Freulerpalast

The Freulerpalast in Näfels is a Baroque building with two wings, painted shutters, stables, and a reconstructed garden from the 17th century. Inside, the ground floor contains a vaulted hall with early Baroque decorations, while the upper floor features a banquet room with a carved coffered ceiling.

French officer Kaspar Freuler commissioned this residence between 1642 and 1647, displaying wealth earned from military service abroad. The building represents an era when successful Swiss soldiers returned home and invested their fortunes in grand houses to show their status.

The palace has housed the Museum of the Municipality of Glarus since 1946 and displays regional crafts, textiles, and rotating exhibitions about local traditions. Visitors can see how people from this area lived and what they valued through the objects on display.

The palace is open from April through October with guided tours available Tuesday to Sunday between 10:00 and 17:00. It is best to check current opening times beforehand and allow time for a full tour of the rooms and garden.

The building remained a private residence for centuries before becoming a museum in 1946, which means the rooms still feel like a lived-in home rather than a formal gallery. This preserved the original furnishings, decorations, and personal items of the family who owned it.