Unterseen Castle

Unterseen Castle is a 17th-century castle in the municipality of Unterseen in the Swiss canton of Bern.

In 1397, the town of Unterseen became the property of the city of Bern. In 1656, the castle was rebuilt by the Bernese Schultheiss Hieronymus Stettler. In 1798, the French invaded Switzerland. The last Schultheiss of old Bern, Niklaus Friedrich von Steiger, stayed overnight at Unterseen Castle on his way into exile. Between 1805 and 1808, the painter Franz Niklaus König lived in Unterseen Castle. In 1816, a school for alpine and forestry was established. In 1850, the Canton of Bern was forced to sell Unterseen Castle. Subsequently, a parquet factory was built on the castle meadow. In 1855, the castle received a new roof truss after a fire. In 1967, the parish of Unterseen acquired the castle and converted it into a parish hall. In 1997, the facade was renovated.