Bubikon Castle

The commandery of Bubikon was founded between 1191 and 1198, with the year 1192 traditionally accepted as the founding year. The foundation by the Barons of Toggenburg and the Lords of Neu-Rapperswil was closely linked to an inheritance dispute over the estates of the extinct Alt-Rapperswil family. Originally intended for the St. John's Monastery in Obertoggenburg, parts of the lands, including the court and church of Bubikon, were transferred to the Order of St. John at the advice of Pope Celestine III. Over the centuries, the commandery acquired extensive possessions and founded further commanderies in Tobel, Leuggern, Wädenswil, and Küsnacht. After the Reformation and the increasing sovereignty of Zurich, the commandery was finally dissolved in 1789 and its assets sold. In the 19th century, the complex changed hands several times and gradually fell into disrepair until the Ritterhausgesellschaft Bubikon acquired a large part of the buildings in 1936 and initiated extensive renovations.

Bubikon Castle is located in Bubikon in the Hinwil district, canton of Zurich, Switzerland, at an altitude of approximately 504 m above sea level.

Today, Bubikon Castle serves as a museum that presents the history of the commandery and the Order of St. John. The buildings are well-preserved and accessible to visitors, allowing for an insight into the past.

• Rapperswil Castle (Castle), approx. 4.5 km away
• Upper Baliken (Blattenbach) Ruin (Castle), approx. 5.3 km away
• Grüningen Castle (Castle), approx. 5.4 km away
• Bernegg (Hinwil) Ruin (Castle), approx. 5.5 km away