The Castle of Saint-Saphorin-sur-Morges, also called Mestral Castle, is a
castle in the
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
of
Echichens
Echichens is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud, located in the district of Morges.
The municipalities of Colombier, Monnaz and Saint-Saphorin-sur-Morges merged on 1 July 2011 into the municipality of Echichens. of the
Canton of Vaud
Vaud ( ; french: (Canton de) Vaud, ; german: (Kanton) Waadt, or ), more formally the canton of Vaud, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of ten districts and its capital city is Lausanne. Its coat of arms b ...
in
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. It is a Swiss
heritage site of national significance.
History
The current castle was built on the ruins of an old feudal castle which consisted of two buildings divided by a courtyard: one of them served as a dungeon while the other was used as housing for the local lord.
In 1727, General François-Louis de Pesmes de Saint-Saphori
after a career as a soldier and a diplomat, retired to Saint-Saphorin where he was born. Previously, he had the castle rebuilt, which already belonged to his family, on the model of that of
Vullierens Castle, Vullierens. His daughter, Judith-Louise, married Gabriel-Henri de Mestral, then Lord of
Pampigny
Pampigny is a former municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Morges District, Morges in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Vaud in Switzerland. On 1 July 2021 the former municipalities of Apples, Vaud, Apples, Cottens, Va ...
.
The castle took the name of Mestral, and among the successive owners, the engineer
Georges de Mestral, inventor of
Velcro
Velcro, officially known as Velcro IP Holdings LLC and trading as Velcro Companies, is a British privately held company, founded by Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral in the 1950s. It is the original manufacturer of hook-and-loop fast ...
, inherited it on the death of his father in 1966.
Viticulture
The castle is classified as cultural property of national importance.
[ It is surrounded by a wine estate where the Grand Cru ]Saint-Saphorin-sur-Morges
Saint-Saphorin-sur-Morges is a former municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud, located in the district of Morges.
The villages of Colombier, Monnaz and Saint-Saphorin-sur-Morges merged on 1 July 2011 into the municipality of Echichens. AOC La Côte is produced.[
]
See also
* List of castles in Switzerland
This list includes castles and fortresses in Switzerland.
Entries list the name and location of the castle, fortress or ruins in each Canton in Switzerland.
Aargau
Appenzell Ausserrhoden
Appenzell Innerrhoden
Basel-Land
...
* Château
A château (; plural: châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking regions.
Now ...
References
Cultural property of national significance in the canton of Vaud
Castles in Vaud
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