Chateau de Chillon

We traveled a little South to visit "one of Switzerland's must-sees", the Chateau of Chillon.  This is a 12th century castle built on a small, rocky island on Lake Leman (Geneva). And for more that 260 years it was used as a fortress, arsenal and prison.

View from the road.

Amanda & I in front of the moat.

Standing on a dock next to the castle.

When approaching the outside of the castle, it didn't look that big…but after crossing the moat (and paying the admission fee) we entered into a vast courtyard. We spent well over an hour intrigued by our surroundings while touring the castle.  We traveled through a cellar, a keep, a postern, prisons, a crypt, a chapel, a dining room, kitchen, bedrooms, a bathroom, a watchtower, many courtyards, and so much more.

In a courtyard.

Medieval toilet- the holes lead to the water.

In the watchtower. 

Small corridor, Mike was crouching most of the time.

It was so interesting being throughout such a historic structure. One of the areas that we found most interesting was the prison. It was at the very bottom of the castle. Standing within it, all a person could hear was the waves of the water smashing against the outside walls. It was very dark and eery. We learned of a famous man who was kept there for 6 years, Francois Bonivard, chained most of the time to a pillar in the dungeon. This prisoner supported the Reformation, and this angered the people. He was released in 1536 by the Bernese.

The pillar he was shackled to

After a poet, Lord Byron visited Chillon, he was inspired to write a famous poem that described the prisoners despair and brief moments of hope titled, "The Prisoner of Chillon."