Gruyeres Castle (Chateau de Gruyeres) is a picturesque medieval castle which was the seat of nobility for centuries.

Indeed, built in the 13th century, Gruyeres Castle was called home by some nineteen of the counts of Gruyeres, a tradition only ended in the 16th century upon the bankruptcy of the last of these counts – Michel. At this point, Gruyeres Castle along with the rest of the Count’s lands were distributed between his creditors, these being the towns of Berne and Fribourg.

As a result, from 1555 Gruyeres Castle was used as the seat of the Fribourg bailiffs and later the prefects, all up to 1848. For around a century after that, Gruyeres Castle was the summer home of the Balland and Bovy families, finally becoming a museum in the 20th century.

Visitors to Gruyeres Castle can tour its museum, learning about its history and enjoying its pretty architecture. There are also temporary exhibitions on site.