Schloss Burgdorf

At Burgdorf Castle, you can marvel, dine, sleep, and celebrate thanks to the unique combination of museum, restaurant, and youth hostel. In the museum, you can discover the region and the world in chambers of wonders. In the restaurant, you can enjoy regional cuisine in a castle setting, and in the youth hostel, you can stay in comfortable double, family, or shared rooms within the old walls. Burgdorf Castle is the ideal venue for weddings, family celebrations, and seminars in an unforgettable setting.

A monument of national importance
Burgdorf Castle is one of the oldest and most important castle complexes in Switzerland. The well-preserved main buildings were built by Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen around 1200 using innovative red bricks. After his death, the Kyburgs took over the castle as their residence until they lost it in the Burgdorf War in 1383 and had to sell the county of Burgdorf to the city-state of Bern. A Bernese mayor moved into the castle, which became the cantonal administrative seat with a court and prison until 2012. In 2020, the castle was reopened with a new museum, a restaurant, a youth hostel, and event venues. A museum to marvel at and discover The castle is a large chamber of wonders, where objects from many centuries and all continents invite visitors to marvel and discover. The varied exhibitions with stories about the castle, Burgdorf, and the Emmental region create connections to the world and the present. Visitors of all ages can try out many things for themselves and solve puzzles or explore highlights on special tours. Who can find the castle ghost?

Offers for schools
There are various group offers especially for school classes. Depending on their age, students can help the castle ghost immerse themselves in the Middle Ages or follow in the footsteps of justice. Schools are also welcome in the castle restaurant.

A restaurant to enjoy and a ballroom to celebrate
The restaurant, which seats 60, is designed as a meeting place for the people of Burgdorf and visitors to the castle. Regional cuisine delights all guests from morning to night. The Assisensaal is a charming venue for lavish parties, banquets, or events for up to 80 people. A garden restaurant brings life to the castle courtyard, and the tower garden is available for private aperitif events. On seven Fridays a year, weddings can be celebrated in the historic ceremonial hall at Burgdorf Castle.

A castle to stay in
Who hasn't wished to stay in a castle or museum? At Burgdorf Castle, this wish can come true. The comfortable rooms at the youth hostel also offer a touch of magic. The youth hostel is open all year round and offers double, family, and shared rooms with a total of 115 beds at affordable prices. As an overnight guest at the castle, breakfast is included and you enjoy free admission to the museum.

Discover the region
Burgdorf Castle is the ideal starting point for discovering the whole of the Emmental region. Its unique landscape is ideal for hiking, e-biking, and cycling. The town and region offer a wide range of activities in terms of culture, history, and sport. As an overnight guest, you can take advantage of special discounts on individual offers.

Getting there and parking

•  Arrival by public transport: Direct connections from Bern, Olten, Solothurn, Thun, and Zurich. From the train station, it is a 15-minute walk through the old town to the castle. From 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., bus 461 runs every 15 minutes to Kronenplatz, from where the castle is a 3-minute walk away. Burgdorf is located on the famous Herzroute from Lake Geneva to Lake Constance. The Emmental region offers other attractive bike tours. There are plenty of bike parking spaces at Schlosshügel, Velo-Parking at Schlossgässli and in Vorburg, and charging cables for e-bikes at the castle.nbsp;
• Arriving by car: Burgdorf is located 10 minutes from the Kirchberg exit of the A1 motorway and is easily accessible from all over Switzerland. There are no parking spaces at the castle. Please use the Oberstadt parking garage or the other parking spaces in the city. 
• Arriving by coach: Coaches are allowed to drop off and pick up passengers briefly at Kronenplatz, from where it is a 3-minute walk to the castle. Free parking for coaches is available at the Markthalle car park. The castle is a 10-minute walk from there.

EmmentalCARD
The museum is a partner of the EmmentalCARD – benefit from attractive discounts with the guest card.