Laufen Castle (Switzerland)

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.

LocationRheinfallweg, Laufen-Uhwiesen, Switzerland

Coordinates47°40′35.66″N 8°36′54.14″E

Construction started

c. 850s^[1]

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Laufen Castle
Schloss Laufen
Laufen Castle with walkways and lift tower, 2010
Location within Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Location within Canton of Zurich Show map of Canton of Zurich
Interactive map of the Laufen Castle area
General information
Location	Rheinfallweg, Laufen-Uhwiesen, Switzerland
Coordinates	47°40′35.66″N 8°36′54.14″E
Construction started	c. 850s[1]
Website
http://www.schlosslaufen.ch/en.html

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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.