Jegenstorf Castle

Not far from the nation’s federal city and surrounded by a beautiful park with a carp pond and romantic paths lies Jegenstorf Castle. The former Patrician country residence can be reached in only 20 minutes by train from Bern station.

Once a medieval castle surrounded by a moat, the estate was converted into an elegant baroque country residence by Albrecht Friedrich von Erlach in 1720. The castle opened its gates to the public in 1936, and history continued to be written inside its walls: at the end of the Second World War, it was used by General Guisan as a command centre, and in 1954, it served as an imperial residence during a state visit from Ethiopia’s regent Haile Selassie.

Today, Jegenstorf Castle is a museum that takes visitors on a journey to the past: the impressive interior is decorated with bourgeois and Patrician furniture from the old city and republic of Bern. One of the highlights is the largest exhibited collection of baroque tile stoves in Switzerland, with pieces from all parts of the country.

Special exhibitions, scenic guided tours, adventure and fairytale tours for children, and other events regularly take place at the castle and the park. Every day during opening hours, the “Schloss(zeit)reise” ([Time]travel at the castle) takes families back in time.

There are three permanent exhibitions, dedicated to the following persons and organisations: Bernese dialect poet Rudolf von Tavel (1866–1934), Bernese educator and economist Philipp Emanuel von Fellenberg (1771–1844), and the Ökonomische Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft Bern (Non-Profit Economic Society of Bern OGG, since 1759).

The baroque castle gardens are open all day, every day for recreation and relaxing strolls. The fruit from the trees in the arboretum (ProSpecieRara) is made into delicious apple bubbly that can be enjoyed at the in-house café.

Jegenstorf Castle was built by Albrecht Friedrich von Erlach in 1720, at a time when the “Ancien Régime” was still in full bloom. On this scenic tour, the “gracious lord” (played by historian Raphael Racine) grants the common people an audience in his residence. And shares anecdotes from the 18^th century: How he got the nickname “Stärnebrächt”, why his father was considered a bigamist, and why the castle entrance is in the wrong place.

“Dr Franzos” guides visitors through the historical site and tells stories from the time the French invaded Bern in 1798. The historically accurately dressed Frenchman talks about his life, what it was like when Jegenstorf Castle was converted into a French quarter complete with a prison, and much more on this entertaining tour.

To the tour

Equipped with an adventure map and compass, explorers roam the castle and park, following the trail of the “luggage stations” from A to Z. The deposited suitcases are filled with fun games, quizzes and puzzles. Discover the history of the construction and ownership of the castle as well as behind-the-scenes glimpses and stories of the paintings, objects and façades of Jegenstorf Castle.

Jump right into the fantastic, magical world of fairytales! On this guided tour through the centuries-old castle, the castle fairy tells beautiful tales.

The adventure tour is an entertaining way to explore the castle, its treasures and its stories. After the tour, fun games and creative activities await at the top of the castle’s 1,000-year-old tower: dressing up, portrait drawing, sealing, building, painting and more.

Maidservant and lady of the manor: on this tour, actors in historical costume chat with visitors and let them in on the castle gossip. Also suited for children from the age of ten.