A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages by predominantly the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble. This is distinct from a palace, which is not fortified; from a fortress, which was not always a residence for royalty or nobility; and from a fortified settlement, which was a public defence – though there are many similarities among these types of construction. Usage of the term has varied over time and has been applied to structures as diverse as hill forts and country houses. Over the approximately 900 years that castles were built, they took on a great many forms with many different features, although some, such as curtain walls and arrowslits, were commonplace.
Municipalities are the lowest level of administrative division in Switzerland. Each municipality is part of one of the Swiss cantons, which form the Swiss Confederation. In most cantons municipalities are also part of districts or other sub-cantonal administrative divisions.
Amriswil is a town and a municipality in Arbon District in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland near the Lake Constance.
The first mention of the castle is in 1264 when Rudolf von Hagenwil donated it to the Abbey of St. Gall.[3] The donation was made in gratitude to the Abbot of St. Gall for rescuing Rudolf from his sons in law, who were holding him prisoner at Heitnau Castle in an attempt to receive their inheritance early. The donation included the right for Rudolf and his family to continue occupying the castle. After his son Ulrich died childless, the title to the castle transferred fully to the Abbey. The next time the castle is mentioned, in 1341, it was the fief of Hermann von Breitenlandenberg.[2]
A fief was the central element of feudalism. It consisted of heritable property or rights granted by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the personal ceremonies of homage and fealty. The fees were often lands or revenue-producing real property held in feudal land tenure: these are typically known as fiefs or fiefdoms. However, not only land but anything of value could be held in fee, including governmental office, rights of exploitation such as hunting or fishing, monopolies in trade, and tax farms.
During the Appenzell Wars, in 1405, an Appenzell army marched through the Hagenwil area. While there is no record of an attack, the stone walls show evidence of a massive fire and many wooden beams date to between 1414 and 1425, indicating that the castle was probably damaged. In 1407 the castle and village were inherited by Konrad and Ulrich Paygrer. Konrad Paygrer died in 1446, and his widow quickly remarried. Her new husband, Burkhard Schenk von Castell, bought out the shares of the remaining heirs. However, in 1470, Jakob Paygrer bought Hagenwil back from his stepfather. When he died in 1504, his sons in law, Jakob von Reinach and Wilhelm von Bernhausen inherited the estates.[2] The castle remained with the Bernhausen family for about 180 years.
The Appenzell Wars were a series of conflicts that lasted from 1401 until 1429 in the Appenzell region of Switzerland. The wars were a successful uprising of cooperative groups, such as the farmers of Appenzell or the craftsmen of the city of St. Gallen, against the traditional medieval power structure represented by the House of Habsburg and the Prince-Abbot of the Abbey of St. Gall.
During the Thirty Years War, on 6 September 1633, the castle was attacked and captured by a Swedish army, though it only suffered minor damage. The last Bernhausen owner of the castle was a Lieutenant in the Swiss Guards in France. He had little interest in ever living in the castle and so sold it in 1683 to the Abbot of St. Gall for 25,000 Gulden. For over a century, the castle remained a possession of the Abbey and was occupied by a succession of overseers. The castle was often used as a summer palace for the Abbot. In 1786/87 a large residence was added on the eastern side of the castle. This building included a great hall and comfortable rooms for the Abbot.[2]
Swiss Guards are the Swiss soldiers who have served as guards at foreign European courts since the late 15th century.
After the 1798 French invasion of Switzerland and the creation of the Helvetic Republic the Abbey's estates, including Hagenwil, were nationalized. With the collapse of the Republic and the 1803 Act of Mediation, the Canton of St. Gallen was created, incorporating many of the Abbey's former estates. Two years later, in 1805, the Grand Council of the Canton decided to sell off much of the former estates including Hagenwil. Benedikt Angehrn bought the castle and in 1830 added a restaurant in the courtyard. In 1937/38 the castle was repaired and restored with the help of the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Protection. In 1985 an archeological exploration of the castle was undertaken. The old kitchen was replaced with a new, three story building in 2003/4.[2] The castle and restaurant are still owned by the Angehrn family.[4]
The French invasion of Switzerland occurred from January until May 1798 as part of the French Revolutionary Wars. The independent Old Swiss Confederacy collapsed, both by this foreign invasion and simultaneous internal revolts, termed the "Helvetic Revolution". Its Ancien Régime institutions were abolished and replaced by the centralised pro-French Helvetic Republic.
In Swiss history, the Helvetic Republic (1798–1803) represented an early attempt to impose a central authority over Switzerland, which until then had consisted of self-governing cantons united by a loose military alliance.
