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Villages / Jura / Delémont district / Château de Soyhières

Château de Soyhières

Site Canton of Jura · District: Delémont · Uninhabited site (municipality of Courroux)
Part of the municipality of Courroux
View of Château de Soyhières
Photo: Roland Zumbuehl, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Remains Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Château de Soyhières

The castle bears the name of the neighbouring village of Soyhières, recorded in 1102 as « Sougere », in 1136 as « Sohires » and in 1212 as « Sogron ». The German name is « Saugern », also borne by the family of the counts of Soyhières (German von Saugern). Where does the name come from? That is still unknown.

Founding of Château de Soyhières

The ruins stand on a rocky spur south of the village of Soyhières, on the right bank of the Birse, but on the territory of the municipality of Courroux. The castle was built around 1100 by the Soyhières family of counts and barons, probably originally settled in the Seedorf-Bargen area (BE), which from the 11th century pursued a policy of settling the Sornegau as far as Birseck. From the 11th to the 13th century, the counts of Soyhières administered the Sornegau.

History of Château de Soyhières

11th-13th centuries. The counts of Soyhières administer the Sornegau.

around 1100. The castle is built by the Soyhières family.

13th century. When the family dies out, the castle and the advocacy of the Sornegau pass by inheritance to the counts of Ferrette.

1271. The counts of Ferrette sell the castle and the advocacy of the Sornegau to the Bishop of Basel.[4]

1356. The Basel earthquake destroys the castle.[4]

1499. The castle is burned during the Swabian War.

1576. The bishop buys back the lordship, until then granted as a fief to several families.

1792. With the French invasion, the castle ceases to belong to the Prince-Bishopric of Basel.[4]

1920. After a first partial restoration by Auguste Quiquerez, the Société des amis du château de Soyhières is founded and continues the restoration.

around 1947. The Société des amis du château reportedly becomes the owner, rebuilds the knights' hall and opens the site to the public.[4]

Remains in Château de Soyhières

Castle ruins. Ruins on a rocky spur south of the village of Soyhières, partly restored by Auguste Quiquerez and then by the Société des amis du château de Soyhières. The knights' hall has reportedly been rebuilt and the site is said to be open to the public.[4]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Soyhières » (commune)
  2. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Soyhières, de » (Werner Meyer)
  3. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Courroux »
  4. The Swiss Spectator, « Château de Soyhières »
  5. Office fédéral de topographie swisstopo, map.geo.admin.ch

Other villages near Château de Soyhières

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