Rietberg Castle (Pratval)

Rietberg Castle, Pratval, Switzerland, was constructed in the medieval period for the Lords of Rietberg, members of the region’s feudal society.

The oldest fabric of the site dates to the 13th century, when the central rectangular tower was raised, probably around the remains of an even older 12th-century tower. By 1286 the men of Rietberg held the site as vassals of the Freiherr von Sax‑Misox. During the 14th century they served as ministeriales of the Bishop of Chur, and the bishop asserted control over the castle and its estates in the mid‑1300s. Claims and counterclaims over this period were settled by payments and agreements that continued through 1388.

From the late 14th century the bishopric treated the castle and the associated office of vogt as assets that could be pledged. In 1398 the property was granted to Jakob von Castelmur. In 1409 it was placed with Conradin Rambach and the cathedral chapter. Subsequent transfers recorded the castle with Bartolomäus Planta in 1426, Hans Wellenberg in 1447, and Hans Ringg in 1450; Ringg’s share passed to his son Wilhelm in 1483. In the early 1500s further changes took place when the castle was associated around 1530 with Anton von Travers and in 1554 with Hercules von Salis‑Soglio.

Titles and ownership were divided and sold in the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1617 parts of the estate went to branches of the Planta family, while other shares went to the Salis family and to Pompejus Planta. Christoph von Rosenroll bought the Salis portion in 1664 for 9,000 gulden. A half interest passed to the Buol family in 1670, and the Buols acquired the remaining Planta share in 1758, becoming sole owners. In 1798 Johann von Buol‑Schauenstein sold the castle to his brother, Bishop Karl Rudolf of Chur, who intended to convert the building into a seminary. The French invasion of 1798 and the abolition of the prince‑bishop’s secular power prevented that plan. During the 19th century the property changed hands among private owners, including the Casparis family in 1822, and in 1917 a branch of the Planta family again took ownership.

Rietberg Castle was directly involved in the violence of the Bündner Wirren. Pompeius Planta was living at the castle when anti‑Habsburg forces under Jörg Jenatsch attacked on the night of 24–25 February 1621. Pompeius died as he attempted to escape the assault; one account says he hid in a chimney, was found by a dog, and was killed by Jenatsch with an axe. Jörg Jenatsch later embraced Catholicism and on 24 January 1639 he was killed during Carnival in Chur by an assailant disguised as a bear. The murderer’s identity remains uncertain, and contemporary accounts present two possibilities: the attacker may have been a son of Pompeius Planta, or an assassin employed by local aristocrats.

Major rebuilding in the 17th century produced much of the castle’s present appearance. Interior work has continued into recent times; for example, the knight‑hall apartment was renovated in 2018 and is now used as guest accommodation. The site is recognised as a cultural property of national significance.