Böttstein Castle

Böttstein Castle is a castle in the canton of Aargau. It is located on the edge of the village of Böttstein on the left bank of the Aare river.

From the 11th to the 13th century, the noble family of the Barons of Böttstein inhabited the castle. In 1218, the knight Luthold von Böttstein transferred the church patronage of "Buckhein" (Beuggen), the Hardt forest, and the new meadows as a fief for a debt to the squire Mangold Chelhalda von Rheinfelden and his sons Johannes and Mangold, who probably thereafter called themselves von Beuggen. Subsequently, Böttstein Castle, with its associated land and the church patronage of Böttstein, came into the possession of the Lords of Tiefenstein (Teufen). Hugo I, the eldest of the three brothers of Tiefenstein, who was married to Mechthild von Wart, sold this property to the Knights Hospitaller in Bubikon in 1239. On June 5, 1606, the brothers Johann Peter von Roll, Knight, Hans Walther von Roll, Knight of the Order of St. Stephen, and Junker Karl Emmanuel von Roll purchased the municipal area of Böttstein for 1,800 guilders. They had inherited 574,000 guilders from their father. From 1615 to 1617, they built the castle complex with a manor house and chapel in place of the old castle. Due to the construction and their otherwise luxurious lifestyle, the inherited fortune diminished to 35,000 guilders by 1674. Thereafter, the castle and lands came into the possession of the Schmid family from Uri through marriage.

The von Schmids were highly respected and popular in the village because they cared deeply for the well-being of the population and ensured everyone a livelihood. At that time, the only way to earn a living was to work at the castle as a farmhand, maid, or day laborer. A farmhand had an annual wage of 50 to 60 francs (2 francs = 1 guilder), a maid 30 to 40 francs, and a day laborer 60 rappen if he ate at home, and 30 rappen if he was fed at the castle. Throughout the year, 30 to 40 people were employed.

Joseph von Schmid, known as "Captain von Schmid," distinguished himself through particular progress by being the first far and wide to introduce crop rotation. In doing so, he became the laughingstock of the farmers, who had no understanding for this farming method. But when they saw that he could now keep 22 cows instead of the previous six, the criticism fell silent and his advice was followed.

The most famous lord of the castle was National and Council of States member Karl von Schmid.

During the construction of the Beznau nuclear power plant by NOK between 1965 and 1972, NOK's technical staff set up quarters in the castle. Afterwards, the castle was converted into a hotel with a restaurant, which opened in 1974. The castle and chapel are now listed as historical monuments.