Framed Chateau de Chillon on the banks of Lake Geneva

Details

Framed Chateau de Chillon on the banks of Lake Geneva.
Acrylic on heavy weight canvas 30cms X 42cms
Original Painting by Martin Davis professional artist.

Chillon Castle (French: Château de Chillon) is an island castle located on Lake Geneva (Lac Léman), south of Veytaux in the canton of Vaud. It is situated at the eastern end of the lake, on the narrow shore between Montreux and Villeneuve, which gives access to the Alpine valley of the Rhône. Chillon is amongst the most visited castles in Switzerland andEurope

General informationArchitectural styleMedievalClassificationHistoric monumentTown or cityVeytauxCountrySwitzerland.
History
Chillon began as a Roman outpost, guarding the strategic road through the Alpine passes. The later history of Chillon was influenced by three major periods: the Savoy Period, the Bernese Period, and the Vaudois Period.

Savoy period
Arms of the House of Savoy
The oldest parts of the castle have not been definitively dated, but the first written record of the castle is in 1005.It was built to control the road from Burgundy to the Great Saint Bernard Pass From the mid 12th century, the castle was summer home to the Counts of Savoy, who kept a fleet of ships on Lake Geneva. The castle was greatly expanded in 1248 by Peter II.
Chillon as a prison
During the 16th century Wars of Religion, it was used by the dukes of Savoy to house prisoners. Its most famous prisoner was probably François de Bonivard, a Genevois monk, prior of St. Victor in Genevaand politician who was imprisoned there in 1530 for defending his homeland from the dukes of Savoy.