The Act of Mediation was issued by Napoleon Bonaparte on 19 February 1803 establishing the Swiss Confederation. The act also abolished the previous Helvetic Republic, which had existed since the invasion of Switzerland by French troops in 1798. After the withdrawal of French troops in July 1802, the Republic collapsed. The Act of Mediation was Napoleon's attempt at a compromise between the Ancien Régime and a republic. This intermediary stage of Swiss history lasted until the Restoration of 1815.
Castle site
Hagenwil Castle and the village church
The castle complex is a rough square surrounded by an 18th century 3.2 meters (10ft) deep water filled moat. In the center of the complex is the 13th century main tower. The main tower is 13.2 by 10 meters (43ft ×33ft), with unfinished, round stone walls that are up to 1.7m (5.6ft) thick. The original high entrance was on the northern side of the east wall, but was filled in when the west and east ground level entrances were opened, probably in 1551.[5]
The ring wall was added in either the 13th or 14th centuries. Much of the southern wall and gate are from the original ring wall. During the 15th century a palas was built along the north wall, incorporating the old tower. The old north-west corner of the ring wall was demolished and a two story half-timbered residence was added. A gatehouse was first built near the south-east corner in 1485/86, though it was later replaced. The eastern buildings, the entrance hall and a chapel were added in 1786/87. The old gatehouse was replaced with another that has the date 1741 carved above the entrance.[5]
Today the castle is open for tours by appointment. In addition the restaurant is open most days and many of the rooms are available for meetings and events.
The Abbey of Saint Gall is a dissolved abbey (747–1805) in a Roman Catholic religious complex in the city of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The Carolingian-era monastery has existed since 719 and became an independent principality between 9th and 13th centuries, and was for many centuries one of the chief Benedictine abbeys in Europe. It was founded by Saint Othmar on the spot where Saint Gall had erected his hermitage. The library at the Abbey is one of the richest medieval libraries in the world. The city of St. Gallen originated as an adjoining settlement of the abbey. Following the secularization of the abbey around 1800 the former Abbey church became a Cathedral in 1848. Since 1983 the whole remaining abbey precinct has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden is a canton of Switzerland. The seat of the government and parliament is Herisau, judicial authorities are in Trogen. Appenzell Ausserrhoden is located in the north east of Switzerland, bordering the cantons of St. Gallen and Appenzell Innerrhoden.
The canton of St. Gallen, also canton of St Gall, is a canton of Switzerland. The capital is St. Gallen.
Kreuzlingen Abbey, in Kreuzlingen in Switzerland, on the border with Germany, was founded in about 1125 by Ulrich I of Dillingen, Bishop of Constance, as a house of Augustinian Canons. In 1848 the government of the Canton of Thurgau dissolved the monastery and took over its property. The former abbey church of Saint Ulrich and Saint Afra, decorated in the Baroque style, is noteworthy.
Neuburg Castle is a ruined castle in Untervaz in the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.
Clanx Castle is a ruined castle in the Appenzell District of the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden in Switzerland.
Pfäffikon Castle is a castle in the municipality of Freienbach of the Canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.
Riom Castle is a castle in the village of Riom-Parsonz of the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.
Jörgenberg Castle is a castle in the municipality of Waltensburg/Vuorz of the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.
Nidau Castle is a castle in the municipality of Nidau of the Canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.
The Altes Schloss Bümpliz is a castle in the section of Bümpliz-Oberbottigen in the city of Bern of the canton of Bern in Switzerland.
Uster Castle is a hill castle which was built probably around 1200 AD by the House of Rapperswil in the Swiss municipality of Uster in the Canton of Zürich. Since 1995 it houses a boarding school.
Rosenberg Castle is a ruined castle located near the villages of Burghalden and Schachen to the north of the municipality of Herisau in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland.
Rosenburg Castle is a ruined castle located to the west of the municipality of Herisau in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. The castle is on the Ramsenstock and is therefore also called Ramsenburg.
Innerjuvalt Castle is a castle in the municipality of Rothenbrunnen of the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland.
Guardaval Castle is a ruined castle in the municipality of Madulain of the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland.
Alt-Aspermont Castle is a ruined castle in the municipality of Trimmis of the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It was once one of the largest castles in Graubünden, but today only a few small ruins remain.
Castelberg Castle is a ruined castle in the municipality of Ilanz/Glion of the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland.
The Vorburg is a ruined castle located in the village of Oberurnen, now part of the municipality of Glarus Nord in the Canton of Glarus of Switzerland. It is the most significant castle in the canton.
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