This interesting castle near Zürich is well-preserved and filled with authentic historical items, many knight-related. You are free to wander about the castle, touching many things and learning about each room and its contents through thorough descriptions on wall panels written in four languages. Kids can touch, run, jump, try stuff out and be themselves. There are bedrooms, common rooms, a torture chamber, wine cellar, prisons, etc. It’s not particularly stroller friendly (no elevators, lots of stairs, narrow doorways) but small children should have no problem on foot. It’s a fun family outing near Zurich with some education appeal.
| Location: | Zurich Region |
| Address: | Schloss 1, 8314 Kyburg |
| Car: | ~25 mins from Zurich |
| Train: | ~45 mins from Zurich HB to Kyburg, Dorf |
| Open: | 1 April to 31 October Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 17:30 |
| Price (2019): | Adult CHF 12, Child CHF 5, under 6 free Children free with SBB Junior card, if they arrive by train/bus with parent. Variety of museum passes apply, see website. |
| Services: | cafe, no strollers |
| More info: | www.schlosskyburg.ch |
Overview
The castle was built prior to 1037, and was used as a castle until 1798, after which it was bought and sold a few times by wealthy families. In the early 1900s it housed its last residents. The whole castle is open to explore, with rooms setup with period furniture and artifacts. There are lots of interactive displays that make it more engaging for children.
Getting There
By car: Drive to Kyburg and park in the spots at the entrance to the village. There are no spots at the castle. It’s a short walk through the village to the castle.
By transit: Take a train to Effretikon, then a bus to Kyburg, Gemeindehaus. Then a short walk to the castle.
Impressions
The girls liked looking at this illustration of a family meal.
The armory with lots of spears and armor.
One room had a life-size recreation of a medieval banquet, another a slide show about the castle. While the girls didn’t look at either in depth, these presentations were entertaining for the variety of experiences they provided.
Lots of buttons for little fingers to push.
Quiet chairs for naughty children.
Toy soldiers
A surprise dragon down the hatch.
Plenty of room to run about.
Photo opp.
There is a cafe at the castle, but not always open. There are a couple local restaurants within walking distance. During warm weather, you could bring a picnic and eat on the grounds or in the adjacent forest.
Thanks to Lynn and Astrid for contributing text and photos for this post.
One Response
We just visited this castle today, and had a lovely time, despite the bad weather. I’ll be posting photos soon!