The historic Laufen Castle, located in Laufen-Uhwiesen in the northern part of the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland, sits on the left bank of the Rhine overlooking the majestic Rhine Falls. First documented in 858 AD, it served as the ancestral seat of the Freiherren von Laufen. The castle's lord or his bailiff held jurisdiction over neighboring communities, while the property rights belonged to the Bishop of Konstanz. In 1544, the city of Zurich acquired the castle, undertaking significant renovations between 1544 and 1547. The feudal rule came to an abrupt end with the arrival of the French in 1798 during the Helvetic Republic. From 1799 to 1804, Johann Heinrich Bleuler the Elder established a painting studio here. In 1941, the Canton of Zurich took ownership of Schloss Laufen. Today, the castle houses a restaurant and, until October 2019, a youth hostel.
