Balm Castle (Ruin)

The origins of Balm Castle likely date back to the mid-11th century. Archaeological findings suggest that the site has been inhabited since the Azilian period. The first documented mention of the castle occurred in 1201, when it was owned by the noble Lords of Balm. However, they left their ancestral castle early and handed it over to a feudal tenant. This spared the castle from the destruction that Duke Leopold brought upon the new ancestral seat of the Lords of Balm in Altbüron in 1308. The lordship changed hands several times, including the Counts of Strassberg and Rudolf of Neuchâtel-Nidau. In 1374, the merchant family Schriber from Solothurn acquired the castle, ending its feudal era. Finally, in 1411, it came into the possession of the city of Solothurn. By around 1400, the castle was already in a state of neglect. Despite some attempts at restoration in the early 15th century, it progressively deteriorated and from the mid-15th century onwards, it was used as a quarry by farmers. In 1939, the Historical Society of the Canton of Solothurn acquired the ruin, carried out excavations, and secured the site. Since 1969, it has been owned by the Canton of Solothurn and is managed by the Balm Castle Association.