Oberhofen Castle

Last week I was lucky enough to be allowed to go on program. I got to take a delightful van ride and visit a lovely medieval castle-turned-summer cottage.

Oberhofen castle is located right on Lake Thun. It started as a simple 12 m high keep in the 12th century and was subsequently heightened and expanded into the large, complex castle it is today. The keep was originally moated and surrounded by outbuildings, or a single "building of generous proportions". The keep didn't have windows in the beginning and so was probably used as a store room or dungeon (so similar, really).

In the 15th century the castle was outfitted with windows to make it a proper residential castle, though they did keep a small dungeon. Extensive attached living quarters were attached at this point. I'm not sure if they were simply the existing outbuildings that were attached with hallways and roofs, or if they were an entirely new expansion of the castle. This is the problem with getting my history from Swiss Monument Guides that are translated into English badly.

Anyway, the castle started as a meager Keep surrounded by dwellings and a moat and evolved into the impressive structure it is today, surrounded not by a moat but by a beautiful garden that includes a Kiwi Bush! A Kiwi bush! Did you know that kiwis grow on bushes? I sure didn't.

The "Fairy House" as Anne-Sophie calls it is probably a giant medieval outhouse. It was demolished in the 18th century and then rebuilt a hundred years later to suit the wishes of this Helen.

The chapel was probably built somewhere between 1200-1300. The wall paintings are magnificent. They are graphic and make you appreciate your own mortality in a way that was quite popular at the time.

The castle has had feudal, governmental and private owners. It was originally owned by the family von Oberhofen (of course). After they died out it was passed to the Zahringen family. They're responsible for founding many towns in Switzerland--including Thun. They talked their relatives into settling in the wild Bernese Oberland. "'comon uncle Joe, I got a really nice place right by the lake. Got it from some nice family who just couldn't get the heirs together. You really should come down and stay, you can go bear hunting!" Really, the Baron von Zahringer wanted supporters for his own political beliefs and policies. Eventually the grandson of this Zahringer lost control of the castle to a man named Hasburg. The history then says that because the Zahringer was so upset over losing the castle he was "driven into the camp of the regicides who assassinated King Albrecht" oops. The city of Berne (or a person named Bern) eventually took possession of the castle in the last years of the 14th century. Eventually it passed into the possession of the Scharnachthal family who preformed extensive restoration/renovation of the castle in 1421.

When the Scharnachthals died out in the late 16th century, the castle became the property of Berne (yes, I think it's the City) and was made into the bailiwick--which I suppose is some sort of courthouse. The dungeon was used to hold rowdy people, and a witch was even executed on the grounds.

In 1801 the estate was purchased by this handsome fellow. From then on it was owned privately until a childless lawyer from Philadelphia bought it and arranged for it to be made available to the public after his death.

Now the castle has many rooms decorated in a period style--the period being the late 19th century. There was a room full of armor though, so I suppose I was happy enough.

An old battle flag. 14th century? 15th century? I couldn't read the plaques.




Some guy who owned the castle at some point probably.
This is what my dog's feet look like.
This guy is in Trouble.


Paintings from the chapel. I think what's going on here...is that that guy just got pushed off the cliff in his underwear and was impaled by those pointy sticks at the bottom.

Stunning stained glass. Perhaps this is depicting the Bear's Revenge...or some sort of old school bad-ass horror "movie"?
In the billiard room. With a candlestick.
The turkish smoking room.

A lovely close up of one of the paintings in the Dining room.


What?
Also, no explanation for this one. I guess this is their one tribute to the medieval everyday life history of the castle? The plaque says "Don't touch" nothing in terms of explanation.

I need one of these...