GOVERNOR’S CASTLE OF SAINT MAURICE
Crossing Guard of the Rhone River Valley
The castle at Saint Maurice (Château de Saint-Maurice) may have lost its defensive significance in the modern era, now simply watching the trains and cars pass along the Rhone River where it cuts through the Dent du Midi mountains, but its location harkens to the wars when the valleys of southern Switzerland were the passage point between realms. The road along the river where it narrows between high walls has been a strategic crossing since before Roman times, with its importance demonstrated in the 3rd Century. The name of the town comes from the Roman soldier sent with the legion from Thebes sent to put down a Christian uprising in the area threatening the Roman Emperor’s military and trade route to the west. The Theban Legion were Christian converts themselves and refused the orders for a massacre, and were ordered to be executed. The relics of Saint Maurice and his martyrs can still be seen at the monastery church of the town which bears his name (see Abbey St Maurice d’Aguane). The castle itself had the name of the “Castle of the Governors”.
The castle is situated against a high cliff on one side and the Rhone River on the other where it traverses from the Lake Geneva valley in the canton of the Vaud to the upper Rhone valley, the canton of Valais. A modern highway now bypasses the river crossing, but the original path to cross between the regions required crossing the river at this narrow gap. This is still clear from the bridge which leads directly to the castle. The defensive fortress with the square tower constructed in the late 1400's during the Burgundian Wars even included a passage under the keep with a door which could be closed. The pathways around the castle building were reworked in the early 17th Century with structural additions between 1646 and 1651 under order of the Governor Gaspard Stockalper (see Stockalper Castle Brig). A massive fire struck the town of St Maurice in 1693 and the castle did not escape with its old tower where powder was stored taking the most damage. The tower was reconstructed at this time to its present form.
In 1831, the General Guillaume Henri-Dufour, then commander of the Geneva military engineers saw the St Maurice location as of particular defensive value and set up a series of visible fortifications opposite the castle and built the round firing position tower a bit higher above, with access from the fortress, called the Dufour Tower. Artillery battery positions were installed on the North Wing from 1831 to 1853. The castle never saw an actual battle but remained a Swiss military position into the 20th Century. The cannons seen on the battery positions facing to the west are part of the cantonal military museum.
The “Governor’s Castle” at Saint Maurice was restored between 1963 and 1974 and now is essentially an art exhibit space with changing exhibitions held in the upper floors of the square tower. A few rooms within the tower retain the original furnishings from the period of the 1800s, when it served as a residence. Near the castle and accessed from a path behind it are two other sights of interest, the limestone caves of the Grotte aux Fees (Grotto of the Fairies) and the military Fort de Cindey which was an active military base of caves within the mountain cliff up until 1995.
Visiting the Chateau Saint Maurice
The castle can be reached by foot about a 15 minute walk from the Saint Maurice Rail station, or by car with a small turnout in the road. The castle exhibit is open every day from 1pm to 6pm, from mid-May through mid-November. Admission is 10 CHF for adults, 5 CHF students and Children up to 8 years are free. Last admission is 5:30pm. There is a snack bar at the entrance to the Grotte aux Fees and Fort Cindey (which requires a separate admission). © Bargain Travel Europe
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Chateau St Maurice
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ALSO:
CHÂTEAU DE COPPET - LAKE GENEVA
CHATEAU DE MORGES - LAKE GENEVA
