Aigle Castle, Medieval castle and wine museum in Aigle, Switzerland.
Aigle Castle is a stone fortress with a square keep, corner turrets and a massive south tower built in 1450, standing above the Rhone valley at the foot of the Vaud Alps. Its 17 exhibition rooms hold the Vine and Wine Museum, founded in 1971 by the Guillon brotherhood, with a 1706 wine press, stills, corkscrews and tasting cups.
Construction started around 1200 when local barons built the fortress as a power base near important mountain passes, serving the Counts of Savoy. The building later became the seat of regional administration and law before shifting toward its modern role as a place of learning and preservation.
The wine exhibits inside show how grapes were grown and processed by local people over many centuries, with traditional tools and techniques displayed throughout the rooms. The way visitors walk past old presses and storage vessels reveals the hard work that people invested in this craft.
The castle has clearly marked pathways through the exhibition areas, making it easy to find your way through the rooms. Plan enough time to walk through the wine galleries and other collections inside, especially if you want to read the information boards about the exhibits.
From 1804 until 1972 the castle served as a courthouse and prison for local people before being transformed into a cultural space. Visitors can still notice traces of these earlier functions embedded in the building's layout and some remaining rooms.
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