Biberstein Castle

Biberstein Castle
	Etching by Caspar Wolf (1735–1783)
Creation time :	1280
Conservation status:	receive
Place:	Biberstein
Geographical location	47 ° 24 '47.6 " N , 8 ° 5' 0.7" O Coordinates: 47 ° 24 '47.6 " N , 8 ° 5' 0.7" E ; CH1903: six hundred and forty-eight thousand six hundred and seventy-one / 251579

The Biberstein Castle is a castle in the town of Biberstein in the Swiss canton of Aargau . It was created by converting a medieval castle . Today the castle is a living and working home for mentally handicapped adults.

history

In the 13th century, the Counts of Habsburg-Laufenburg built a castle. A moat and a mighty donjon were built . In 1280, Biberstein and the castle were first mentioned. In 1335 the Habsburg castle and town sold to the Order of St. John in Klingnau , who set up the office of Biberstein . In 1499 the castle was occupied by the city of Bern during the Swabian War.

In 1527, the Bernese tried to usurp the Biberstein office and without further ado made it subordinate to a governor , who from then on resided at the castle. Eight years later, after the Reformation was introduced , the Bernese forced Johanniter to sell. In 1587 the castle was badly damaged after a woman set it on fire. Around 1670 the keep was torn down to the first floor because it was in disrepair. The castle gradually acquired the character of a chateau through superstructures. In 1784 it burned again, but the fire brigade from Aarau was quickly on the spot and the damage was limited to the roof structure .

In 1804 the castle came into the possession of the canton of Aargau, then served for a short time as Heinrich Zschokke's residence and as a community school, and in 1835 it came into private ownership. From 1889 a children's home was located here . During the renovation in 1984, the roof structure burned down a second time. Since 1987, the building has served as a place of residence, work and training for adults with mental or multiple disabilities.

building

Entrance to the castle

The castle stands on a steep cliff near the banks of the Aare . It is surrounded by terraced walls and a moat on the west side . The entrance leads from the former castle barn over a ten meter long covered wooden bridge and through a round arched gate with adjoining kennel . The castle itself has the shape of an irregular octagon, accordingly the roof is hipped several times . The walls in the basement and on the ground floor of the keep have been preserved, the rest of the building is plastered in the late Gothic style. A star vault covers the entrance hall.

Biberstein Castle Foundation

The Biberstein Castle Foundation (SSB), which is domiciled in the castle, is a place of residence, work and training for adults with mental or multiple disabilities. The politically and denominationally neutral foundation offers forms of living and fields of work that meet the needs, skills and possibilities of the residents. There are a number of training positions for young adults. Adapted forms of housing and care are provided for older people. The expenses of the foundation are covered by services provided by the canton of Aargau, the home cantons of those cared for outside of the cantons, the IV, invoicing to providers, income from product sales and services, and donations. The foundation capital and appropriate working capital serve to secure the foundation.

literature

Michael Stettler : The art monuments of the canton of Aargau . Ed .: Society for Swiss Art History . Volume I: The districts of Aarau, Kulm, Zofingen. Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel 1948, p. 135-138 .

Web links

Commons : Schloss Biberstein - Collection of images, videos and audio files