Dorneck Castle

7 December 2021

Dorneck Castle near Dornach (Solothurn Canton) was first mentioned in documents around 1350. The barons of Pfeffingen were probably the builders in the 11th century.

The complex later came into the possession of the counts of Saugener and, from about 1200, of the counts of Thierstein. Habsburg bought the castle in 1384. After the Habsburgs suffered a heavy defeat in the Battle of Sempach (1386), the castle changed hands several times.

The city of Solothurn bought the castle in 1485. In the following 300 years, it was expanded into a fortress.

French troops plundered the castle in 1798, and the canton of Solothurn bought the ruins in 1902.

Today, the National Heritage (Denkmalpflege) maintains the ruins in the beautiful hiking region of the Jura and the Birs river basin.

(Source: https://denkmalpflege-schweiz.ch).