Willisau Castle

Originally, the castle was just an open tower, called Chutzenturm; it had been built into the city wall for defense; from 1690–1695, an annex was added to the castle for the respective bailiff of Willisau; the architect is unknown; the exterior walls feature sgraffito decorations, while the interior rooms boast rich stucco work, grisaille paintings, carvings, paneling, and elaborate wall and ceiling paintings from the Baroque period; on the first floor, there is a cycle of paintings depicting the Holy Blood legend from 1638; from 1833 to 1836, it housed a higher school under the German educator Friedrich Fröbel, the founder of kindergartens; later it was used as a regular school building; after the renovation from 1979–1982, the Hans-Roelli-Stube was installed, commemorating the songwriter, singer, and poet born in Willisau; today it is the seat of the district court.