Curch and castle ruin, Medieval castle ruins and church on Lake Brienz, Switzerland

The castle and church in Ringgenberg sit on a rocky point above Lake Brienz, blending medieval fortress structures with religious rooms. Stone walls and a tower create a distinct outline against the water and mountain backdrop.

Cuno von Brienz built the hilltop castle above Ringgenberg in the 13th century; it is first documented in 1240. In 1380 rebellious peasants plundered and burned it, and in 1381 troops from Uri attacked it, carrying Count Petermann von Ringgenberg in chains to Obwalden. In 1386 the castle and lands were assigned to Bern, which lacked the funds to rebuild.

In 1670 the villagers asked to convert "the old castle" into a church, and Abraham Dünz built it using stone from the ruin; only the Romanesque residential tower and some wall sections survived. The reformed parish church still belongs to the parish, and the tower's lower floor gained a second entrance for access.

A sloping lift runs from the car park up to the church on the castle site. From the viewing platform, reached by 52 steps and standing 12 m high, visitors look out over Lake Brienz, the village of Ringgenberg and the Roteflue and Loucherhorn peaks.

The site represents two distinct historical phases: a medieval military fortress and a Protestant Baroque church from the 17th century. This transformation from warfare to worship is written into the very structure of the building.