The Tour de Diesse

27 February 2021

The Tour de Diesse in Neuchâtel was built in the late tenth and early eleventh centuries as a defence tower for the Diesse family.

This family lived in the tower until 1580. They were not the owners but held the donjon in fief from the Counts of Neuchâtel (until 1395), the (German) Lords of Hochberg and Freiburg (1395-1504) and the dynasty of (d’Orléans-Longueville). The city acquired the property in 1580. The tower is located at the foot of the castle.

The square is one of the oldest parts of the city. The statue of the Banneret, the commander of the militia and the town’s defence, dates from the 17th century. One can find this figure in many Swiss cities.