Travel/Castle

When You Come To Switzerland, Don’t Miss These Four Castles In Aargau

Attractions not found in travel guides but worth a visit

You may be unfamiliar with the name Aargau, and wonder why I mentioned this place, after all there are so many famous cities in Switzerland, like Zurich, Bern, Lucerne, etc., you can name more.

However, you know what? The first castle of the Habsburg dynasty was built in Aargau. In addition, here you can find dozens of splendid palaces and castles left from history.

Aargau is one of the most northerly cantons in Switzerland. It is situated by the lower course of the Aare River, which is why the canton is called Aargau (meaning “Aare province”).

Since 2019, I have traveled to Aargau several times and visited four of the most famous castles. They are built on top of hills or in water and look grand or beautiful. Each one is worth a visit.

1. Hallwyl castle — A moated Castle

Hallwyl Castle was the most visited castle during my stay in Switzerland. It is located on two islands in the river Asbach, just north of the northern end of Lake Hallwil in the municipality of Seengen in the canton of Aargau.

This is the only water castle in Aargau. It presents different charms in different seasons, day and night.

In summer, you can go boating in the moat, or if you like walking, you can take a stroll around Lake Hallwil.

At night, the castle appears mysterious in the moonlight, and is even more charming when illuminated by the constant lights of traffic from the adjacent streets.

2. Lenzburg castle — one of Switzerland’s oldest and most historic hilltop castles

Lenzburg Castle is located above the old part of the town of Lenzburg in Aargau. The castle stands on the almost circular Castle Hill (altitude: 504 m), which rises about 100 m (330 ft) above the surrounding plain.

The location is the highest of the four castles I have visited, which means you can enjoy the panoramic views from the top of the Lenzburg castle.

But my favorite is the photo below that I took while walking around the castle.

Look! Does the boulder on the left look like the lower part of the human face, with the nose and mouth visible?

3. Wildegg Castle — A magical castle with beautiful gardens

Now let’s go to my favorite place, Wildegg Castle!

This castle is located in the municipality of Möriken-Wildegg in the canton of Aargau. It was founded around 1242.

When we first visited the castle, we were impressed by the beautiful trees surrounding the parking lot. Of course, the wonderful shape of the castle, the manicured gardens and the castle walls all look fantastic.

It’s a pity that we went twice and didn’t catch the blooming season.

However, the uniqueness of this castle made up for our regrets, its tranquility and peacefulness, as well as the rich life atmosphere, deeply affected us, completely different from other castles full of gunpowder smell.

4. Habsburg Castle — the birthplace of the Habsburg dynasty

Hardly any other family has shaped European history as much as the Habsburgs. In fact, many feudal structures remind one of their reigns in Switzerland.

However, the Habsburg castle, located on the picturesque Wülpelsberg, a hill near Brugg (a town in the canton of Aargau), has extraordinary significance. It is the ancestral home of the Habsburg dynasty.

When I stumbled across the Habsburg Castle located less than 20 km from where I live, I couldn’t wait to see it.

Upon arrival, it was a little disappointing that today the eastern part of the castle was in ruins, and only the Anterior Fortress survived, with the flag of Switzerland on it. A permanent exhibition was set up there, detailing the many conflicts that the Habsburgs were involved in during the Middle Ages.

Like most castles built on a hill, here you can overlook a herd of cattle and sheep grazing leisurely under the blue sky and white clouds, as well as vast green farmland, and enjoy the very Swiss scenery!

In Switzerland, you can not only enjoy the scenery but also experience the history of Europe. The quietly standing castles are like pages in a history book, making you linger and imagine.

Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoy it and share your travel experiences with me in the comments!

This story was inspired by Linda Ng. In the story below, Linda brings us a vivid Ireland with her wonderful photos and words. If you haven’t been to Ireland, this must be an interesting read for you.

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