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Chillon Castle is a glorious rocky-island fortress, located in Veytaux, near Montreux.
The history of the castle goes back for over 1000 years.
Built in the 12th century, it has been an important part of controlling traffic between the north and south of Europe. Firstly, the famous and influential Dukes of Savoy lived in the castle from the 13th to the 16th century. After that, the Bernese took over the castle for over 250 years. For all these years, it has been used as a residence, arsenal, fortress and as a prison. Finally, during the Vaudois Revolution in 1798 the Bernese left Chillon and the castle became the property of the Canton of Vaud for good.
Certainly, this extraordinary castle has inspired some of the greatest poets.
One of them was Lord Byron, an English poet, who after visiting Chillon Castle wrote his famous poem “The Prisoner of Chillon” (1816). Actually, walking in this powerful place, easy to understand why it is so inspiring for so many artists. The architecture and layout of this ‘waterside castle’ is very special because it was ruled by the oval shape of the island on which it was built. Moreover, each room displays unique artefacts and layers of history behind this outstanding castle.
Good to know:
- How to reach the castle from Montreux. The bus #201 from the bus stop “Debarcadere” towards the “Villeneuve VD, gare” direction until the stop “Veytaux, chateau de Chillon”. It takes around 8-10 min.
- You can also reach the castle by boat. Check the timetables for the boats here -> CGN
- Working hours: April – September 9:00 – 18:00.
- Prices: Adults – 12,50 CHF; Children – 6,00 CHF.
- Audioguide – 6,00 CHF.
Most importantly, enjoy you time at this magnificent castle!
In addition, for travel tips and good to knows about Montreux Riviera check our article -> Montreux Riviera
Finally, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us -> GET IN TOUCH
