Laufen Castle (Switzerland)

Laufen Castle
Schloss Laufen

Courtyard of Schloss Laufen, 2010

Courtyard of Schloss Laufen, 2010
Switzerland
Laufen in Switzerland
General information
Address Rheinfallweg
Town or city Laufen-Uhwiesen
Country Switzerland
Coordinates 47°40′35.66″N 8°36′54.14″E / 47.6765722°N 8.6150389°E / 47.6765722; 8.6150389Coordinates: 47°40′35.66″N 8°36′54.14″E / 47.6765722°N 8.6150389°E / 47.6765722; 8.6150389
Construction started c.850s[1]
Website
http://www.schlosslaufen.ch/en.html

Laufen Castle (German: Schloss Laufen) is a castle in the municipality of Laufen-Uhwiesen in the Swiss canton of Zurich. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance[2] overlooking the Rhine Falls.

The first documented reference to the castle dates to the year 858 when it was the home of the Barons of Laufen. It passed through several owners until the Old Zürich War (1439-1450) when the castle was acquired by the Fulach family, from whom the city of Zurich bought the castle in 1544. Following the Helvetic Republic (1798–1803) the castle was once again in private ownership, with the city of Zurich reacquiring the castle by buying it again in 1941.[1]

The castle now serves as a tourist attraction, and contains a restaurant and a youth hostel. Between 2009 and 2010 a project was undertaken to restore and expand the facilities, including a visitors’ centre situated in the former staff quarters, an exhibition in the northern part of the castle, and a wheelchair-accessible circular walkway with glass lift between castle and river levels.[3] Laufen is overlooking Wörth Castle, on the opposite side of the Rhein river, in the Canton of Schaffhausen.

The Rheinfall railway line passes through a tunnel under the castle, halting at the Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall station to the south of the tunnel and beneath the castle walls. The station is linked to the castle by a walkway.

Laufen Castle with Rhine Falls. Engraving by David Herrliberger, 1750
Laufen Castle with Rhine Falls. Engraving by David Herrliberger, 1750 
Laufen Castle with Rhine Falls, 2010 
Wall and gateway to Schloss Laufen, 2011 
Castle with the new walkways and lift tower, 2010 

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Schloss Laufen - History". schlosslaufen.ch. 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  2. ↑ "Kantonsliste A-Objekte". KGS Inventar (in German). Federal Office of Civil Protection. 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
  3. ↑ "Schloss Laufen - Canton". schlosslaufen.ch. 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.



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