Between the lake and the River Seyon is a rocky headland. The lake, a navigable and commercial route, the Seyon a river which begins in the Val de Ruz and Basel’s Eveché. Such a landscape called out for a castle! Built at the end of the 10th century, it founded the town and named it after itself.

Novum Castellum, later Novum Castrum from the XII century, Neocomun in scholar’s Greek in XVI century, Nuefchastel, Neufchastel, Neufchatel in common language and then gradually Neuchatel from the mid XVIII century.

In German, Nienburg evolved to Nuvenburch, Nuewenburg and then 1725, Neuenburg.

Rodolphe III, King of Burgundy, gave his wife Novum Castellum in 1011 as a gift. On this occasion, he had an act written on parchment on which the name of the town appears for the first time.

As seat of power, the castle accommodated lords, and sometimes their mothers, widows or daughters too, some of whom were true Stateswomen (Countess Isabelle fought for Neuchatel’s freedom at the end of the XIV century, Marie de Bourbon merged the Earldom of Neuchâtel and Lordship of Valangin at the end of the XVI century.)

Neuchatel was under the influence of the Hapsburgs, then Burgundies and finally the French for several centuries, until it passed into the hands of the Kings of Prussia in 1707.

On 12th September 1814, Neuchâtel became a Swiss canton whilst still remaining equally a principality of the Kings of Prussia. This ambiguous situation resulted in some very heated internal tension.

On 1st March 1848, Neuchâtel republicans set out from Le Locle, La Chaux-de-Fonds, the Val-de–Travers and the Béroche under the orders of Fritz Courvoisier and took over the castle, installing an interim government, presided over by Alexis-Marie Piaget. Neuchatel became a Republic and at the same time, a fully recognised Swiss canton.

The castle remains linked to power. The five State Councillors – the cantonal executive- work there and the 115 members of the Grand Council – the cantonal legislative – hold their meetings within its walls. The cantonal law courts – the Civil Court and the Court of Appeal – hold their hearings there in rooms adjacent to numerous cantonal administrative services.

Between 1st April and 30th September, the castle is open to visitors at no charge.

Guided tours leave at 10am, 11am, 12pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm on weekdays and 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm on Saturdays and at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm on Sundays and public holidays.

The meeting point is at the entrance.