Château de Muzot, Fortified manor house in Veyras, Valais, Switzerland

Château de Muzot is a four-walled castle with two floors and a hipped roof, standing on the plateau between Veyras and Miège in an open field. The building displays the simple, compact design of a medieval rural residence that stands apart from the surrounding landscape.

The castle originated in the 13th century as a rural estate and passed through generations of noble families including Blonay, Platea, Chevron, and Montheys. By 1714 the property belonged to the municipality of Sierre, and in 1921 collector Werner Reinhart purchased it to support artists.

Poet Rainer Maria Rilke lived here from 1921 to 1926 and completed major literary works during his time at the estate. Today the building carries the memory of this creative period, connecting the physical space to an important moment in modern literature.

The castle sits in open countryside on the plateau and is accessible on foot from nearby roads, with flat terrain making approach straightforward. Visitors should plan time to enjoy the surroundings and consider weather conditions, as the site offers little shelter from wind or rain.

In a letter to Lou Andreas-Salomé, Rilke described going outside to stroke "the little Muzot", which he likened to a large old animal that had protected both the building and himself. The British poet W. H. Auden later referred to this same "little tower" in his 1936 poem cycle Sonnets from China, drawing on Rilke's letters.