The castle of Aubonne is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.
The Aubonne Castle was built before 1197. It developed into a citadel, and then a fortified castle.
Between the 12th and 17th centuries, it passed successively into the hands of the Lords of Aubonne, then the Counts of Savoy, the Grandson family and finally the Counts of Gruyère.
The castle was acquired in 1701 by LL. EE. of Bern, who established a bailiff there. It became the property of the State of Vaud in 1798, then of the municipality in 1835.
The fortress stands on a hill overlooking the town and the Aubonne ravine.
At the beginning of the 13th century, the property was divided into a seigneury and a co-seigneury, which could explain the presence of a large rectangular tower and another circular tower on a square base.
The castle was acquired in 1670 by Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. Between 1674 and 1676, he commissioned master mason and architect Pierre Billon to rebuild the façades overlooking the inner courtyard, creating in particular a monumental portico with 16 columns. He kept the property for nearly thirty years, finally selling it to Henri Duquesne.
The last renovation of the castle, which is owned by the town, took eight years and was completed in 1988.
It is currently listed as a Swiss cultural asset of national importance and houses a secondary school and several public rooms.
