Chateau d'allaman

History

To make knowledge with this beautiful feudal residence it is necessary to take the road which goes up towards the church and forks then in the direction of the station. The Castle was partly burned by the Bernois with the help of Geneva in 1530.

After the fire of 1530 the castle mainly was rebuilt, altered in XVIIe century, and especially in 1723, year when it was bought by the marchioness of Langallerie, widow of a former General of cavalry. The marchioness establishes a train of considerable house there, receiving distinguished persons and organizing splendid festivals.

The castle of Allaman lived its more beautiful days then, than only the death of the marchioness was to stop.

Voltaire would have liked to acquire it but ran up against the refusal Net of LL.EE. from Bern which was not due to have to the medium of their possessions an atheist and even less one writer with the so frightening feather. A baillif bernois had even advised in Voltaire: " You said evil of good God, it to you will forgive it, because it is its trade, but never do not say evil of LL.EE, they would not never forgive it to you " illustrates It writer, one knows, ends it up being established in Ferney, two steps of the Swiss border.

In 1755 the castle was bought by Gaspard Sellon, member of the Large Council of Geneva. Sellon accommodated there many refugees or politicians who liked themselves extremely in so charming places; for example Joseph Bonaparte ex-king d' Espagne, who, also, would have liked to him to go purchaser of the field; the duke of Bassano, the Count de Cavour, minister of Victor-Emmanuel II, etc.

It is recorded that the son of Gaspard, Jean-Jacques de Sellon [http://www.switzerland.isyours.com/e/celebrities/bios/222.html] (1782 - 1839) was the founder of the United Nations concept, when founding the Society of Peace (societe de paix) that later shall become the League of Nations and today the United Nations Organisation (UNO). De Sellon was also active in peace processes and strongly advocated for the abolition of the death penalty in Switzerland. Allaman served as the base of his humanitarian activities when uniting several cantons of Switzerland to decide on the abolition of the death penalty. The initiatives by de Sellon resulted in the Castle to be known as the Castle of Peace (le chateau de la Paix).

At the death of JJ de Sellon in 1839 the vast property passed to Hortense de Sellon. As Châtelaine d'Allaman she lived in the Castle until her death in 1905 and Allaman passed to his/her niece Mrs. de Loriol. After the death of Comte Gerard de Loriol in 1973, it is the Inheritance of Loriol which governed the destinies of the field. Not for a long time: in 1976, its resold to the Viticultural Company of Perroy that operates the vineyards for some years. In addition the 70,000 squarefeet interior of the Castle and annex buildings hosted one of Europe's largest permanent Antique Exhibitions until 2005 before the property is sold to the current owners, a Swiss-German family that now governs the castle, vineyards and parks of some 85 acres (33 hectares) of land.

Since 2007 the property is in restoration and will only open its doors again to its residents in 2010.

Description

Extremely well preserved, and maintained especially well, the castle of Allaman has large air in the medium of a park admirable, and preceded by a vast court. The enclosing wall which still existed under the domination bernoise, was demolished by the marchioness of Langallerie, which removed at the same time ditches and drawbridges become useless, 3 turns of the east, north and the west. On the other hand it built the Eastern wing which ends in two elegant turrets of neo-gothic style.

One still owes with the marchioness of Langallerie the surmounted frontage of a triangular pediment to the angle of the two bodies of building, as well as the gate baroque with pediment stopped of the tower of north.

Despite everything these elements of various times, it should be recognized that the castle of Allaman shows an altogether coherent and extremely pleasant unit. The architects who followed one another there during four centuries knew to bring from the nine without harming old.

The interior of the building is not less interesting. One finds there parts moyenâgeuses, in particular in the southern tower, a room of the guards, arched, of which the effect is impressive; dungeons whose iron gates are armed with large bolts, while the chains are still sealed with the wall; parts of reception of XVIIe and XVIIIe centuries. The interior is decorated with valuable hand-painted wallpapers that are located in the hallways and the Langallery residence.

Chateau Allaman is also well know by the connaiseurs of wine. On the properties own vineyards some of the finest wines of the regions are produced and its grapes rank amongst the best-rated ones in Switzerland.

Photos of the Castle of Allaman The restoration of the Castle: [http://www.fauland-photography.com/gallery3_new.php]

The Wine production of Chateau d'Allaman [http://www.schenk-wine.ch/FR/VinsFR/AssortFR/Suisse/Domaines/allamanFR.htm]

The Village of Allaman [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allaman]