May 17 - Geneva & Chillon Castle

 

History, history, and more in this day of discovery!   Above is shown a symbol from The House of Savoy who played a major role in this region.   More on them .. later.    We knew it was going to be a monster of a day, so we needed to start off with a good breakfast.   Jan started with some fruit and yogurt.   We both ordered 'Rosti' or 'Roschti' which is a Swiss dish.   Originally, it was a breakfast dish, commonly eaten by farmers in the canton of Bern.    Potatoes, shallow fried in a pan, topped with eggs.   Jan added bacon and of course, sausage for me.

We're off for the first part of the city tour on a bus, visiting the many buildings of the international centers for many organizations such as the United Nations, the Red Cross, the World Health Organization, and about 48 more.    It was Woodrow Wilson in 1919, after World War I, who proposed the League of Nations, which was formed in Geneva.   Geneva has become a worldwide center for diplomacy.

This is The Broken Chair sculpture across the street from the palace of nations.   It symbolizes opposition to land mines and cluster bombs.

Just behind it are water fountains.

Can you believe we get another gorgeous day!   I sure hope you also are enjoying pleasant Spring weather.   Pics from our seat in the bus:

Now for the walking tour.   Here's the Russian Orthodox Church.

The history museum.

Here are some early entries in my notebook, by the end of the day there would be 12-pgs!

The following pic is the public secondary school founded by John Calvin in 1559.   (for boys only, it was free and compulsory)

We're approaching Cathedrale Saint-Pierre, built between 1160-1280, and its small chapel off to the side.

This is the Reformation Wall, it honors many of the individuals who were important in the Protestant Reformation.    The wall was built on/over the original city bastion wall.

It was on this bastion wall in December of 1602, that the army sent by the Duke of Savoy to attack the city was thwarted by the locals and a certain Madame Royaume, a Geneva matron who is said to have emptied a cauldron of soup over the ladder-climbing soldiers from Savoy, making a vital contribution to the defense of the city.    The city celebrates this day every year with cauldrons of chocolate.

After a brief stop for lunch we get back on the bus for more fun.

On our way to the Chillon Castle we stop at the very beautiful town of Montreux.   It's famous for its jazz festival.   It reminds me of Lake Como and Bellagio in Italy.

See Geneva? (lower left-hand corner)   It's almost surrounded by France.   Montreux is on the other side of this HUGE lake.

That's a statue of Freddie Mercury, lead singer for Queen, who spent quite a few years here, before his death.

Lots and lots of money in this town!    The Swiss Riviera.

On to Chillon Castle.    First, it's located on a very important piece of rock (and land).    Before the castle was built, the Romans came through this very narrow opening in the Alps, in fact Julius Caesar and his legions came through here in 58BC and traveled to where Geneva is now to push back some Germanic and Gaul tribes.    Napoleon and his army used this pass also.

The castle is over 1000 years old!    The House of Savoy was one of its earliest inhabitants, before the Swiss canton of Bern (the Bernese) occupied the castle from 1536-1798.    It's one of the best preserved castles in Europe because it had only ONE attempt to capture it!

We had an excellent guide who worked for the castle, his name was Tony, and he was American.

We've now moved from the wine room to the prison.   Lord Byron wrote a poem in 1816 after a visit to this prison room, titled "The Prisoner of Chillon" when he learned of the story of Francois de Bonivard, a monk who was imprisoned between 1530-1536.   Byron and other prisoners carved their names on several pillars.   See that date 1536?   That's when the Bernese came and told the Savoy they were going to storm the castle.   The Savoy asked them to think about the terms of surrender overnight.   And during the night they slipped out of the castle on the lake side with a boat and fled.   When the Bernese came  .. there was only one occupant, the prisoner Bonivard. 

They freed him and he left for Geneva for a prosperous life and fathered 12 children.

The posts in this room were solid oak trees!

A very interesting castle!   Strategically located, several walls of defense.    Now it's time to get on the bus for a long bus ride back to Geneva.    It's time to freshen up for dinner.

It's on to El Pueblo for a meat-fondue!   ??  Jon-this is for you.

It was a very filling dinner!   After a very long day!    Where's my sand chair and umbrella and beer for relaxing at Captiva?

Tomorrow, it's on to the "Pearl of the French Alps", Annecy, capital of the Haute-Savoie.    Canals, beautiful houses, and castles.   

See you there!