- Address: Avenue de Chillon 21, 1820 Veytaux, Switzerland
- Phone: +41 21 966 89 10
- Website: www.chillon.ch
- Working hours: 9.00 - 19.00 (April - September), 10.00 - 17.00 (October - March)
- Entrance fee: adult - 12 francs, children - 6 francs
The Chillon Castle, which adorns the shore of Lake Geneva , is located 3 km from the Swiss city of Montreux . Recollected in Byron's poem "The Chillon Prisoner" is a majestic structure, it is perhaps the main attraction of the country . Every year the castle is visited by more than 300 thousand tourists from all over the world, including our compatriots, some of them even left autographs on the castle wall.
Minutes of history
The first mention of the Chillon castle in Switzerland dates back to 1160, however many scholars hold the opinion that it was built much earlier, namely in the 9th century, although their assumptions were backed up only by Roman coins and statues of that epoch found here. In the 12th century, the castle of Chillon became the property of the Dukes of Savoy, from 1253 to 1268 the castle was a large-scale construction, which resulted in the current appearance of the building.
Architecture of the Chateau Castle in Montreux
Chillon Castle is a complex of 25 buildings, each of which was built in different time intervals. All of them are in the Gothic and Romanesque styles: there are four huge halls in the castle, numerous dining rooms and the Count's chambers with an expensive interior - you will need a whole day to see the Chillon castle in Montreux completely.
Perhaps the most beautiful building of the Chillon Castle is the chapel. Its walls and ceiling still retain the murals of the great artists of the 14th century. The darkest and most frightening part of the castle is the dungeon, which was adapted to prison - thousands of people died in terrible agony here.
The castle tower now serves as a museum in which numerous finds are collected, among which are artifacts, statues of the gods, gold coins and much more.
Neighborhood of the castle
Visiting Chillon Castle can be combined with other excursions in Switzerland and hiking in the surrounding area, where you will find many interesting things: you can enjoy the beauty of Lake Geneva, look at the ancient ruins of the outpost, climb the cliff and even visit the ancient man's parking lot. In addition, theatrical performances often take place in the courtyard of the castle, folk music sounds.
How to get there?
The doors of the Château of Chillon are open to visitors from April to September from 9.00 to 19.00, from October to March - from 10.00 to 17.00. The cost of the excursion is 12 francs, for children from 6 to 16 years - a 50% discount. At the entrance visitors are given a guidebook with the history of the castle, translated into 14 languages, including Russian. To get to the castle you can:
- By car: along the A9 motorway, the castle has free parking.
- By bus: routes from Vevey (about 30 minutes), Montreux (10 minutes), Villeneuve (5 minutes). Travel can be paid in the lounge, or buy a ticket in the vending machines at the bus stops. Buses run every 15 minutes.
- On the lake on a boat from Vevey, Montreux and Villeneuve.
- If you stopped at Montreux, you can reach the castle on foot (about 15-20 minutes from the city center).
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