Burg Oltigen

Burg Oltigen is the site of a medieval castle on a rocky ledge in Radelfingen (canton of Bern), above the Aare and just downstream of where the Saane joins it. The castle itself is gone, yet the spot remains one of the region's most significant historic sites near Aarberg.

What is Burg Oltigen?

Oltigen was a hilltop castle perched roughly 90 m above the Aare. It watched over a river crossing, and the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland describes it as guarding the only Aare bridge between Bern and Aarberg. Today the main thing you can read in the landscape is the shape of the rock itself, with very little masonry left. The river is dammed here by the Kallnach power station, so the scene differs from the medieval one.

What is its history?

The name appears in records as early as 1006. Oltigen mattered most from about 1075 to 1125, during the Investiture Controversy, when the Alpine passes were contested. Its lords held the title of count, and Burkhard of Oltigen served as Bishop of Lausanne from 1056 to 1089.

Around 1218 the lordship came under Kyburg influence, with the von Oltigen family acting as their ministerials. In 1385 Countess Anna of Kyburg-Nidau bought the rights back. In May 1410 rebellious subjects stormed and destroyed the castle, and the last lord, Hugo of Montbéliard, was killed. Bern took over and ran the territory as a bailiwick until 1483, then divided it between Aarberg and Laupen. What was left of the walls was pulled down in 1850 and the stone reused for building.

What can you see today?

Do not expect a ruin with walls and a tower. You will find the traces of ditches and the lie of the rock, and the view over the Aare valley and the Saane confluence makes the strategic choice of site easy to grasp. One curiosity is the Güggelisloch, a passage cut through the rock barrier by soldiers on active service in 1914–1918 and used as a lookout post.

How do you get there and when should you go?

The site lies in the municipality of Radelfingen, a few kilometres from Aarberg and not far from Lake Niederried. The simplest plan is to head for Radelfingen village and continue on foot or by bike along the Aare; check a local map for the exact approach from your starting point. Late spring through autumn is the pleasant season, with long days for combining the visit with a riverside walk. It is open ground, so there is no entrance fee.

Frequently asked questions

Are there ruins left at Burg Oltigen? Not really. The remaining walls were demolished in 1850, leaving mostly ditches and the shaped rock ledge.

When was the castle destroyed? In May 1410, during an uprising of the lord's subjects in which the last lord died.

What is the Güggelisloch? A tunnel through the rock, dug by soldiers in the First World War and used as an observation post.

Do you have to pay to visit? No. It is open terrain above the Aare with no ticket.