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Open
every day
of the year
From April to October:
9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
From November to March:
10 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. |
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The
crane (in french: “grue”) - its heraldic representation
- inspired the name Gruyères. Despite the importance of
the House of Gruyères its beginnings remain quite mysterious.
Nineteen counts are accounted for in the period between the 11th and 16th
century. The last of them, Michel, had been in financial trouble almost
all his life only to end in bankruptcy in 1554. His creditors the cantons
of Fribourg and Bern shared his earldom between them. From 1555 to 1798
the castle became residence to the bailiffs and then to the prefects sent
by Fribourg. In 1849 the castle was put up for sale and sold to the Bovy
and Balland families, who stayed at the castle during summer time and restored
it with the help of their painter friends.
The castle was then bought back by the canton of Fribourg in 1938, made
into a museum and opened to the public. Since 1993, a foundation ensures
the conservation as well as the highlighting of the building and the collection |
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