Schloss Laupen

A wedding above the historic town of Laupen

Schloss Laupen stands on a sandstone outcrop above Laupen in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. The foundation hires out rooms for weddings, drinks receptions, birthdays, seminars and business events. Options range from the Rittersaal and castle cellar to smaller historic rooms. A booking covers the agreed spaces rather than automatic exclusive use of the entire castle. Museum visitors, public events and other wedding parties may be present. Agree access, setup, handover and outdoor use before booking.

The Rittersaal and castle cellar

The heated Rittersaal room sheet gives approximately 128 m² and space for 80 people; the tariff rounds the area to 129 m². Equipment includes 14 tables, 84 chairs, three long medieval-style tables, dimmable lighting and a service room with a refrigerator. The 53 m² castle cellar is described for 36 people, with six bench-and-table sets, 36 chairs, five standing tables and gas heating. These are separate room capacities and cannot be added into one wedding capacity. Confirm a seating plan for dinner with dancing or a standing reception. The foundation recommends hiring the cellar as an additional space for a bar with music after the meal.

Smaller rooms, courtyard and terrace

The heated Landvogtstube has 29 m² for 30 people and an approximately 20 m² kitchen. The 33 m² Ratsstube has one long table for 14. The Sommerlaube consists of two heated rooms totalling 35 m² for 12 people. The courtyard covers about 310 m² and the terrace 120 m²; their shared room sheet lists 100 to 130 people without separate banquet and cocktail layouts. Outdoor areas are hired with an indoor room and must remain open to the public at all times. The hirer’s exclusive right to set out tables and benches does not mean visitors can be excluded. Record the required areas and wet-weather arrangements in writing.

Civil ceremonies and independently arranged catering

Legally recognised civil ceremony appointments are arranged exclusively by the competent civil registry office. The published 2027 brochure lists seven Friday afternoons between April and October and a maximum of 30 guests in the ceremony room. Reservations open no earlier than one year ahead; a room enquiry does not replace civil registration. For ordinary room hire you arrange food, drinks, crockery and glassware yourself, for example with a local catering company. The Landvogtstube inventory includes 36 sets of crockery, cutlery and glasses, two cooking hotplates, a refrigerator, dishwasher and Nespresso machine. Agree menus, allergies, vegan dishes, staffing, delivery routes and any drinks service or corkage charges with the caterer and foundation.

Published hire prices in Swiss francs

The currently linked tariff lists these 24-hour rates, from 9 am to 9 am: Rittersaal CHF 520, castle cellar CHF 300, courtyard and terrace CHF 200, Sommerlaube CHF 150, Landvogtstube including kitchen CHF 280, and Ratsstube CHF 150 or CHF 80 when added to the Landvogtstube. Shorter hire blocks cost CHF 390 for the Rittersaal and CHF 200 for the cellar; the documents specify 9 am–5 pm or 5 pm–9 am. A 10% discount is listed when hiring several spaces. Projector and screen cost CHF 50, a 4×4-metre parasol CHF 40 and a 380-volt distribution unit CHF 80. The ceremony room costs CHF 200; an additional drinks reception room for 1½ hours costs CHF 80, and 24 glasses including washing cost CHF 30. These are room and service charges, not all-inclusive per-person wedding packages. The dated tariff is effective from 1 November 2025; confirm current validity, VAT and the complete specification in your quotation.

Accommodation, transport and accessibility

The foundation describes up to 22 beds in shared rooms and a separate Schlosszimmer for one or two people. The castle room has a four-poster bed and washbasin and is listed at CHF 130; its brochure offers breakfast at CHF 20 per person from June to August. The price list also mentions dormitory rates and the Kaiseregg double room, whose availability must be confirmed. Do not calculate a guaranteed total bed count from differing room references. The address is Schloss 1, 3177 Laupen. The ceremony brochure directs vehicles via Alte Bernstrasse rather than Schlossrain, where driving is prohibited. Only a limited number of free parking spaces are available outside. Allow approximately 10 to 15 minutes on foot from the station. Stairs mean the ceremony room and its toilet are not wheelchair accessible; discuss routes and assistance for other spaces individually.

Cleaning, music and safety

Hirers arrange setup, cleaning and restoration of spaces to their original condition. Additional cleaning is charged at CHF 50 per hour. Smoking and smoke machines are prohibited indoors; open fires, torches and fire baskets are banned, while a reasonable number of candles is permitted. The documents state that specific music restrictions in the Rittersaal ended in April 2022; this does not establish unlimited volume or unrestricted finishing times. Agree music, bar service, neighbour considerations and handover timings for your event. For civil ceremonies, fireworks and scattering rice, confetti or rose petals are prohibited. Plan supervision of children and protection of the historic interiors.

Booking, payment and cancellation

For room hire contact reservation@stiftung-schlosslaupen.ch or +41 79 885 33 64. After checking availability, agree a hire contract covering start, end and key handover. Published terms require payment within 20 days of invoicing, with individual arrangements for short-notice bookings. A reservation becomes final only when payment is received. Cancellation must be made in writing by post: the stated scale is free until three months before the event, then 25% until two months, 50% until one month and 100% within the final month of room hire. Tariff changes may apply to agreements made more than a year in advance. Confirm the applicable contract terms, liability, security deposit and all extras expressly. The photographs dated 2011, 2017 and 2019 show actual exterior views and entrance details rather than current wedding styling.