Bottmingen Castle

Bottmingen Castle is a moated castle in the municipality of Bottmingen, located south of Basel. The 13th-century castle is one of the few preserved moated castles in Switzerland. It was first mentioned in 1363 as property of the Kämmerer family, a noble family serving the bishop, who are considered the probable builders.

Despite the Baroque transformation, the medieval character is still recognizable, especially in the floor plan. Unlike the moated castles of Hallwyl or Hagenwil, the castle lacks a keep. This suggests a kinship with the Burgundian-Savoyard castle type with a tower-fortified square. In 1720, Johannes Deucher transformed Bottmingen Castle into a country estate in the French early Baroque style, which has been almost completely preserved. In addition to the exterior architecture, the staircase also bears witness to this architectural style. Under Martin Wenk in 1780, Rococo became prevalent, evident in the precious stucco in the stone hall. Wenk also had the southeast corner removed down to courtyard level. Today it serves as a garden terrace.

Today, Bottmingen Castle is used as a restaurant and for banquets, weddings, and other festive occasions.