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Ruines de Spiegelberg

Site Canton of Jura · District: Franches-Montagnes · Uninhabited site (municipality of Muriaux)
Part of the municipality of Muriaux
Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Must-see historical sites Remains Legends Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Ruines de Spiegelberg

Spiegelberg is the old German name of Muriaux, and the castle's noble family took it as their name. The castle is also called the castle of Muriaux, « Murival » (form attested for Muriaux in 1301), « Murval », « Mervaux » or « Mirival ». Locally it was nicknamed « Château des Sots Maîtres », supposedly because of the bad conduct of its owners. The mirror in the arms of Muriaux, adopted in 1746, repeats that of the former nobles of the place.[1][2][4][5]

Founding of Ruines de Spiegelberg

Conon de Pleujouse built the castle, probably in the 13th century, on the rocky ridge of the Sommêtres, south-west of the village of Muriaux, above the Doubs valley. Shortly after 1300 he received the lordship of Muriaux in fief from the bishop of Basel, and his family took the name Spiegelberg. An easily defended lookout post, the castle was the seat of the castellan of the lordship of the Franches-Montagnes, in the prince-bishopric of Basel, from the 14th to the 17th century. The site lies in the municipality of Muriaux.[1][2]

History of Ruines de Spiegelberg

13th century. Conon de Pleujouse probably builds the castle on the Sommêtres ridge.

Shortly after 1300. Conon de Pleujouse receives the lordship of Muriaux in fief. His family takes the name Spiegelberg.[2]

1315. First mention of Conon de Mireval or von Spiegelberg in a deed of 27 April; he dies in 1320.[5]

Before 1370. Henri von Spiegelberg gives up the lordship of Muriaux. The family turns to the Delémont valley and then to Solothurn.[2]

1382. Bishop Jean de Vienne pledges the castle to his cousin, the French admiral Jean de Vienne.

1384. Bishop Imier de Ramstein pledges the castle to the city of Basel for 4'000 florins and on 17 November grants the charter of liberties of the Franches-Montagnes.[3][4][5]

1388. The castle and lordship are reportedly pledged to Thiébaud VIII of Neuchâtel-Bourgogne for 7'500 francs.

1424. Bishop Johann von Fleckenstein seizes the castle by force, which leads to a war with the house of Neuchâtel.[5]

1426. An agreement leaves the castle to the prince-bishopric of Basel for 10'000 florins. A castellan administers the lordship of the Franches-Montagnes.[5]

1541. The von Spiegelberg family dies out with Bartholomäus, canon of Solothurn, in 1541 or at the end of the 16th century. The exact date is uncertain.[2][5]

1636. During the Thirty Years' War the castle is occupied and devastated by the Swedes and then the French. Abandoned, it falls into ruin . The castellan resides at Saignelégier from 1691.[3][5]

End of the 18th century. During the Revolution, revolutionaries destroy the remains of the castle. Walkers later throw stones from the walls into the ravine.[5]

1840. Abbé Sérasset still records the remains of a square tower and a building about 20 m long.[5]

Around 1900. A footpath was reportedly laid out, the walls consolidated and iron railings fitted at dangerous spots.

1902. Abbé Arthur Daucourt publishes the « Histoire de la seigneurie de Spiegelberg ou des Franches-Montagnes ».

Historic sites in Ruines de Spiegelberg

Arête des Sommêtres. Rocky ridge above the Doubs valley, in the municipality of Muriaux. The site of the ruins is a destination for walks.[1][6]

Remains in Ruines de Spiegelberg

Remains of the castle. Cultural property of regional importance. The site keeps ditches cut into the ridge, steps cut into the rock, the site of a drawbridge and the remains of a watchtower and of the upper residence. On the west side there are also cellars or prisons cut into the rock, a cistern and the trace of the only path that led up from Muriaux. The whole is said to be about 200 m long and 20 to 30 m wide, figures that are uncertain.[5][6]

Legends of Ruines de Spiegelberg

The cross of the Sommêtres. A cross carved in the rock near the castle entrance is said by tradition to mark the death of a man who fell into the nearby ravine.[4]

The Château des Sots Maîtres. Local tradition explains this nickname of the castle by the bad conduct of its former owners.[4]

Sources

  1. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Muriaux » (François Kohler), version du 13.07.2020
  2. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Spiegelberg, von (SO, ministériaux) » (Silvan Freddi), version du 07.11.2012
  3. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Franches-Montagnes » (Claude Rebetez), version du 15.05.2007
  4. Commune de Muriaux, « Histoire »
  5. Swisscastles.ch, « Château de Spiegelberg ou de Muriaux »
  6. Office fédéral de la protection de la population (OFPP), Inventaire PBC, liste cantonale du canton du Jura (état au 1.1.2026)
  7. geo.admin.ch (swisstopo), recherche de lieux « Arête des Sommêtres »

Other villages near Ruines de Spiegelberg

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