Grenchen Castle (Ruin)

Around 1000, the castle with ramparts and a wooden structure was built. The castle belongs to the early clearing castles in the Jura. In 1131, the Lords of Grenchen are mentioned for the first time (Kuno von Grenchen). As noble freemen, they belong to the high nobility and had their heyday in the 12th century. In 1150, a stone castle with a mighty residential tower and several annexes was built on the site of the wooden structure. The complex consists of two castles - the main castle here on the Schlossfluh and the Lower Castle on the Hofacherfluh. Around 1200, the castle was enlarged - an oven was installed. In 1225, Berta II von Grenchen dies - the Strassberger branch of the House of Nidau later inherits the castle and the lordship of Grenchen. In 1309, a division of inheritance among the Strassbergers resulted in the castle being assigned to the present-day municipality of Bettlach. The castle was inhabited until the early 14th century. In 1583, a prison tower was built in Grenchen. The Solothurn Council released the castle ruins for this purpose as a quarry.