Grenchen Castle (Ruin)

Around 1000, the castle with ramparts and a wooden structure was built. The castle belongs to the early clearing castles in the Jura. In 1131, the Lords of Grenchen are mentioned for the first time (Kuno von Grenchen). As noble freemen, they belong to the high nobility and had their heyday in the 12th century. In 1150, a stone castle with a mighty residential tower and several annexes was built on the site of the wooden structure. The complex consists of two castles - the main castle here on the Schlossfluh and the Lower Castle on the Hofacherfluh. Around 1200, the castle was enlarged - an oven was installed. In 1225, Berta II von Grenchen dies - the Strassberger branch of the House of Nidau later inherits the castle and the lordship of Grenchen. In 1309, a division of inheritance among the Strassbergers resulted in the castle being assigned to the present-day municipality of Bettlach. The castle was inhabited until the early 14th century. In 1583, a prison tower was built in Grenchen. The Solothurn Council released the castle ruins for this purpose as a quarry.

In 1930, German Leimer (1906-2002) from Bettlach discovered a coin hoard from the 14th century at the castle. The find contains 300 silver blanks (pre-fabricated coin blanks), some coins, a small silver bar, and an iron bar - a find of international scientific importance. In 1959 and 1961, the Grenchen Museum Society initiated the archaeological investigation of the castle. The excavation director was Werner Meyer, Basel. The masonry of the ruin was restored and conserved after the excavations. The finds from these excavations and a model of the castle are exhibited in the Cultural-Historical Museum Grenchen. In 2001, the Historical Society Bettlach and the Grenchen Museum Society carried out an "Action Day Castle Grenchen - Bettleschloss". The ruin was freed from overgrown vegetation, the walls were repaired, and the castle access was renewed.