Alt-Wädenswil Ruin

En un regard

Le château en bref

Alt-Wädenswil is the largest castle ruin in the Canton of Zurich, located in the municipality of Richterswil. Its core is the Lords' Tower (Freiherrenturm), built around 1200 by the Zurich branch of the Barons of Wädenswil and protected by moats. With no male heir, Rudolf of Wädenswil sold the castle and lordship in 1287 to the Hospitaller commandery of Bubikon, which gave rise to the Commandery of Wädenswil. Around 1330, the Knights of St John established an independent commandery there, with a new house of the Order east of the old tower, which sometimes served as a hospital. In the mid-15th century, a lower enceinte flanked by four towers and a zwinger was added outside the former moats. After the Reformation, the Hospitallers ceded the castle and lordship to Zurich in 1549; in 1557, at the request of Schwyz and Glarus, the Federal Diet decided on a partial demolition that rendered the site uninhabitable. The ruin was subsequently used as a quarry, notably during the construction of the Wädenswil–Einsiedeln railway line. Owned by a foundation since 1900, it was excavated in 1900–1904, 1938–1941 and 1983; the finds, mainly late medieval stove tiles, are held at the Swiss National Museum.