The castle of Gruyères is a Château located in the canton of canton of Freiburg. It is one of most prestigious of Suisse.

History

Manor house of the counts

The medieval city of Gruyeres is located on a long rock headland of the Moléson, closing the valley of the Sarine. At the top, the castle comtal is profiled majestueusement. The name “Gruyeres” derives from the crane, emblem of the armorial bearings and the seal of the counts. Although this line appears among most important of French-speaking Switzerland, its origins are not known with precision. 11th century at the 16th century, nineteen counts are attested.

The Gruyere county recovered about the High-Gruyere Freibourgese, the Country-D' Enhaut of Vaud and Gessenay Bernese. Submitted directly to the emperor, he enjoys at his beginnings a rather great independence. But, in 1244, Rodolphe III (count of 1226 to 1270) binds to Pierre II of Savoy. Today still, the Savoyard influence feels in the architecture of the manor house: rebuilt towards between 1270 and 1280, one finds there the typical square plan for the fortifications in Savoy.

The end of the 15th century marks a glorious stage in the history of the counts de Gruyère. In 1476, Louis (count of 1475 to 1492) takes share with the war of Burgundy at the sides of Confédérés. Following this important fact, work of modernization will be undertaken with the castle. The installation of the esplanade with its vault, the spiral staircase of the interior court and the transformation of the main building go up at that time. Thus, under the influence of the style of the Rebirth, the manor house loses his aspect of castle-extremely and becomes a residence seigneuriale.

Michel (count of 1539 to 1554) was the last count de Gruyère. Having inherited heavy financial problems, it worsens in its turn the situation. In November 1554, it must announce the bankruptcy then to leave the castle. Its principal creditors will share its grounds. Bern takes the Country-D' Enhaut and Gessenay, and Freiburg the going territory of the throats of the Clay crusher with Turn-of-Trême.

The time baillivale

During more than two centuries, the castle was the seat of the Freibourgese baillifs (1555-1798). The interiors Baroque S decorated with rinceaux of acanthus as well as the many heraldic stained glasses constitute a testimony marking of their presence. On the same time, the construction of the galleries out of wooden confers its so typical pace on the interior court.

After the fall of the Old Mode, the baillifs will be replaced by the prefects. In 1848, following the reorganization of the canton, the prefecture gruérienne is joined together with that of Bubble, and the building is abandoned. One year later, it is put on sale.

The private castle

It returns to the family of Bovy to have saved the castle. Known in Geneva for the striking of currency and the production of medals, impassioned culture, they repurchase the castle in 1849 for the sum of: 7000 Swiss francs. They entrust the restoration of it to Daniel Bovy, a true figure of novel. After having studied painting in Paris in the workshop of Ingres, this one was falls ill while crossing the Simplon and had had to give up a career which was announced brilliant. For the young painter melancholic person, the repair and the decoration of the manor house become a life plan. Resident with Gruyères during the beautiful season, Daniel is regularly surrounded there by the members of his family as well as by artists of reputation. With his request, painter Camille Corot celebrates it carries out four landscapes in the living room which bears its name. In the room of the knights, Daniel Bovy revives the last splendor of the counts. On the basis of its draft, a captioned cycle will be painted by Barthélemy Menn, Henri Baron and various collaborators.

The accumulation of the financial expenses has constrained Bovy in 1861 to entrust the castle to the related family of Balland. The latter continue to restore the site with enthusiasm. One owes them the installation of outsides of the castle and, in particular, that of the splendid garden to the Frenchwoman.

The castle of the future

In 1938, the State of Freiburg repurchased the castle for: 155000 Swiss francs and founded the current museum there. The Foundation Gottfried Keller then went purchaser of a certain number of objets d'art of the collections Bovy and Balland, which form the base of the permanent exposure. Since 1993, a Foundation ensures in the name of the State of Freiburg the conservation, the restoration, installation as well as the development of the buildings and the collection.

Today, the Gruyere castle is a cultural and tourist site of national importance. His architecture, his panoramic sight on the Préalpes, its rich person collection as his exposures of art do of them one of the most visited museums of Switzerland.

External bonds

• Official site
• Swisscastles

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