Riggenberg Castle Ruins
On the southwest corner of Brienzersee (Lake Brienz), located in Riggenberg, Switzerland, sits the Riggenberg Castle Ruins that date back to the 13th century.
This short and easy walk leads visitors from the parking area through the castle ruins to reach beautiful views of Lake Brienz where you’ll find a bit of local history from the castle that was originally constructed around 1300.
Explore the Riggenberg Castle Ruins
Starting at the small parking area along Burgliweg, visitors will walk down the road to reach the front steps to the Riggenberg Castle Ruins. As you climb the stairs, the castle ruins begin to appear as you pass beautiful views of Lake Brienz’ turquoise waters and surrounding mountains.
Located on the side of the Burgkirche (castle church), you may notice a very old sundial that was once used to tell the time. These days, the sundial reads the wrong time, but you can imagine how important that technology was back in the day.
After passing the Burgkirche, the path leads north to reach the Riggenberg Castle Ruins where visitors can climb a metal staircase that leads to the top of the castle tower ruins. Follow the suspended metal grate around the top of the tower ruins to enjoy views from the top! From the tower ruins, visitors will find more views of Lake Brienz and its stunning turquoise hues. While there isn’t much to see in the castle ruins today, you can imagine how the towering stone walls and tower were once seen as a protecting fortress and place for nobility to congregate.
Parking
Visitors will find a very small parking lot along Burgliweg located on the north side of the road. The parking lot is a paid parking lot based on an hourly rate and is large enough to fit about 5 vehicles or less as of September 2025.
History
Translated from some of the signage at the castle ruins: The prominent location on Lake Brienz highlights the Riggenberg Castle ruins as an important site in Bernese history. As the ancestral seat of the influential Imperial Bailiffs of Brienz, the later Lords of Riggenberg, the castle held political weight in the region since the mid-13th century. Under the minstrel Johannes von Riggenberg, the castle rose to become a center of the courtly culture for the high nobility around 1300.
After the castle was destroyed in the “Riggenberg Trade” in 1381, the site lost its imporance as a focal point of the landscape and was abandoned. The ruins subsequently fell into disrepair several times. With the construction of the church in 1670 - 1671, the complex acquired a new function, but only the renovations in 1928, 1946/1949, and most recently in 2006/2008 halted its decline.
The castle was renovated for the first time in 1928. Since then, it has been under federal protection. Further maintenance work followed in 1946/1949. In 2006, the poor condition of the masonry made further renovations necessary. Strict attention was paid to preserving the existing structure. The walls were cleaned and archaeologically examined, cracks and joints were freshly mortared. The tops of the new walls were given a new layer of masonry as a weatherproof layer. Since the last renovation, a steel staircase has once again led up to the old high entrance of the tower. A gallery has been built at the level of the former ballroom, with a viewing terrace overlooking the lake above.
