Alt Rapperswil

About

Altendorf Castle (Swiss German: Ruine Altendorf) was a medieval hill castle in the municipality of Altendorf in the canton of Schwyz. On the foundation of the round castle chapel stands the choir of the chapel of St. Johann.

Geography: The ruins respectively a chapel built at the castle's former location is situated on the western lake shore of Obersee on a ridge towards the mountain called Etzel in Altendorf. The castle overlooked the Linth plain and the upper part of the Lake Zurich. The village of Lachen is situated below the hill on the shore of the lake, although the castle site is on the ground of the municipality of Altendorf. The castle site is accessible by car, parking lots are nearby. Hiking trails lead from the boat landing Altendorf Seestatt and from the railway station Lachen to the castle site.

History: "Rahprehteswilare" is mentioned for the first time in a document of emperor Otto II, in which goods of the Einsiedeln Abbey in the location of today's Altendorf were confirmed on 14 August 972. Rahprehteswilare means hamlet or village of Raprecht, named after a probably Alemanni nobleman in the 7th or 8th century AD. The House of Rapperswil had estates in central...