Vuissens Castle

The first mention of the seigneury of Vuissens dates to the 12th century. One of its early lords was Pierre, Knight of Vicens, in 1217. In 1403, Rudolph of Châtonnaye paid homage to Count Amédée of Savoy. As Rudolph died without a male heir, the seigneury passed to his son-in-law, Wilhelm of Challant. Ten years later, Wilhelm mortgaged the castle to the city of Fribourg to assist his financially troubled relative, Bishop Georges of Saluces. When the Challants could not repay the debts, Fribourg troops intervened in 1461 and took possession of the undefended castle. Three years later, in 1464, Bernard of Menthon, Wilhelm of Challant's son-in-law, managed to assume the debts and reclaim the castle for the family. After Bernard's assassination in 1479 without heirs, the castle again underwent numerous changes of ownership. In 1536, during the Bernese invasion of Vaud, the Fribourgers reoccupied the castle but met no resistance. Michel Mussard, the then lord of the castle, had to pay homage to the new rulers. At the end of the 16th century, Ulrich of Englisberg acquired the castle through marriage. He was a warlike man who lost his fortune in military service. Due to his high debts, the seigneury of Vuissens was sold to the Fribourg government in 1598, which installed bailiffs there.

Vuissens Castle is located in the municipality of Vuissens, in the Broye district, canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. It stands at an elevation of approx. 725 m above sea level.

Today, Vuissens Castle is privately owned.