Exploring Gruyères Castle

Getting there:

After Sev and I got lunch we made our way up the path to the old town and it was so pretty and nice!

There are just a couple roads so you can see the whole area in a short time. Finding the castle entrance is no problem.

Tickets:

Prices are 12 CHF for adults, although you can combine the tickets with the HR Giger museum, Tibetan museum, or the cheese factory.

We combined ours with HR Giger for 19 CHF, which you can read about here.

Swiss castles are often closed in winter, so it’s great this one is available year-round.

Castle exhibits:

I thought this castle was very nice! It was big and its rooms told the story of the different people that ruled from or owned the castle.

Gruyères Castle was built between 1270 and 1282, and belonged to the Counts of Gruyères that ruled the area until 1554.

Afterwards, the castle passed to the Bailiffs of Fribourg, who were repreenatitives of the Fribourg government.

It was then acquired by the Body and Balland families, who sought to turn it into an artists’ retreat. Now it belongs to the canton of Fribourg and is managed by a nonprofit entrusted with its care.

There were other exhibits of different items relevant to the castle, like three rare capes from the Order of the Golden Fleece, a Catholic order of chivalry. Another room discussed the history of Swiss tourism, and the castle's place in that history.

The gardens were particularly lovely, and I’m sure even more so in the spring and summer.

Special exhibit:

There was a special Christmas exhibit on the Erzgebirge Christmas Pyramids, that are so charming and delightful this time of year.

Some of them were really intricate and incredible to see, and we learned a bit about the craftsmanship and history of the Christmas Pyramid.

Conclusion:

Just a nice experience and a great castle to explore and learn from. The fantastic mountain scenery makes it all the more enjoyable. Definitely a must-do on your Gruyères trip.