Switzerland · 13th century
Hagenwil Castle is a castle in the municipality of Amriswil of the Canton of Thurgau in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. It is the only remaining intact water castle in eastern Switzerland.
The first mention of the castle is in 1264 when Rudolf von Hagenwil donated it to the Abbey of St. Gall. The donation was made in gratitude to the Abbot of St. Gall for rescuing Rudolf from his sons in law, who were holding him prisoner at Heitnau Castle in an attempt to receive their inheritance early. The donation included the right for Rudolf and his family to continue occupying the castle. After his son Ulrich died childless, the title to the castle transferred fully to the Abbey. The next time the castle is mentioned, in 1341, it was the fief of Hermann von Breitenlandenberg.
During the Appenzell Wars, in 1405, an Appenzell army marched through the Hagenwil area. While there is no record of an attack, the stone walls show evidence of a massive fire and many wooden beams date to between 1414 and 1425, indicating that the castle was probably damaged. In 1407 the castle and village were inherited by Konrad and Ulrich Paygrer. Konrad Paygrer died in 1446, and his widow quickly remarried. Her new husband, Burkhard Schenk von Castell, bought out the shares of the remaining heirs. However, in 1470, Jakob Paygrer bought Hagenwil back from his stepfather. When he died in 1504, his sons in law, Jakob von Reinach and Wilhelm von Bernhausen inherited the estates. The castle remained with the Bernhausen family for about 180 years.
During the Protestant Reformation the village of Hagenwil converted to the new faith in 1529. However, in 1536 they converted back to the Roman Catholic Church.
During the Thirty Years War, on 6 September 1633, the castle was attacked and captured by a Swedish army, though it only suffered minor damage. The last Bernhausen owner of the castle was a Lieutenant in the Swiss Guards in France. He had little interest in ever living in the castle and so sold it in 1683 to the Abbot of St. Gall for 25,000 Gulden. For over a century, the castle remained a possession of the Abbey and was occupied by a succession of overseers. The castle was often used as a summer palace for the Abbot. In 1786/87 a large residence was added on the eastern side of the castle.
Text adapted from “Hagenwil Castle” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hagenwil Castle ranks #6,836 of 9,079 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #112 of the 213 mapped in Switzerland. Founded 1264, it is older than 66% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 1080 atlas entries founded in the 13th century. 12 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Winterthur, 44 km away. See how Switzerland compares in the castle statistics.
View on the interactive castle map →