Gräpplang Castle ruins

On the castle hill stand the ruins of the knight’s fortress that became well known in the Middle Ages. Around 1220, the Lords of Flums built it on the “crap long”, the “long rock”. After passing through the hands of several feudal owners, the castle came into the possession of Zurich in 1419. In 1440, it was destroyed by troops from Glarus and Schwyz. Ludwig Tschudi purchased the fortress in 1528, but after extensive reconstruction work, it had to be sold again in 1767 due to financial difficulties. Several owners followed until, neglected and decaying, the castle was sold for demolition in 1804. In 1923, the municipality of Flums acquired, restored and has since maintained the ruins.

That not all the lords of the castle were good men is shown in the legends “Castle Gräpplang” and “The Evil Lord of the Castle.” Both tell of a tyrant who exploited his subjects. Step inside the well-restored ruins and immerse yourself in times long past. The walls and restored stairways provide an excellent impression of what the castle once looked like. In the large upper hall, enjoy the magnificent view. Here you will find a place of strong natural energy – a site that lends itself to spiritual or ritual use. For the castle’s inhabitants, this energy may well have been overwhelming. Should one of the evil lords have feasted or even slept here, it is easy to imagine the imbalance that may have driven him to tyranny.

At the fireplace in the former castle courtyard, you will find yet another power spot with qualities of a sacred site. The intensity of its energies is considerably greater than in the rest of the castle. Archaeological finds confirm that the site was already visited by humans long before settlement – as early as the Neolithic period.

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