Pro Castellis

Hochjuvalt ruins

Map with all coordinates: OSM | WikiMap

Pro Castellis is a non-profit association under Article 60ff of the Civil Code based in the Canton of Schwyz . He researches and maintains historical monuments and supports historical research projects. In 1968, on the initiative of the then archeology student Felix Nöthiger, the "Haselstein Castle Working Group" was founded for castle preservation in Central Grisons . Since 2001 the association has expanded its activities under its current name.

Cultural mission

The cultural mandate comprises three main areas: castle projects, military monuments, historical research and the use of cultural potential.

Instead of making contributions to cultural institutions, Pro Castellis realizes its own projects. From 2001 to 2006 Felix Nöthiger transferred his Haselstein Castle and all of the property in several cantons to the association. With basic funding he ensured the permanent liquidity of the institution. In 2011 he gave up the management of the association.

The Graubünden historian Claudio Zortea has headed the association since 2012. He is supported by other historians and restorers who, like the board members, work on a voluntary basis in the areas of castle security, preservation of architectural monuments and historical research.

The association helped establish the Military History Foundation of the Canton of Zurich in order to preserve the Ebersberg Fortress , the canton's only artillery plant, for posterity.

Since 2015, 26 significant military monuments (as of 2019) from the 20th century have been maintained in the cantons of Graubünden, St. Gallen, Bern and Zurich, and from 2020 more in the cantons of Glarus and Graubünden: Blocking points Berninahäuser , Feuerthalen , KP Gstaad, Maloja , Rothenbrunnen .

Castle projects

In the cantons of Graubünden, Glarus and St. Gallen, security projects were carried out on the following medieval castle ruins:

La Tur Castle (Reischen I), Zillis , 2001–2009 ⊙46.64005 9.456218
Hochjuvalt Castle , dam, Rothenbrunnen , 2010–2013 ⊙46.77777 9.420837
Frauenberg Castle (Ruschein) ( Illanz ), 2013–2014 ⊙46.784104 9.188496
Pontaningen Castle , Tujetsch , 2012–2014 ⊙46.670484 8.746944
Haselstein Castle, Zillis-Reischen, 2015 ⊙46.642152 9.455395
Friedau Castle , Total Security, Zizers , 2016 ⊙46.934251 9.562773
Project Kulturm Friedau, Zizers, 2017–2019
Vorburg ruin , security project, Glarus Nord , 2019 ⊙47.118 9.057062
Freudenberg Castle , Bad Ragaz , 2019 ⊙47.008887 9.492507
Mining ruins of Bellaluna (18th century) Filisur , Bergün , 2019–2020 ⊙46.654993 9.712497

Further training for monument conservationists

In 2015, the one-week specialist course Securing Castle Ruins was organized for the first time for cantons' conservationists in order to be able to pass on the expertise of the restoration specialists.

Advice to owners

The association provides free advice to owners (communities, private individuals) on the preservation of castle ruins. This advice ranges from the damage assessment to the cost calculation for a renovation project to the instruction of the craftsmen. The association developed a frost-proof special mortar (“Bündner Burgenmörtel”) to secure the castles.

Castle fuses

The association takes over castle security with its own specialist staff and its own infrastructure. Usually 25 percent of the costs are covered by the association.

Historical research

In addition to the preservation of historical monuments, Pro Castellis is committed to historical research in the following areas:

Castles and Middle Ages

Castles are not only preserved as structures for posterity, but Pro Castellis also examines their history. Well-known written sources with new findings based on the restoration work (building survey, soil research, age determination using dendrochronology ) can be evaluated and checked. The construction survey of Fortezza Rohan over Susch and the size of the lime sparrows in the fortress' mortar proved that the construction time of only eight days in May 1635 mentioned in the letter from Jürg Jenatsch in May 1635 was realistic for the entire fortress.

Fortress construction

The association maintains the rest of the baroque fortress hill from 1678 in Regensberg (southeast half of the horn works of the former Dielsdorfer Tor). The ski jump has an internal machine gun fighting stand from the Second World War . That is why he also researches fortress construction in the 17th to 20th centuries. There are many similarities in construction, technology and strategy between the castles, which are 600 years older, and modern fortresses. The castle gate of the Juvalt dam from 1216 was barricaded with a mighty barricade and in 1941 the historic street was barricaded in a similar way with railroad tracks.

Swiss resistance preparations from 1940 to 1990

Entrance to the «Schweizerhof» facility in Gstaad

The association has been involved in the national research project Résistance Suisse (REWI) 1940-1990 on secret resistance since 2005 . With the processing of the history of Switzerland's secret preparations for the case of occupation (Nazi Germany, Warsaw Pact), it became known that a cultural and political elite of the country had made themselves available for this task for around 50 years. These included six federal councilors, national councils and councils of states from all federal parties, party presidents, councilors and cantonal councilors, city presidents and editors-in-chief.

The oral history project opened up new sources that enabled the entire Federal Council in 2009 to release contemporary witnesses who were still alive from the strict duty of confidentiality and to thank them for their quiet service in the country. The source material is made available for university research. Pro Castellis looks after the "Résistance Suisse 1940-1990 Archive" at several locations and maintains the "Résistance Suisse 1940-1990 Museum" in the "Schweizerhof" underground guide system in Gstaad and the "Résistance Suisse 1940-1990 Museum" on the Linth.

membership

The association is a member of the civil umbrella organization Fortifications Switzerland (FORT.CH).

Exhibitions and events

The research project REWI showed the interim results after three years of work at the “Comm'08” (command support of the Swiss Army in the Frauenfeld barracks) in September 2008: the exhibition “Sparks for Resistance” showed the development of secret radio networks and the documentary film “Die Freedom is not given to us ... »the history of the resistance preparations from the Officers' Union from 1940 to Project 26 from 1990.
In 2010 a special exhibition on the subject of "Resistance (P-26)" took place in the museum in the Zeughaus (Schaffhausen) .
The Domleschger Castle Days were organized from 2014 to 2017 .
«Top Secret» - special exhibition on the P-26 in the fortress museum Sasso San Gottardo at the top of the Gotthard Pass. German and Italian, June 2019 to October 2020. Design by Pro Castellis.

Via dei Castelli

The Domleschg Castle Path is an eight-kilometer, one-day cultural hike in the Domleschg Castle Valley , which uses existing hiking trails, structures and gastronomic offers. From Thusis train station , where a starting board shows the entire route, follow the signs to 14 medieval monuments. Basic knowledge about the history of the castle valley Domleschg in the Middle Ages is conveyed on 14 information boards.

Tourism project «Mythos fortress Engadin»

Pro Castellis has renovated and maintained the Maloja barrier and other fortresses in the Engadine and made the main Maloja Kulm (A 7678) museum accessible to the public.

The tourism project “Mythos fortress Engadin” will open the armored doors of the largest pass fortress in Graubünden at the end of August 2020 and organize guided tours in the fortresses Maloja and Albula as well as day hikes. The Bernina fortress and the Susch and Flüela barriers will be added in 2021 . From 2022 guided tours, hikes and a bike trail are planned, which will lead from the Middle Ages to the present day.

literature

Admin.ch: inventory of combat and command structures (ADAB)

Felix Nöthiger: The medieval castle in Graubünden. Teacher information on residential towers in Graubünden with teachers' booklet on the Domleschg Castle Trail . Bündner Lehrmittelverlag, Chur 1984.