The Lords of Wolhusen had the castle built in the 11th century. Before that, they had built a motte - an artificially constructed mound of earth with a wooden castle. From there, the Lords controlled a third of what is now the canton of Lucerne before the property fell into the hands of the Habsburgs.
background
The outer castle is located on a hill north of Wolhusen. The inner castle was above the Markt district. The outer castle was the largest fortress in the canton of Lucerne at the time. Today, hardly anything remains of the smaller inner part of the castle. However, the municipality has lovingly restored the outer part and expanded it with a variety of barbecue facilities and a lookout tower.
Today, many legends surround the castle…
The Doggali
A sinister creature is wandering around Wolhusen. No one knows exactly what the creature looks like, but it is said to have been felt and heard many times in the Burgwald forest. It frightens people of all ages, and at night it sits on people's chests and constricts their throats. As a result, children hardly dare to go up the Doggaliweg from the Totenkapelle to the castle.
The three horses
The Baron of Wolhusen was an extremely greedy man. He once passed by a farmer's house, where a proud tree trunk caught the Baron's eye. He ordered the farmer to bring the beautiful wood to the castle. But the farmer complained: "I have neither horse nor cart to bring it to you." His neighbor came to help with three magnificent black horses and pulled the tree to the castle. When he saw the beautiful horses, the ruler confiscated them himself. The carter replied: "So be it. The first horse is your deceased father. The second is your grandfather. The one next to it is your great-grandfather." The animals nodded in agreement. "If you don't end your tyranny soon, you will soon end up as a horse and I will have a team of four!" From then on, the tyrant left his subjects in peace.
Access
There are parking spaces at Wolhusen Hospital. From there, the 10-minute walk is signposted. If you are in the area on a Wednesday or Sunday, it is also worth visiting the tropical house nearby.
