Château d'Aigle
| Château d'Aigle | ||
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 Château d'Aigle |
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| Alternative name (s): | Aigle Castle | |
| Creation time : | 11th century | |
| Castle type : | Hilltop castle | |
| Conservation status: | receive | |
| Geographical location | 46 ° 18 ′ 54 " N , 6 ° 58 ′ 35" E | |
| Height: | 430 m above sea level M. | |
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The Château d'Aigle ( German : Adlerburg ) is located in the Swiss canton of Vaud in the middle of the Alps , about 45 kilometers southeast of Lausanne and is Aigle's most important attraction .
History and structure
The first fortification is dated to the 11th century. The hilltop castle 430 m above sea level. M. was enlarged until the 13th century, but it was not until the Bernese succeeded in taking control of the fortress in 1475 that the castle was given its present appearance. The city and republic of Bern installed a governor here . It was from here that Guillaume Farel introduced the Reformation in Vaud, among other places.
The rectangular complex consists of a strong circular wall with three corner towers. The roofs are conical . In the fourth corner there is a mighty donjon surrounded by free-standing outbuildings . The battlement of the curtain wall is completely covered to protect the crew. This had the advantage that even archers in archery could not be dangerous to her. Above the entrance there is a guardroom that is equipped with machicolations .
particularities
Rectangular castles like Aigle are rather rare in Switzerland. This complex and similar examples such as the Champvent Castle in the canton of Vaud can be traced back to the influence of the House of Savoy .
Museum and cultural monument
The Bernese era ended with the Vaudois Revolution in 1798. The city of Aigle acquired the castle for CHF 5,670 in 1904 . Initially it served as a court and prison, as well as community housing. With the rise of historicism , the value of the castle was recognized and efforts were made to preserve the complex. A wine museum has been here since 1975 and rooms for receptions, banquets and seminars can be rented.
literature
- Chris Gravett: Atlas of Castles. The most beautiful castles and palaces . Tosa, Vienna 2001, ISBN 3-85492-470-4 , p. 96.
Web links
- Castle website (French)