Castle, Medieval castle in Champvent, Switzerland
Champvent Castle sits on a hillside above the Thiele valley and has a rectangular layout following the pattern of Savoyard fortifications. The structure consists of thick stone walls that rise up the slope.
The castle was built around 1250 by the Grandson family to control the plains below. It suffered damage during the Burgundian Wars in the late 1400s.
The castle displays medieval Swiss building techniques, with square walls that resemble other fortifications in the region. You can observe these features from outside as you walk through the village.
The castle is private property and cannot be entered, but two gates in the village allow you to view the structure. You can best explore it by walking up the hill and observing the building from different angles around the perimeter.
In the 1700s, the main tower was shortened by about 15 meters, changing how the structure looked dramatically. This modification shows how the building was reshaped across the centuries.
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