Chillon sous Berne et le canton de Vaud – Prison, arsenal et naissance du tourisme (1536–1895) 2/5

Chillon under Bern and the Canton of Vaud – Prison, arsenal, and the birth of tourism (1536–1895) 2/5

After the Bernese conquest of 1536, Chillon Castle left the shadow of the Counts of Savoy to become a pillar of the Bernese administration. For more than three centuries, it served as a bailiwick, arsenal, and prison, before undergoing a radical transformation in the 19th century. Discover how Chillon went from being a military fortress to a romantic symbol, then a historical monument and museum.

The conquest of Bern and the end of the Savoy era (1536)

In 1536, during the conquest of the Pays de Vaud, the Bernese armies seized Chillon Castle, putting an end to Savoyard rule over the region. The castle was then converted into the administrative center of the bailiwick of Vevey and the permanent residence of the bailiff, who also held the title of Captain of Chillon. The building served as a fortress, arsenal, and prison, while retaining its role as a strategic stronghold on Lake Geneva.

The bailiwick of Vevey, of which Chillon is the capital, covers a large part of the Vaud shore of Lake Geneva and plays a central role in the management of land, taxes, and justice. The castle becomes a place of detention for political prisoners, criminals, and deserters, particularly in the underground passages and lower rooms, which are converted into cells.

Chillon Prison: The Bonivard Affair

Among the most famous prisoners was François Bonivard, bailiff of Geneva and political opponent, who was imprisoned at Chillon from 1532 to 1536, first by the Savoyards and then by the Bernese. His stay in the castle's underground dungeons inspired Byron, who made him the hero of his poem. The Prisoner of Chillon (1816), transforming Chillon into a symbol of the struggle for freedom.

This episode marked a turning point: Chillon ceased to be seen solely as a fortress or prison and became a place of remembrance and romanticism, attracting more and more travelers and writers.

Arsenal and stronghold in the 17th–18th centuries

Under Bernese rule, Chillon remained a military stronghold and weapons depot for the region. The castle housed an arsenal, powder magazines, and troop quarters, and was regularly maintained and modernized to meet the defense needs of the Pays de Vaud.

Chillon's military role gradually declined during the 18th century, but the castle retained its administrative and judicial functions until the Vaud Revolution of 1798. At that time, the canton of Vaud became independent, and Chillon came under the authority of the Vaud state.

The birth of tourism and 19th-century restoration

In the 19th century, romanticism and tourism made Chillon a must-see destination for travelers in Switzerland. Guidebooks, engravings, and literary descriptions (Byron, Hugo, Dumas) popularized the castle, which became a symbol of Lake Geneva and Switzerland.

In 1890, the canton of Vaud undertook a major restoration campaign, led by architect Eugène Jost, to preserve the castle and turn it into a museum. In 1895, the prison was closed, marking the end of Chillon's era as a place of detention and the beginning of its existence as a historical monument and museum.

Sources

Dossier pédagogique « À l’abri des murailles : la vie d’un château à l’époque savoyarde », Fondation du château de Chillon, 2008.
Article « Chillon, château de » dans l’Histoire de la Suisse (HLS-DHS-DSS), 2005.
Site officiel du château de Chillon, sections « Histoire » et « Le château en quelques mots ».
Article « Villeneuve (VD) » dans l’Histoire de la Suisse (HLS-DHS-DSS), 2017.
Site officiel de la ville de Villeneuve (VD), section « Histoire ».