Chapel

Chillon’s chapel is a little architectural jewel.

The 14th Century paintings make it one of the rare religious buildings to have escaped the iconoclastic zeal of the Reformation.

Saint-George's chapel ws the private chapel of the counts and subsequently dukes of Savoy. Abandoned at the time of the Reformation, it was used as a granary and then a powder-house during the Bernese period. The chapel returned to its original function in the 19th century, becoming the place of worship for prisoners when the castle became a cantonal prison.

The openings date from about 1250 and the Gothic vaults from the end of the 13th century. The original decoration on the walls and ceiling dates from the beginning of the 14th century. Between 1914 and 1916 the paint was systematically scraped, reinforced and restored, particularly the walls where the paintings were most damaged. Spoilt by water seepage, they were partly restored between 1985 and 1995 and most of the repainting undertaken between 1914 and 1916 has been removed.

Despite their fragmented appearance, these paintings were deisgned as a scholarly whole around a central subject, Christ, to satisfy the request of their sponsor, Amédée V. The vaults present figures from the Old Testament and John the Baptist, whereas the walls show figures from the New Testament.

Thanks to the information terminal that completes the audiovisual system, visitors can find out at their own pace everything about the history of this private place of worship of the Counts and Dukes of Savoy, and about its wall and ceiling murals.

You have the possibility to discover its content by clicking on the link.

• Contact

  Tel : +41 21 966 89 10
  

  Contact by e-mail

• Address

  Chapel
  Château de Chillon
  Avenue de Chillon 21
  1820 Veytaux

• Documents

  Plan of the castle