Schloss Berg

Schloss Berg in Berg am Irchel is a 17th-century manor house in the north of the canton of Zurich, in the Andelfingen district. It stands on the eastern edge of the village core and is now a privately owned estate that breeds thoroughbred horses.

What is Schloss Berg and who built it?

The house dates from 1649, when Junker Hans Heinrich Escher vom Luchs (1616-1690) had it built on the site of an older farmstead, a Meierhof. The Escher family held local jurisdiction in Berg for more than two centuries, until 1798. When Albertine Cäcilie, the last Escher descendant to own it, sold the estate in 1875, the buyer was Hermann Sieber of Zurich.

Ownership then changed several times. Major Karl Richard Ziegler of Schaffhausen bought it in 1911 and used it as a summer residence. In 1922 it passed to Hans Bühler-Volkart of Winterthur, a successful show jumper. Since 1987 it has belonged to Fritz von Ballmoos, who runs a thoroughbred stud on the grounds.

What does the building look like?

The main house has two storeys on a pentagonal plan, topped by a saddle roof with two stepped gables. The north side shows five hipped dormers. The south side originally had five shed dormers, of which the middle three were later merged into one large dormer, a trace of the alterations the house has seen over almost four centuries.

The complex includes stables from 1877 and an orangery from 1800 attached at a right angle to the east side. To the south lies a park of roughly 45 ares with a pond of about 10 ares. Together they form a classic country-estate layout: a residence, working buildings for the farm and horses, and a garden.

A view of the castle and its garden survives in a 1743 etching by David Herrliberger. The Swiss inventory of protected sites (ISOS) lists two manor complexes in the village, Schloss Berg and Schloss Eigental, next to a prominently placed church.

Can you visit it?

The estate is private and works as a stud farm, so treat it as something to see from the outside during a walk through the village rather than as a ticketed attraction. Keep to public paths and respect the animals. Berg am Irchel is a farming and wine-growing village on a terrace above the Thur plain, which makes the manor a natural stop on a stroll around the Irchel area.

Frequently asked questions

Who built Schloss Berg?

Junker Hans Heinrich Escher vom Luchs, in 1649, on the site of a former farmstead.

Can I go inside?

No public access is documented. The house is privately owned and hosts a horse-breeding operation, so plan to admire it from outside.

Where exactly is it?

In the village of Berg am Irchel, canton Zurich, on the eastern edge of the village centre.

Is this the same as Berg Palace in Bavaria?

No. Berg Palace on Lake Starnberg, linked to King Ludwig II, is a different building in Germany. This manor is in Switzerland.