Brandis Castle, Medieval castle ruin in Lützelflüh, Switzerland.
Brandis Castle sits on a rocky hilltop overlooking Lützelflüh village, with remnants of stone walls and traces of its original defensive moat still visible. The structure was once a fortified hilltop stronghold designed to control the surrounding valley.
The fortress was built in 1230 as the administrative seat of the Freiherren von Brandis family who governed territories across the Emmental region. It was deliberately set ablaze during the French invasion of 1798 and subsequently abandoned.
The castle ruins represent an essential part of Swiss medieval architecture and stand as evidence of feudal power structures in the region.
The ruins are accessible by hiking trails that lead up from the village, following a path through the valley and climbing to the hilltop site. Parking is available at the edge of Lützelflüh, with the walk taking between 30 and 45 minutes.
After the fire of 1798, the castle was not rebuilt but preserved as an archaeological site, remaining in its destroyed state ever since. Visitors can still see scattered stone fragments that reveal details about medieval construction techniques.
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