Chillon castle. Switzerland.

On the shore of lake Geneva near the town of Montreux is Chillon castle.

He is the most famous castle in Switzerland. It is a complex of 25 buildings built in different times and different owners.

Rocky island connected to the mainland by a drawbridge. Lake side and mountains on the other made Chillon castle an impregnable fortress. Here lay the road from Burgundy to Italy.

Today the castle @- this is a real Museum, where various exhibits of antique furniture, collections of weaponry, armor, knights, and tin products.

From the fortress you can consider the opposite Bank of the Leman @- French territory.

Behind bars @- extraordinarily beautiful colors of the lake water. In front of the grille @- lock, which is Packed full of secrets, negative...

Offered a walk through its many halls, stairs, basements.

the Castles of Switzerland have their" замковые@" wine and Chillon – is no exception. Chateau wine" Кло de Chillon@" @- one of the most rare in the County and beyond.

Wine is only sold in Silane. Funds from its sale is used for the preservation and restoration of the castle. In the year produced a total of 16 thousand bottles.

Touch a bit of history. The first human footprints on the Chillon rock belong to the bronze age. During the Roman Empire here, at the narrowest point on the coast was an Outpost.

Its ruins, as well as Roman coins were found in the late nineteenth century during the restoration of the castle. Now archaeological findings are stored in one of the towers of the castle: bronze statues of Roman gods, the symbol of the Eternal city @the-she-wolf suckled Romulus and Remus, fragments of mosaics and wall paintings, coins of Rome and helvetsiya".

Until the XI century Chillon belonged to the bishops of Sion, later the castle for special merit was granted to the counts of Savoy and became their residence.

During the reign of Pierre II of Savoy (1203–1268) architect Pierre Meunier spent rebuilding Silona. the Castle was fortified and expanded.

the Active reconstruction of the castle lasted until the XV century. In this period were built the main structures, determined its historical appearance.

the Castle acquired its current dimensions: 25 buildings, built in the classic Romanesque and early Gothic styles, form three inner courtyard.

the castle appeared luxuriously furnished living spaces, a chapel, an Arsenal. In the cellars of the fortress was a large prison.

In the dungeons of Chillon in the Middle ages fought against witches and sorcerers. In the courtyard of the fortress burned women accused of witchcraft.

In Silone in 1348 was martyred Jews of Villeneuve. Under torture they confessed to the charges in the indictment @- the poisoning of drinking water in nearby wells, resulting from the plague died thousands of Christians.

In the walls of the castle were killed, accused of preparing attacks on the rulers enemies of the Dukes of Savoy.

the Most famous prisoner was the prior of the monastery of St. Victor in Geneva Francois Bolivar (1493–1570), a supporter of the reformation and the enemy of the Dukes of Savoy, the followers of the Catholic Church.

In 1532, on the orders of Charles III, ninth Duke of Savoy, Bolivar was thrown into the prison of Chillon castle, and without trial spent four years chained to a post.

In March 1536, after two days of siege the Bernese Protestants, the castle was taken, and Boniver released.

in the Summer of 1816 in these parts, was George Byron (1788–1824). He heard a story about Bonivura, visited the castle, and, impressed by what he saw, wrote the poem" Шильонский узник".

Below, I put a line from his poem.

"Когда in chains, in the dark damp vault,
Your sons tantalized by year year, –
In their flour maturing for enemies adversity,
And Thank them for all the winds sings.

Chillon! Your prison old masonry –
Temple; floor – the altar: it and there and here
He, Boniver years step your shaky

Eked out, and rock those tracks live,
Yeah don"t erase them – these prints,
They are out of slavery to God cry!@"

About the castle also wrote Jean-Жак Rousseau, Percy Shelley, Victor Hugo and Alexander Dumas.

Chillon castle for a long time was an Arsenal for the troops and a state prison.

In 1887 created" Ассоциация Chillon замка".

Thanks to her efforts, the castle was restored and became a Museum @- sample impregnable fortress of the middle Ages.

In 1891, the castle receives the status of" Исторический памятник".

From the Windows and roofs of the castle and offers magnificent views of lake Geneva and Montreux.

Photos private.