Schloss Salenstein, Medieval castle in Salenstein, Switzerland
Schloss Salenstein is a castle in the canton of Thurgau, set on a rocky outcrop above Lake Constance. The complex consists of a medieval core building with a neo-Gothic facade and a two-story wing attached to it.
The Lords of Salenstein are first recorded in 1092, when they served as administrators under Reichenau Abbey. The medieval structure was then heavily reworked in the 19th century to take on the appearance it has today.
From the shoreline of Lake Constance, the castle appears against the skyline as a clear marker of the Salenstein ridge. Locals and passing travelers on the lake have long used it as a reference point when reading the landscape along this stretch of the Swiss shore.
The castle can be reached on foot from the village of Salenstein, though the path crosses rocky and uneven ground. Sturdy shoes are a good idea, as the terrain around the building is sloped and rough in places.
In 1869, Baron Alexander von Herder had the building restyled in an English neo-Gothic manner to turn it into a country residence rather than a defensive structure. The transformation was so thorough that the medieval origins are today visible mainly in the layout and the rocky base on which it stands.
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