iCyclades - Cyclades Discovery Guide

This lord of Spiez was commissioned in 1476 to defend Murten, which was besieged by the Burgundian armies. The famous Battle of Murten on June 22nd saved the town and sounded the death knell for the Burgundian State. It pitted two armies of 20,000 men each, that of the Confederates against that of Charles the Bold, and strengthened Switzerland's independent status.

At the end of the esplanade we see the elegant silhouette of the castle church, a well-preserved example of the architectural style of the early Romanesque period. Before approaching it, we will admire the view from each side of the esplanade, first on the south side, facing the harbour.

Before going to visit the castle church, we will admire the view from the shady part of the esplanade on the north side, facing the lake and the mountains.

A view of the esplanade taken from the passage leading to the church, to which we turn our backs. Turn around: to the right of the passage you can see the top of Schlossstrasse (Castle Street) which leads down to the harbour and the pier.

Our virtual stroll begins here, at the entrance to the château's gardens, bordered by vineyards. It ends at the landing stage of the Lake Thun cruise ships.

Here and there, benches invite you to take a break to admire the gardens and the castle.

The castle is a former fortress transformed into a residential castle, which retains a high square tower of medieval origin. It is managed by a foundation since 1927 and houses a permanent exhibition devoted to the three great families that have marked the history of the residence.

A last glance at the gardens and vineyards before arriving at the gate of the castle...

The gate does not lead into the castle itself but allows you to pass to its beautiful esplanade on the other side. Let's go!

Our virtual stroll does not include a visit to the castle but don't be disappointed, you will discover its esplanade and its magnificent panoramic views.

We will of course enter this beautiful early Romanesque church. Then we will pass on the right to go down to the port and the pier.

Before visiting the church, you can admire the view of the lake and the mountains by going down the grassy slope to its left.

To the right of the church entrance, a staircase leads down to Schlossstrasse (Castle Street). Along this street, don't miss the two small botanical gardens in front of the remarkable house called "Le Roselier".

A herb garden as it existed in the 17th century to produce medicines and spices. The didactic panel and plant labels will tell you more! Between this garden and the rose garden, Schlossstrasse (Castle Street) leads down to Seestrasse (Lake Street).

Built around the year 1000 AD on the site of a small church from the 7th or 8th century and an ancient burial place, the castle church is a fine example of the early Romanesque architectural style. The Romanesque wall paintings, which are fairly well preserved, were made later, around 1200 AD or a little later.

At the far end of the esplanade, a small platform offers an extraordinary panoramic view of Lake Thun and the Bernese Pre-Alps.

On the south side, the view of the port is unfortunately masked by a series of buildings built in a pseudo-chalet style. Fortunately, beyond that, the landscape is quite nice!

Another beautiful panoramic view of Lake Thun and the Bernese Pre-Alps.

The boats of the shipping company on Lakes Thun and Brienz take you to Thun in the west and Interlaken in the east, as well as across the lake to Gunten, Merligen and Beatenbucht (starting point for the funicular to Beatenberg, from where a cable car climbs up to the Niederhorn, the mountain you can see opposite the landing stage).

At the moment of our visit, few roses were in bloom but the view of the beautiful house is still superb. Built in 1743 and transformed in 1880 in a "Swiss house" style, this building is called "Le Roselier", an allusion not to its rose garden but to the reedbeds ("roselières" in French) that once were lining the lake.

Schlossstrasse (Castle Street) is the street that crosses the entire castle hill from west to east. Here we are in front of the entrance to the rose garden of the old house "Le Roselier".

A few stair steps and then Schlossstrasse (Castle Street) runs beneath the gardens and down to Seestrasse (Lake Street) at the foot of the castle hill.

The castle path ends here, near the bottom of Seestrasse (Lake Street). Please note: the bottom of this dead-end street is closed to traffic. With a bit of luck you will find a parking space further up the street.

At the bottom of the street you will find cafes and restaurants, with terraces that give the harbour a Riviera feel.

On the north side, the shaded esplanade offers beautiful views of the lake and mountains. To the left, a statue recalls the memory of the Battle of Murten in 1476. To the right, a platform offers an amazing panoramic view.