Page 147 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

Sampling cheesy dishes
at La Maison du Gruyère’s
restaurant, Pringy

authorities of Fribourg. It now 22 June 1476, that Baroque gatehouse with
contains a museum. Displayed the forces of the Swiss a clock dating from 1712.
in rooms with frescoes and Confederation crushed the The Musée Historique, in a
grand fireplaces, the exhibits army of Charles the Bold, disused mill on the lakeshore,
include 16th­century Flemish Duke of Burgundy, killing displays prehistoric finds from
tapestries and booty taken 12,000 of his soldiers, while local archaeological exca­
after the Battle of Murten losing only 410 of their own. vations, and items relating
(1476). Delicate landscapes According to legend, a mes­ to the Burgundian Wars. It
by the French Impressionist senger ran 17 km (10 miles) also stages frequent tem­
painter Jean­Baptiste Corot from Murten to Fribourg with porary exhibitions.
(1796–1875), who stayed at news of the victory, dropping
the castle, are also on view. dead with exhaustion on his Musée Historique
You can visit the château and arrival. His sacrifice is com­ " ⌂ 4 Ryf, Murten # Apr–
grounds at your own pace or memorated by an annual run Oct: 2–5pm Tue–Sat, 10am–
join one of the regular guided between Murten and Fribourg 5pm Sun ∑ museum
tours (in a number of lang­ that takes place on the first murten.ch
uages, including English). Sunday in October.
The town was founded by
Château de Gruyères the Zähringer dynasty in the ALPINE CATTLE
" ' ⌂ 8 Rue du Château 12th century, and is still DESCENTS
# Apr–Oct: 9am–6pm daily; encircled by walls dating from Each autumn after
Nov–Mar: 10am–4:30pm daily the 12th to the 15th centuries. several happy months
∑ chateau-gruyeres.ch Hauptgasse, the main street munching on alpine
through the old town, is lined flowers on the high
with 16th­century arcaded mountain pastures, it’s
13 houses with overhanging time for the cows to
eaves. The rampart walk,
Murten/Morat reached from several points come home to the
valley for the winter.
along Deutsche Kirchgasse, Many villages, includ-
! B4 £ @ n Französische
Kirchgasse 6; www. offers views of the Murtensee, ing Charmey, near
murtentourismus.ch the castle and of the Old Gruyères, host a day-
Town’s brown­tiled houses. long celebration with
The resort town of Murten At the western end of the plenty of local wine,
(Morat in French) lies on town is a 13th­century castle, cheese and bell-ringing
the eastern shore of the with a courtyard that provides as the cows and their
Murtensee (Lac de Morat). a fine view over the lake. At the farmers parade
It has strong historical asso­ eastern end stands Berntor through the streets.
ciations. It was at Murten, on (or Porte de Berne), a striking
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