Château d'Annecy

Château d'Annecy rises above the medieval old town at the edge of Lac d'Annecy and served from the 13th century as the residence of the Counts of Geneva, later passing to the Dukes of Nemours. After centuries as a military installation, the city of Annecy purchased the castle from the French army ministry in 1953, restored it, and converted it into the Musée-Château. It has been classified as a Monument Historique since 1959. The castle's medieval halls now house permanent collections on the regional history of Haute-Savoie, Alpine folk art, and natural history. The castle courtyard offers one of the few vantage points from which the canals, rooftops, and surrounding Alpine peaks can be taken in simultaneously.