Schloss Thun

Schloss Thun stands on the Schlossberg at Schlossberg 1 above the old town of Thun, in the canton of Bern, Switzerland, at the point where the Aare leaves Lake Thun. The castle was built between about 1190 and 1200 by Duke Berthold V of Zähringen, whose family founded or fortified several towns in the region. The main feature is the large rectangular keep with four corner turrets, which rises above the rooftops of the town and is visible from the lake and the surrounding hills. The tower is built of local stone and reflects the defensive and ceremonial functions of a ducal seat. After the Zähringer line died out in 1218, the castle passed to the Kyburg family and later to the city of Bern, which used it as the seat of a regional bailiff and as a prison and administrative building over the following centuries. Since 1888 the castle has housed the Thun Castle Museum, which presents the history of the region from prehistory to the modern era. The collection includes archaeological finds, weapons and armour, textiles, furniture and everyday objects, arranged across several floors of the keep and its adjoining buildings. The visit moves upward through the rooms, and the top of the tower offers a view over Thun, the lake and the mountains. The building has been restored at various points, and the museum has been modernised while retaining the historic interiors. Admission is CHF 10. Opening hours are daily from 10:00AM to 5:00PM in April to June and September to October, from 9:30AM to 5:30PM in July and August, with reduced afternoon hours in winter. Thun is easily reached by train from Interlaken, usually in around thirty minutes, and the castle is a short uphill walk from the station area through the old town. Visitors should allow around one to two hours, with extra time for the town and lakeside. The stairs and medieval layout mean the visit involves some climbing.