Chillon Castle: Medieval Fortress on Lake Geneva

Location: Chillon Castle stands on the eastern shore of Lake Geneva near Montreux, in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It was built on a small rocky island just off the lakeshore. Its striking setting between the water and the steep slopes of the Alps shapes the castle’s appearance and makes it one of the region’s most distinctive landmarks.

Significance: Chillon Castle is one of Switzerland’s best-known and most visited historic attractions and a major landmark of the Montreux Riviera. More than 400,000 people visit the castle every year.

Early History: The rocky island of Chillon was already inhabited during the Bronze Age, as archaeological finds have shown. During the Middle Ages, a fortified complex gradually developed there, with an early chapel, curtain walls, and additional buildings. The keep at the centre of present-day Chillon Castle was probably built in the 11th century and is the oldest part of the complex still visible today. Chillon Castle was first mentioned in written records in 1150. By then, it was already owned by the Counts of Savoy.

Savoy Period: Under the House of Savoy, Chillon developed into an important fortress, residence, and administrative centre. Its location on a major route between northern and southern Europe allowed the Savoys to control traffic along Lake Geneva and collect tolls from travellers and merchants. In the 13th century, Peter II of Savoy had Chillon Castle extensively enlarged and transformed into a more comfortable residence. Much of the castle’s present appearance dates from this period. As trade increased, part of the customs administration was moved to Villeneuve, which had been founded in 1214. Further expansion and decorative work followed in the 15th century. Even so, Chillon gradually lost importance as the rulers of Savoy began to favour other residences.

The Plague: During the plague epidemic of 1348, Jewish people in the region were falsely accused of poisoning wells and thereby spreading the disease. Around 40 Jewish men, women, and children who were being held prisoner in Chillon Castle were taken from prison and abused. They were then brought to Villeneuve, where they were killed without trial on pyres along the lakeshore. This event is one of the darkest chapters in the history of Chillon and is closely linked to the severe persecution of Jewish communities across Europe during the plague years.

Bernese Period: In 1536, the Bernese conquered Vaud and captured Chillon Castle after a three-week siege. The castle then became the administrative centre of the bailiwick of Vevey and the residence of the Bernese bailiff. At the same time, Chillon remained a fortress and served as an arsenal, prison, and accommodation for soldiers. At various times, the complex was also used as a hospital for invalids and even as a shipyard. The Bernese adapted the fortifications for the use of firearms and increasingly turned many rooms over to practical and military purposes. In 1733, the bailiff moved his residence to Vevey because the remote castle no longer met rising expectations of comfort. Chillon therefore lost even more of its political importance and was subsequently used mainly for storage.

Vaud Period: During the Vaud Revolution, patriots from Vevey and Montreux took control of Chillon Castle on January 10, 1798, after the Bernese garrison offered no resistance. With the creation of the canton of Vaud in 1803, the castle permanently became its property. At first, Chillon continued to serve practical purposes and was used, among other things, as a weapons and ammunition store and as a cantonal prison. At the same time, travellers, writers, and artists increasingly discovered the medieval castle as a romantic destination. Lord Byron’s visit in 1816 and his poem “The Prisoner of Chillon” played a major role in making Chillon Castle internationally famous.

Restoration: As interest in the history of Chillon Castle grew, systematic research and restoration began in the late 19th century. In 1887, an association was founded to preserve the building and establish a museum. A few years later, a scientifically guided restoration programme began. From 1896 onwards, archaeologist Albert Naef carried out extensive excavations and documented walls, floors, courtyards, and numerous finds with a level of care that was exceptional for the time. The restoration work became a milestone in modern heritage conservation in Switzerland and, in adapted form, continues to this day. Chillon Castle still belongs to the canton of Vaud. Since 2002, the Chillon Castle Foundation has been responsible for its operation, preservation, and restoration.

Layout: Chillon Castle combines a defensive fortress with a princely residence in an impressive way. On the mountain side, massive walls, arrow slits, and other defensive features protect the castle. On the lake side, by contrast, large Gothic windows define the former residential quarters of the Savoys. The complex follows the oval shape of the rocky island, which is around 100 metres long and 50 metres wide. A natural moat filled with lake water separates it from the shore and gives Chillon Castle the character of a water castle.

Gothic Lower Levels: Particularly impressive are the extensive lower levels with their 13th-century Gothic vaults, which feel more like a church than a medieval castle. Originally, these rooms were mainly used as cellars and storage areas for wine, food, goods, and weapons. Towards the end of the 13th century, part of the lower level was converted into a prison. Even today, the island’s natural rock projects directly into the rooms in several places, giving them an unusual and atmospheric character.

State Rooms: Among the most impressive interiors of Chillon Castle are the Aula Magna, the Castellan’s Hall, and the Domus Clericorum on the lake side of the complex. The Aula Magna was the Savoys’ main ceremonial hall and is especially notable for its black marble columns, large windows overlooking Lake Geneva, historic ceiling, and fireplace. The Castellan’s Hall once served as the dining room of the castle administrator and preserves a particularly large amount of original medieval fabric, including its 13th-century oak columns. The current wall decoration, however, was created during the restoration in the early 20th century. The Domus Clericorum, the house of the scribes, was an important administrative centre for the castle and the Chablais region during the Middle Ages. Particularly remarkable are its wall paintings, which were reconstructed in the 20th century using surviving traces of 13th-century colour.

Camera Domini: The Camera Domini was the private bedroom of the Counts and later the Dukes of Savoy and is one of the most richly decorated rooms in Chillon Castle. At the request of Count Aymon of Savoy, the painter Jean de Grandson decorated the walls between 1341 and 1344 with an elaborate programme of coats of arms, plants, and both real and fantastical animals. Particularly striking is the depiction of Saint George fighting the dragon above the fireplace.

Museum: Chillon Castle is now a museum. The permanent visitor route leads through 36 rooms and brings the history and architecture of the complex to life. Around 300 objects are displayed along the route, including archaeological finds, historic furniture, weapons, and armour. Many of the items on display come from the extensive excavations carried out at Chillon Castle between 1896 and 1903.

Chapel: Beneath the first courtyard of Chillon Castle are the remains of an older chapel from the 11th or 12th century, which probably served both the castle and the settlement of Chillon at the time. It was abandoned in the 13th century after a new sacred space, the Saint-Georges Chapel, was created within Chillon Castle. This served as the private chapel of the Counts and later the Dukes of Savoy and was decorated in the early 14th century with important wall and vault paintings depicting biblical scenes. After the Reformation, the Bernese initially used the room as a granary and later as a gunpowder store. In the 19th century, it eventually served as a place of worship for prisoners. Despite these changing uses, parts of the medieval decoration have survived to this day.

Origin of the Name: The name “Chillon” probably comes from an old regional word meaning a flat stone or slab of rock. The name therefore refers directly to the rocky island on which Chillon Castle was built.