Laufen Castle, Medieval castle at Rhine Falls, Switzerland
Laufen Castle is a stone structure sitting on a rocky outcrop directly above the Rhine Falls. Multiple viewing platforms let you watch Europe's largest waterfall from different angles and heights.
The castle first appeared in written records in 858 when it served as the home of the Barons of Laufen. Zurich took control of it in 1544 and has maintained it since then.
The castle holds an exhibition showing how the region developed over more than a thousand years through objects and displays. The collection tells the story of people who lived and worked in this area.
A glass panoramic elevator and accessible pathways make it easy for anyone to explore the building. The nearby Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall train station provides direct access to the grounds.
A railway tunnel runs underneath the castle's foundations, with trains stopping at a station built below the walls. This unusual arrangement made building and maintaining the structure a special challenge.
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