Castle des Vidômes

The castle of Vidômes is the oldest preserved building in Sierre, Valais. It is located on Rue du Bourg, in the heart of the town's historic centre.

Built around 1490 by Pertemand de Chevron, representative of the Bishop of Sion, the castle served as the residence of the Vidomne, an officer responsible for administering the Church's property and administering justice. It symbolised episcopal and administrative power in Sierre at the end of the Middle Ages. The building has a quadrangular layout on three floors, with four corner turrets topped with pepperpot roofs. The façades rest on a sloping base. Its ochre-orange colour, resulting from restorations in the 19th and 20th centuries, makes it a unique building in French-speaking Switzerland, as it is the only coloured castle of its kind.

The Château des Vidômes had no military function. It was intended for residential and administrative use. Several families from Sierre lived there, notably the Montheÿs, then the de Courten family, the last long-term occupants.
Today, the castle is inhabited and not open to the public. It remains a major heritage landmark in the old town and an important witness to the medieval and political history of Sierre.