• CH & IT Roadtrip
    Schloss Oberhofen ... it was a photo like this one that brought us here — Oberhofen.
    I wonder what awaits us beyond the entry gate to Schloss Oberhofen.A lovely, colorful setting encouraged us to go out on the castle's terrace first — Schloss OberhofenMui commented that just the terrace garden made the stop worthwhile — Schloss Oberhofen.Parterre garden ... looking toward Thunersee — Schloss Oberhofen.Family dining room on the ground floor of the keep — Schloss Oberhofen.This is where dinner guests washed their hands with lemon water after the fish course.The kitchen was attached to the ground floor dining room — Schloss Oberhofen.When the castle was a bailiwick, the chapel was used as a granary — Schloss Oberhofen.The 15th century murals in the chapel were uncovered in 1955 — Schloss Oberhofen.Watercolor design for the picture gallery and the paneling today — Schloss Oberhofen.The desk in the library was commissioned and used by Count Pourtalès — Schloss Oberhofen.Oriental Smoking Room ... conceived as a "fumoir" to transport the visitor to another world.The Oriental smoking room is styled in the manner of a 16th or 17th century domestic reception room.Watercolor depiction of the Salon Pourtalès and the salon today — Schloss Oberhofen.The sleeping quarters of the domestic servants were furnished simply — Schloss Oberhofen.Bedroom and adjacent small bathroom with original wallpaper — Schloss Oberhofen.A luxury in the 19th century ... bathing basin and toilet — Schloss Oberhofen.The Swiss Cross ... dates back to the last owner of the castle ... an American lawyer — Castle ParkScenes from Castle Park — Schloss Oberhofen.

    OtR: B1 to B2 … Schloss Oberhofen

    17 июля, Швейцария ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    Leaving Thun — the first stop on our way from Bern (B1) to Beatenberg (B2) — a very short drive brought us to Schloss Oberhofen … a castle complex with a keep that dates back from the 1200s … on the shores of Thunersee [Lake Thun].

    At one time the castle belonged to the Habsburgs. Ownership later belonged to the Scharnachthal and other Bernese dynasties. For a while it became a bailiwick … after which it was purchased in the mid-1800s by the Pourtalès family for their use as a summer residence.

    The last owner was an American Lawyer — William Maul Measey. He established a foundation in 1940 that led to the castle becoming a museum in 1954 … focusing on life in the 19th century … from the perspective of both the aristocracy and those who served them. Interactive exhibits, such as “At Your Service” — depicting the duties and daily lives of the castle’s servants — added further interest to our visit. The rooms that have been curated are now open to the public … others are waiting their turn for necessary renovation work.

    Our steps took us from the beautifully manicured gardens; to the lake turret … rebuilt in the 1890s; to the ground floor dining room in the keep … where the family took meals served by domestic servants scurrying in and out from the attached kitchen; to the 15th century chapel … that was once used as a granary; to the bedrooms where the domestic staff slept; to the Oriental smoking room … the decor a fashionable theme of the period; to the family bedrooms and the Salon Pourtalès; to the toilet … a luxury few could afford in the 19th century; to the bathing basin of the countess; and more.

    As we were leaving, one of the docents encouraged us to take a few minutes to visit Castle Park … transformed by the Pourtalès family from what was originally the tree garden. We took her advice and meandered for a bit along paths shaded by linden and other trees.

    On arrival at the castle, we had found the vantage point for the photo that brought Schloss Oberhofen to our attention. We wrapped up our stop at the castle with a return to the same vantage point, debated having a drink at the café nearby. But a look at our watches reminded us that we still had to get to our destination. So, we moved on.    Читать далее

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