posted 08-23-2001 07:45 PM            

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Here are some sites about Chillon Castle. Haven't read much but the castle itself seems to have been build around the 11th century, though some form of Roman habitation on the rock of Chillon is suspected due to some archeological findings. I think its used as a museum nowadays. Although I haven't seen any info about exact dimensions the official website does show very detailed floorplans.
- http://www.chillon.ch/ (the official website)
- http://www.swisscastles.ch/Vaud/chillon/default.htm
- http://www.infozentralschweiz.ch/CHILLON.htm
Hope this helps you out.

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"But round about the castle there began to grow a hedge of thorns, which every year became higher...."
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posted 08-24-2001 05:47 AM            

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It's currently used as a museum, mostly just to display the castle itself. There are a few weapons, some armour and furniture. Part of it is inhabited by the caretakers.
It's a great castle to visit, I was there a few years ago.
Some of the original foundations can actually be seen in an excavated subchamber, situated under the main courtyard. I don't remember the dates of these foundations or the rest of the castle.
If the sites Marko put up don't give you the info you need, let me know and I can see what I have in the tourist info and books. I think there is a map in the tourist pamphlet.

Erik

posted 09-04-2001 08:52 AM            

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Sorry that I didn't post this earlier (holydays...):
Some archeologists of the cantons Vaud and Geneva think that the earliest «castle» at Chillon was a late-roman fortification. Due to the intensified attacks of german tribes (Francs and Alamans) in that area, the emperors tried to rebuild the frontier of the empire. After the fall of the Rhine-limes at 406 AD., this became more and more complicated. After their victory over the Burgundians near Worms, the romans gave that tribe the chance to settle peacefuly in a region called «Sapaudia» with its centre Geneva. The burgundian kings from 450 AD to 476 AD were vasalls of the roman emperors and had to protect the boarder between the jura-mountains and the alps. They occupied the roman fortification at Carouge, the cities of Geneva, Valence, Lyon, Vienne, Grenoble and Avignon - and Chillon would have been another important point on that line, because it protects the often used road from Geneva to Nyon, to Lausanne and to the Wallis (and over Gr. St.Bernhard to Italy). But the castles existence is only testified from the time of the second burgundian kingdom (888 - 1032 AD.) onwards, the arealogical ecidence for remains of earlier forifications is weak...

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