Kyburg Castle

The Kyburg castle likely had wooden structures within a palisade when first mentioned in 1027. The oldest parts of the Kyburg that have been found date between 1150 and 1250 and include the keep, palace, chapel, three stone houses, and a corner tower in the southwest. The 2.50-meter thick shield wall between the keep and palace was built in the 13th century. After the castle came under Habsburg ownership, renovations took place. The corner tower was dismantled, the building expanded southward, and the northern curtain wall with the castle gate was erected. Extensive restoration work followed a major fire between 1250 and 1370. The palace, completed around 1370, boasts one of the largest floor areas (290 m² per floor) for its kind in the German-speaking world.

Upon the castle's acquisition by the Canton of Zurich in 1424, further renovations occurred. The upper part of the keep was rebuilt using tuff stones, including the insertion of a high entrance 11 meters above ground. In 1472, due to unstable ground, the south facade of the knight's house was reconstructed. The chapel received a new east wall with Gothic windows and a new roof. After the Reformation, the murals were covered in 1515, and the chapel served as an arsenal. In 1624, it was divided into two stories. The Kyburg assumed its current appearance mainly around 1500.