Bernese Alps

Castles and ruins in the Bernese Alps

This collection spans the Bernese Oberland and the Rhone Valley, featuring a diverse range of medieval fortifications and palatial residences. Highlights include the lakeside Oberhofen and Spiez castles on Lake Thun, the massive 17th-century Stockalper Palace in Brig, and the iconic hilltop fortifications of Sion. Visitors can explore well-preserved interiors with period furnishings, Romanesque basilicas, and strategic ruins like Tellenburg and Felsenburg that once guarded vital alpine passes.

Alps / Public domain

Schloss Oberhofen

Oberhofen Castle is a castle in the municipality of Oberhofen of the Canton of Bern in Switzerland.

Dietrich Michael Weidmann / CC BY-SA 3.0

Spiez Castle

Spiez Castle is a castle in the municipality of Spiez of the Swiss canton of Bern. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

Peter elektro / CC BY-SA 3.0

Stockalper Palace

The Stockalper Palace is a castle in Brig-Glis, Switzerland. It was built between 1658 and 1678 by Kaspar Stockalper, a silk merchant of…

Unbekannte Autoren und Grafiker; Scan… / Public domain

Schloss Unterseen

17th-century administrative building located in the historic center of Unterseen.

JurecGermany / Copyrighted free use

Blankenburg Castle

Blankenburg Castle is a castle and administrative center in the municipality of Zweisimmen in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.

Odrade123 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Saint-Maurice Castle

Saint-Maurice Castle is a castle in the municipality of Saint-Maurice of the Canton of Valais in Switzerland.

Martin Hesse / CC BY-SA 3.0

Wimmis Castle

Wimmis Castle is a castle in the municipality of Wimmis of the Canton of Bern in Switzerland.

EpsilonEridani / CC BY-SA 3.0

Tourbillon Castle

Tourbillon Castle is a castle in Sion in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

Markus Bernet / CC BY-SA 2.5

Valère Basilica

The Valère Basilica, also called Valère castle, is a fortified Roman Catholic church situated in Sion in the canton of Valais in…

Paebi / CC BY-SA 4.0

Mülenen Castle

Mülenen Castle and the attached Letzi Mülenen wall are a ruined medieval fortification in the village of Mülenen and municipality of…

Unknown / Public domain

Ruine Strättligen

13th-century hilltop ruins overlooking Lake Thun, once the seat of the noble Strättligen family.

Tellenburg Castle

Tellenburg Castle is a ruined castle in the municipality of Frutigen in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.

Oberer Mannenberg Castle

Oberer Mannenberg Castle is a ruined castle in the municipality of Zweisimmen of the canton of Bern in Switzerland.

Felsenburg

Felsenburg Castle is a ruined castle in the municipality of Kandergrund of the Canton of Bern in Switzerland.

Ruine Hasenburg

Medieval hilltop ruins in the Simmental valley, providing evidence of early regional fortifications.

Ruine Gaffer Tschingge

Remains of a medieval slope castle situated in Erlenbach im Simmental.

Weissenburg Castle

Weissenburg Castle is a ruined castle in the municipality of Därstetten of the Canton of Bern in Switzerland.

Aris ob Kien Castle

Aris ob Kien Castle is a ruined medieval castle from the 12th Century.

Château Mercier

Eclectic manor house built in 1908, surrounded by four hectares of terraced gardens and historic parkland.

Château de la Roche

Medieval fortified house in the village of Ollon, representing the region's 13th-century architecture.

Other Lists

Bernese Alps: Unmissable Highlights Majestic Alpine Peaks Alpine Huts and Shelters Breathtaking Viewpoints Alpine Lakes and Reservoirs Alps Religious Landmarks Swiss Regional Cuisine & Dining Swiss Outdoor Adventures Alpine Glaciers