Saint-Maire Castle

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Château Saint-Maire
Lausanne
Château Saint-Maire Lausanne 2020.jpg
Château Saint-Maire
Château Saint-Maire is located in Canton of Vaud
Château Saint-Maire
Château Saint-Maire
Coordinates46°31′30″N 6°38′09″E / 46.524864°N 6.635706°E / 46.524864; 6.635706Coordinates: 46°31′30″N 6°38′09″E / 46.524864°N 6.635706°E / 46.524864; 6.635706
CodeCH-VD
Height535 m above the sea
Site information
Conditionpreserved
Site history
Built1397-1406

Château Saint-Maire (Saint-Maire Castle) is a castle in Lausanne, Switzerland, that serves as the seat of the cantonal government, the Council of State of Vaud. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.[1]

History[]

The château was built from 1397 to 1425 by the Bishops of Lausanne to serve as their fortified residence. Begun under , it was completed under his successor, , and named after Saint Marius, the first Bishop of Lausanne. It served as the bishop's residence until 1536, when Bern captured Lausanne and secularized the bishopric (the bishop, , escaped through a hidden stairwell). The Bernese installed a bailiff in the château and used it as an armory. Upon the creation of the canton of Vaud in 1803, it became seat of the cantonal government, a role it has retained.[2]

Architecture[]

The château was built as a single massive rectangular block, as was common at the time, with brick for the upper portion and sandstone for the lower portion. It originally had Ghibelline merlons, which gave it a somewhat Italian appearance, but due to the wet climate, the roof was extended and the merlons filled, probably in the 16th century. The windows that form a row just below the eaves fill the gaps between the merlons, and the arches above the windows fill the v-shaped openings in the Ghibelline style of merlon.[2]

In 1789, the Bernese built an annex on the west side of the castle, through which it is now entered. A tower that formerly stood next to the château was demolished in 1890, and around the same time, a statue of Abraham Davel was installed against the front wall.[2]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance". A-Objects. Federal Office for Cultural Protection (BABS). 1 January 2017. Archived from the original on 28 June 2010. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Ric Berger (1994). Les châteaux de la Suisse: Suisse romande et Tessin. Editions Cabédita. pp. 62–63. ISBN 2-88295-116-7.

External links[]

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