Chateau de Chillon is a beautifully located historical castle on a small rocky island in Lake Geneva near the popular Swiss resort town Montreux. It claims to be the most visited historical monument in all of Switzerland and many visitors may find it the most enjoyable one to visit too. All of this romantic medieval castle may be explored from the cellars and dungeons to the sentries’ walk and the top of the keep making for a great day out for children of all ages.
- Chillon Castle is a great half-day trip in any weather from Geneva, Lausanne, Montreux and many ski resorts in the region.
Historic Chateau de Chillon Castle in Lake Geneva
The construction history of Chillon Castle goes back to the mid-twelfth century when the area was ruled by the counts (and later dukes) of Savoy. The castle was built on a small rocky islet in Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) only a drawbridge length away from the mainland. The main purpose of Chillon Castle was to protect the important trade route from the Rhone Valley (and Italy) along the eastern shores of Lake Geneva.
The Bernese took the castle by force in 1536 and kept control until the Vaud revolution (1798) saw the castle falling into the control of the new canton Vaud (Waadt in German). Like most castles, the Chateau de Chillon lost its strategic purpose and defensive advantages at the end of the Middle Ages. In later centuries, the castle was used amongst others as storage space and prison before becoming a major tourist attraction from the nineteenth century onwards.
The Prisoner of Chillon (François Bonivard) and Lord Byron
To the dismay of the Dukes of Savoy, the most famous former inhabitant of Chillon Castle is no member of the illustrious noble family but rather one of their prisoners. François Bonivard, a monk from Geneva, was kept prisoner in Chillon Castle from 1532 to 1536 for preaching the Reformation in the areas governed by the staunchly Roman Catholic House of Savoy. Bonivard was only released after the Bernese captured the castle in 1536.
In 1816, the famous English perpetual traveler and poet Lord Byron visited the Chateau de Chillon while touring the Lac Leman region. Touched by Bonivard’s experience, Lord Byron subsequently composed the romantic, 392-line poem The Prisoner of Chillon. Byron originally included “a fable” in the title, which was an honest thing to do as much of the events described are based on Byron’s imagination.
- Like many modern-day travelers, Lord Byron could not resist defacing a historical monument and carved his name onto the pillar he thought Bonivard was chained to. This “Byron” is now a major attraction in itself and protected by a metal and perspex screen.
Chateau de Chillon Castle Visitors Information has details on visiting the monument including opening hours, and ticket prices. Transportation options to Chillon are plentiful from Montreux, Villeneuve, Lausanne, and Genève, as well as ski resorts in Switzerland, France, and Italy. Chateau de Gruyères is another top medieval castle worth visiting in the French-speaking regions of Switzerland.
Henk Bekker - Henk Bekker is a freelance travel writer currently living on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland.
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