that the hand remained unidentified after a fire that allegedly occurred in the castle in the early 15th century.

And there is also a legend about how goats and women saved the fortress during the siege. There are many stories, you can listen and read them for a long time, but it's better, of course, to see everything with your own eyes.