Vaumarcus Castle

16 June 2021

The castle of Vaumarcus (canton of Neuchâtel) dates back to the 12th century and was first mentioned in 1285. The Vaumarcus barony consisted of the village of Vaumarcus and the hamlets of Le Moulin and Vernéaz.

The castle and its territory were sold in 1308 to Count Rudolf IV of Neuchâtel (1274-1343), also called Rolin. The Count built a Gothic gate on the ground floor with a drawbridge in front. He also reinforced the two corners of the façade with two massive buttresses and a hexagonal stair tower.

The castle burned down in 1476 after the battle of Grandson (during the war between the Duke of Burgundy Charles the Bold (1433-1477) and the Swiss Confederacy). In the years that followed, it was rebuilt. The new castle in the garden dates from 1773.

Today, the castle houses an (international) organisation, a restaurant and a cultural centre.

(Source: www.swisscastles.ch).