Spliatsch Castle (german: Burg Spliatsch) is a ruined 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 ...

Surses Sursés (german: Oberhalbstein) is a municipality in the Albula Region of the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2016 the former municipalities of Bivio, Cunter, Marmorera, Mulegns, Riom-Parsonz, Salouf, Savognin, Sur and Tinizong ...

in the

Albula Region Albula Region is one of the eleven administrative districts in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It had an area of and a population of (as of ).. It was created on 1 January 2017 as part of a reorganization of the Canton. Mergers ...

in the canton of Graubünden 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 ...

History

Very little is known about the early history of this castle. It was built along the important trade road that led over the Julier and

Septimer Pass Septimer Pass (German: ''Septimerpass'', Italian: ''Passo del Settimo'', Romansh: ''Pass da Sett''; elevation ) is a high mountain pass in the canton of Graubünden in the Swiss Alps between the valleys of Bregaglia (Bergell) and Surses (Ober ...

es probably in the 12th or 13th century. A local noble family of the same name existed during that time and may have built the castle. In that case, when they died out in the early 13th century the castle was inherited by Marmels family. It is also possible that the castle was built by the Marmels family directly to support Marmels Castle which is only away. The earliest mention of Spliatsch is in 1193 when, at the request of the

emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

, Andreas von Marmels imprisoned the

papal legate 300px, A woodcut showing Henry II of England greeting the pope's legate. A papal legate or apostolic legate (from the ancient Roman title ''legatus'') is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic ...

Cintius there. In 1486 the castle was inherited by Anton and Augustin de Beccaria from their mother Anna von Marmels. However, the surrounding farm and pastures were rented out. At that time the tower was still in good condition and the renters were required to look after it and repair the roof as needed. It is unclear if the de Beccarias ever lived in the tower. In the early 16th century the Marmels family reacquired the castle. After Hans von Marmels, the last of the line, died in 1550 the castle was probably abandoned. By the 17th century it was a ruin.

Castle site

The tower is and three stories tall. The walls are thick at the base. The main entrance is located on the west side on the second story. On the inside traces of the original plaster and the chimney of a fireplace are visible. Almost nothing remains of the castle walls and outbuildings.

Gallery

File:Spliatsch Grundriss.jpg, Plan of the castle File:Sicht von oben in das Innere der Burg-Ruine Spliatsch- Luftaufnahme erstellt mit einem Quadrocopter Phantom und einer Gopro Hero 3-Kamera- 2014-04-20 21-07.jpg, Aerial view of the castle File:Spliatsch Nebengebäude.jpg, Location of an outbuilding File:Spliatsch Eingang.jpg, Main entrance into the castle File:Spliatsch Südseite.jpg, South wall of the castle

References

{{Authority control Castles in Graubünden Ruined castles in Switzerland

History

Castle site

Gallery

See also

References