The Council of State Room in Neuchâtel's Castle has a rich history dating back to the 12th century. Originally a belvedere on the Romanesque lordly residence, it became the States Hall in the 15th century during reconstruction. Used by Neuchâtel's sovereigns until the 16th century, it later housed a governor, serving as an audience chamber and Council meeting place, eventually named the Council of State in 1580. In 1848, it became the seat of the Republican Grand Council, later hosting the Cantonal Court. Urgent neo-Renaissance renovations occurred in 1898 for the Republic's Jubilee. In 1985, the 19th-century ceiling was replaced with exposed beams. The antechamber, once a 15th-century loggia, boasts flamboyant Gothic elements. The States Hall, a seat of power since the 11th century, impresses with its size and the arms of Neuchâtel's rulers. Evolving over the centuries, it still serves the Cantonal Court, preserving its historical and political significance.
