Laufen Castle (Switzerland)

For the castle in Bavaria, see Laufen Castle (Germany).

Laufen Castle (German: Schloss Laufen) is a castle in the municipality of Laufen-Uhwiesen in the Swiss canton of Zurich. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance^[2] overlooking the Rhine Falls.

Laufen Castle
Schloss Laufen
Courtyard of Schloss Laufen, 2010
Laufen in Switzerland
General information
Address	Rheinfallweg
Town or city	Laufen-Uhwiesen
Country	Switzerland
Coordinates	47°40′35.66″N 8°36′54.14″E
Construction started	c.850s[1]
Website
http://www.schlosslaufen.ch/en.html

The first documented reference to the castle dates to the year 858 when it was the home of the Barons of Laufen. It passed through several owners until the Old Zurich War (1439–1450) when the castle was acquired by the Fulach family, from whom the city of Zurich bought the castle in 1544. Following the Helvetic Republic (1798–1803), the castle was once again in private ownership, with the city of Zurich reacquiring the castle by buying it again in 1941.^[1]

The castle now serves as a tourist attraction, and contains a restaurant and a youth hostel. Between 2009 and 2010, a project was undertaken to restore and expand the facilities, including a visitors’ centre situated in the former staff quarters, an exhibition in the northern part of the castle, and a wheelchair-accessible circular walkway with glass lift between castle and river levels.^[3] Laufen is overlooking Wörth Castle, on the opposite side of the High Rhine, located in the canton of Schaffhausen.

Transport

The Rheinfall railway line passes through a tunnel under the castle, halting at the Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall station to the south of the tunnel and beneath the castle walls. The station is linked to the castle by a walkway and an elevator. The station is served by the S12 and S33 services of Zurich S-Bahn to Schaffhausen and Winterthur/Zürich HB.

In addition, PostAuto bus line 634 operates between Schaffhausen railway station and Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall.

Gallery

• 
  Laufen Castle with Rhine Falls. Engraving by David Herrliberger, 1750
• 
  Laufen Castle with Rhine Falls, 2010
• 
  Wall and gateway to Schloss Laufen, 2011
• 
  Castle with the new walkways and lift tower, 2010

See also

• List of castles in Switzerland
• List of cultural property of national significance in Switzerland: Zürich
• Tourism in Switzerland