What to see at the Chillon Castle
The Chillon Castle knew three distinctive periods alternatively named as following: the Savoy period from 12th century to 1536, after comes the Bernese period from 1536 to 1798 and then the Vaudois period from 1798 to today.
The castle was considered in the past as a military fortress and a prison but it became a romantic place situated between the Lake Geneva and the French Alps. Lord Byron based one of his narrative poem in this castle: The prisoner of Chillon written in 1816.
Construction
The Chillon castle measures 100 meters long and 50 meters wide and was considered as the biggest castle of the House of Savoy. Its particular form comes from the fact it was built on a rock that has this form. When the castle was built, constructors adapted its form to the form of the rock. The aspect of the fortress was first mentioned in 1150. And as time passed the castle got renovated and became bigger, towers were added, along with a chapel and a new house for the owners.
Christmas market
Every year, visitors can enjoy in December an enchanting medieval market when the castle offers medieval games, dances and arts and crafts. Medieval tales are told and adults and children can travel back in time during these days.
