Castle with outbuildings and garden, Medieval hill castle in Uster, Switzerland
Schloss Uster is a hill castle in the district of Uster, canton of Zurich, made up of a main tower, several outbuildings, and a garden. The tower rises about 30 meters (98 feet) above the surrounding town on a natural hill, making it visible from a wide area.
The castle was built in the 13th century by the lords of Uster and changed hands several times before passing definitively to the city of Zurich in the 15th century. After that point it gradually shifted from a military stronghold to an administrative seat.
Schloss Uster today houses the district administration offices and a local museum. Visitors walking through the grounds can see the outbuildings still in use, which gives the site an active, everyday feel rather than that of an abandoned ruin.
The castle sits on a hill at the edge of Uster's old town and can be reached on foot from Uster train station in a short walk. The path up is brief but somewhat steep, so sturdy shoes are a good idea.
The main tower was originally a free-standing residential tower with no direct connection to the other structures on the site. This type of tower, known in German as a Bergfried, was less a place to live in than a last refuge in case of an attack.
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