CastleErlach

Erlach Castle

School

On the shores of Lake Biel, Erlach Castle shapes the image of the eponymous municipality in the canton of Bern. Originally built as a castle, it served various rulers as a strategic stronghold and administrative seat for centuries before finding a new purpose as an educational institution.

History+

The origins of the castle date back to the early 12th century, when Burkhart von Fenis, on behalf of the Counts of Fenis, built a castle at this location after they had acquired the area around 1100. Erlach developed into a center for the Counts of Neuchâtel. In the mid-13th century, around 1265, Count Rudolf II of Neuchâtel-Nidau granted Erlach its charter. In 1474, Erlach fell to Bern, whereupon the castle assumed the function of the seat of the Bernese bailiff. Bailiffs who resided at Erlach Castle included personalities such as Niklaus Manuel Deutsch (from 1523 to 1528) and Johann Rudolf Sinner von Ballaigues (from 1776 to 1781). From 1874, the castle was used as a state reformatory.

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Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

This description draws on the facts documented in the linked Wikipedia article; Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wording and editing: Mobile History.

Location: 47.0444, 7.0943