Tourbillon Castle, Medieval castle ruin in Sion, Switzerland
Tourbillon Castle is a ruin sitting on a steep hilltop with remaining stone walls, an inner courtyard, a garrison building, and a central tower. The site overlooks Sion and the Basilique de Valère below, creating a striking visual relationship between the two structures on adjacent hills.
Construction began in the late 13th century under Bishop Boniface de Challant, who built it as the bishop's residence for Sion. The castle served as the political and religious center of the region for centuries before eventually being abandoned.
The chapel displays wall paintings from the 14th and 15th centuries, showing how medieval religious leaders expressed their faith through art. These paintings reveal what mattered to the bishops who lived here and how they decorated their sacred spaces.
The ruins are accessible via walking paths from the east or west, with free entry to explore the site. Wear sturdy shoes for the steep uphill walk, and expect uneven ground and exposed stonework throughout the ruins.
Excavations near the ruins uncovered remains of Neolithic dwellings dating back about 7,000 years. This discovery shows that people chose this hilltop as a living place long before the medieval castle was built.
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