Heidegg Castle

Heidegg Castle in the Lucerne Seetal valley was formerly an important residence of the Lords of Heidegg and the patrician class of Lucerne. Nowadays, visitors can come to explore history, celebrate special occasions, enjoy concerts and films and stroll through the park and gardens.  

The oldest living quarters in the canton of Lucerne 

Built on top of a lateral moraine, Heidegg Castle overlooks Lake Baldegg. The castle complex comprises a keep, a chapel, living quarters and a farm, and is situated in an idyllic location, surrounded by forests and vineyards. Inside the keep you will find the oldest living quarters anywhere in Lucerne, which were constructed, according to tree-ring dating, as far back as 1192. 

From a noble fortress to a baroque, patrician castle 

By 1237, the Lords of Heidegg had transformed this original building into an impressive, fortified tower and accommodation. In the Late Middle Ages, the noble Büsinger family improved the comfort of the living quarters and incorporated elements of gothic style. The nobility in the end made way for families of Lucerne’s patrician class who had made their fortune in mercenarism. The last of these, the Pfyffer family, transformed the keep into a baroque castle tower and founded the Pfyffer von Heidegg branch. In the 18th century, the lordship of Heidegg passed into the hands of the city of Lucerne. 

A castle for all citizens  

In the wake of the Enlightenment and revolution, the 19th century was marked by a process of democratisation. For fifty years the cantonal estate of the castle was managed by a steward. After the Sonderbund War, the liberal Josef Heggli bought the castle at auction. From then on, the inhabitants of Seetal would amuse themselves playing skittles, sampling the wine from the local vineyards and watching patriotic plays performed in the castle tower. From 1875 on, the rich American Caroline Slidell, having married into the Pfyffer family, turned Heidegg into a high-society meeting place for her guests, members of the upper classes and nobility from across the globe. In 1950, the last members of the Pfyffer family donated the castle to the canton of Lucerne and a museum was set up in the tower. After a complete restoration from 1995 to 1998, the canton handed over management of the castle and its grounds to the Foundation Pro Heidegg.   

Explore your way up through the castle   

Start off your visit in the oldest room of the castle with Turmkellergeschichten: animated tower cellar stories about the 800 years of history of Heidegg castle. In the living rooms on the 3rd floor, every hour on the hour, you can listen to amusing and interesting stories about the Pfyffer family of Heidegg, who were the last owners of the castle. Moreover, newly installed curtains trace the history of curtains from their beginnings to the present day and give the rooms back their charm of earlier centuries. Younger guests will find in the spacious attic a now-legendary dream castle with a marble run. Your inspiring and entertaining castle visit also offers hands-on activities such as the model replica of the castle, the dressing up room, temporary exhibitions, shop, café and, weather permitting, the refreshment bar in the castle courtyard.