Top 16 Castles around Spiez

Built in the 12th/13th centuries by the Lords of Strättligen (or Wimmis), the complex came into the possession of the Barons of Weissenburg around 1260. Weissenburg War & Contested During the 14th century, during the Weissenburg Wars, there were a total of about nine sieges, including a successful Bernese conquest in 1334. Under Bernese Rule In 1449, Bern acquired the castle and the office. It served as the seat of the bailiff/landvogt until 1967 and later as a district court. In 2010, it became the property of the municipality. Renovations & Expansion Important expansions: 15th–17th centuries, addition of the south wing in 1696, northeast wing in 1741/42, renovations in 1789–90, 1949–51, and 1984–87. Current Use The first and second floors house offices of the cantonal forest administration, and the third floor houses a private apartment. Public tours are offered during the summer months.

The Amsoldingen Basilica, attributed to Rudolf II of Burgundy and Berta of Alamannia, was built around 1000 on the site of an earlier 7th-century church and shows Lombard architectural influences. Originally lacking a tower and transept, it later gained a tower in place of the southern apse, and its collegiate chapter was dissolved in 1484. The church underwent Gothic modifications, became a Pietist center under Samuel Lutz (1726–1738), and was renovated in 1978–1980; its crypt includes Roman spolia, and its stained glass windows by Max Brunner depict the Trinity.

Nice café at the pier

Beautiful castle with a particular location, best admired from the outside while sailing on Lake Thun

Story The mighty keep of the former Oberhofen fortified castle was built around 1200 and passed to the House of Habsburg in the 14th century. After the defeat of the Habsburgs at the Battle of Sempach in 1386, Bern took control of Oberhofen and sold it to Ludwig von Sehaften and his sister Antonia von Scharnachtal. In 1421 the castle and rule finally came to the Scharnachthal, one of the leading and richest families in the city of Bern. It remained in family ownership until the death of the last representative in 1590. Oberhofen then came to a branch of one of the most important Bernese families, the von Erlach family. The bailiff's seat from 1652 to 1798 and expanded into a castle, the property came into private ownership in 1801. In 1844, Albert Graf de Pourtalès bought Oberhofen Castle from Neuchâtel, which was still Prussian at the time, and converted it into a summer residence. The buildings and towers in the historicist style still characterize the appearance today. In 1926 there was a change of ownership; the new owner of the castle was the American lawyer William Maul Measey. He transferred the properties and the park to a foundation in 1940 and ensured that Oberhofen Castle became a branch of the Bernese Historical Museum, which set up a residential museum and opened it to the public in 1954. In 2009, Oberhofen Castle became independent and has since operated as an independent foundation under private law. With the new building, which forms the sea-side end of the dependencies, a bridge was built into the 21st century. The Schloss Oberhofen restaurant has been in operation in the cube with a terrace by the lake since 2013.

Slight climb past the castle to the Burgmatte

Wouldn't let it linger a bit when you were in Thun, with .....

The romantic palace complex with the keep built around 1200 looks back on an eventful history of ownership. Bought by the Pourtalès family of counts from Neuchâtel and Prussia in 1844 and converted into a summer residence, the castle was given its current appearance. A museum has been set up inside since 1954, which deals with the history of the former residents. The oriental smoking room at the top of the tower offers a unique experience and a spectacular view over the lake and the mountains. The castle chapel with its impressive murals, which can be used for weddings and baptisms, dates from the 15th century. A tour through the many rooms of the castle leads to the traces of the previous owners and those who once lived in the castle. This includes not only the count families of the 19th century, but also the servants who looked after the well-being of the rulers. Under the title "Always at your service", an exhibition conveys the everyday life of domestic workers in a clear and interactive way. Attached to the castle is a 2.5 hectare park, which impressively shows the different trends in the history of garden art. Striking groups of trees, exotic shrubs, colorful flower arrangements and the view of the imposing mountain scenery above the lake make it one of the most beautiful gardens in the Alpine region. https://www.myswitzerland.com/de-de/erlebnisse/schloss-oberhofen-wohnmuseum-und-park/