Dardagny Castle
Dardagny Castle (French: Château de Dardagny) is a castle in the municipality of Dardagny in the canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.[1]
History
Built in the 13th century, Dardagny Castle initially formed part of a fortification system protecting the western border of the Bishop of Geneva's lands, along with the Bruël, La Corbière and Malval castles.[2] It consisted of two fortified houses separated by an alley in 1298, each belonging to one of the two lordships of Dardagny.[2] In the 14th century, the southern building was more than two stories high and possessed a tower.[2] In 1646, the Favre family inherited both parts of the fief and, in 1655, connected the two houses into a single castle, adding more floors and three corner towers.[2]
In 1721, the castle passed to Jean Vasserot, who closed the inner courtyard and turned it into a function hall, decorated with Italianate paintings.[2] The central turret was replaced by an interior staircase in 1740, giving Dardagny Castle its current appearance.[2] The castle was bought by the municipality of Dardagny in 1904 and restored between 1926 and 1932, after authorities had considered demolishing it.[2] It has since housed the town hall and school.[2]
See also
References
- ^ "Kantonsliste A-Objekte:Geneva" (PDF). KGS Inventar (in German). Federal Office of Civil Protection. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Jacques Davier: Dardagny (castle) in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, 22 August 2005.