Grandson Castle, Medieval fortress near Lake Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Grandson Castle is a medieval fortress on a rocky spur above the south shore of Lake Neuchâtel in the Vaud municipality of Grandson. It has a nearly square plan with four massive round corner towers and a further tower at the entrance, and its ring walls and towers are largely preserved. The original keep has disappeared, probably destroyed when the western part was built; traces remain on the north wall facing the Jura.
The castle was founded around 1050 and achieved major significance during the Burgundian Wars. Swiss forces captured it from Charles the Bold in 1476, making it a landmark of Swiss military power.
The permanent exhibition "Grandson: 1,000 Years of History", opened in March 2026, fills 15 rooms over four levels and more than 1,000 m². It is staged as a narrative in three chapters rather than as a row of display cases, with visuals inspired by Diebold Schilling's chronicles and immersive installations. A sensory trail for children focuses on the animals in the exhibition.
The castle closed to visitors on 29 September 2025 for the final phase of its restoration and reopened on 2 March 2026, with regular museum operation from 1 April 2026. About 80% of the permanent exhibition route is accessible to people with reduced mobility. The site is in Grandson, a short walk from the town centre and the shore of Lake Neuchâtel.
The old weapons museum, classic-car museum and torture chamber are gone: since the reopening on 1 April 2026 the permanent exhibition "Grandson – 1000 Years of History" fills 15 rooms on four floors. An international crossbow centre is planned for 2027. During the 2011–2026 restoration, Bernese-period wall paintings were found under whitewash in a chamber and an adjacent corridor.
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