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Romont castle
Romont Castle provides a perfect setting for the Vitromusée and Vitrocentre. The castle stands at the top of a picturesque hill at an altitude of 780m (approx. 2,500 ft.) Together with the medieval church and houses surrounded by the old town walls, it shapes the distinctive silhouette of the small town of Romont. The square in front of the castle opens onto a magnificent panorama of the Alps, with the majestic Mont Blanc visible to the right on a clear day.
The keep and the main part of the castle – which today houses the Museum’s stained-glass collection – were built in the 13th century under Pierre II of Savoy. In the 16th century, the new governors from Fribourg built a further wing – now home to the Museum’s collection of reverse painting on glass. The entrance gate to the courtyard and the well (depth 40m) also date from that period. The huge wooden draw-wheel for the well (18thC), the parapet walkway, and some lovely old trees lend the courtyard a particular cachet. In the course of time, the buildings were converted to suit various purposes (barn, garage, prison etc.); until in 1981 the Vitromusée and in 1988 the Vitrocentre were installed here.
The interior of the old castle is equally remarkable: solid sandstone walls and an imposing timber roof-framework stand in interesting contrast to the metal structures of the new orangery, passerelle and stairwell added in 2006 when remodelling the Museum.
The Vitromusée Romont
For many years, Dr. Pierre Fasel (1922-1997), a surgeon and lover of the arts, had dreamed of developing a cultural centre in Romont. With his friend, the artist and glass painter Yoki, they decided to found a museum dedicated to stained glass, “a world premiere”. The story began in February 1972 with the creation of the “Fondation du Musée de Romont”, with Louis Page as president and Pierre Fasel as secretary. Its aim was to work towards the development of a future museum.
Between 1973 and 1977, the Société des Amis du Musée organised temporary exhibitions in Romont on emblematic Swiss artists of the 20th century. In November 1979, the State of Fribourg provided the Foundation with part of the Savoyard wing of the castle to house its museum.
The Musée du Vitrail officially opened its doors on 20 June 1981, as part of the celebrations marking the 500th anniversary of the Canton of Fribourg joining the Swiss Confederation. In January 1988, it changed its name to Musée Suisse du Vitrail, and then Vitromusée Romont in 2006.
Since 1982, the museum has continued to grow and expand its collections. In 2006, the donation of an exceptional collection of paintings under glass led to the creation of an extension specifically dedicated to this art form. In 2020, a third section devoted entirely to glass objects was inaugurated. The Vitromusée Romont now defines itself as a place for sharing and exchanging ideas, dedicated to the glass arts as a whole. Its collections reflect the creative variety of this multi-faceted art form.
Foundation
The Vitromusée Romont opened its doors in 1981. It is supported by a foundation created in accordance with articles 80 and following of the Swiss Civil Code (CC). It is made up of representatives of its founding members and partners: the town of Romont, the Société de développement de Romont, the Société des Amis du Musée, the Vitrocentre Romont, the Association professionnelle suisse du vitrail and the Association suisse du verre plat. The members of the Foundation Board.
Mission
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To preserve, study, pass on and promote all aspects of Switzerland’s and the world’s glass heritage.
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To support contemporary Swiss creation through exhibitions, acquisitions and new formats designed for upcoming Swiss and international artists.
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To offer innovative and inclusive cultural activities aimed at a diverse public.
Annual reports
Museum plan
The collections
Devoted entirely to the glass arts, the Vitromusée in Romont houses, manages and showcases important collections that bring together stained-glass windows, reverse paintings on glass, objects in glass, and graphic works, as well as tools and materials related to the glass arts. In addition, there are several thousand fragments of ancient windows and glazing schemes, as well as collections of works of art in glass. This collection, under one roof and touching on all facets of the glass arts, is unparalleled in Switzerland.
Since the opening of the Vitromusée in 1981, the collections have evolved continually, thanks to donations, acquisitions of specific objects, items on deposit or loan, and also as a result of emergency measures undertaken to safeguard Switzerland’s heritage in glass. The principal body lending to the Vitromusée Romont is the Vitrocentre Romont, its research partner and the owner, notably, of the Ruth and Frieder Ryser Collection of reverse paintings on glass, as well as various collections derived from the holdings of studios or individual artists.
Databases relating to the collections will be put on line incrementally from the summer of 2017, via the vitrosearch platform, a virtual research space that will encompass both Switerzerland’s glass heritage still in situ and other institutions.
Since 2020, the Vitromusée Romont has been shedding new light on its collections through 2 thematic sections:
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a section dedicated to paintings under glass, devoted to the works of women
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a section presenting a selection of stained-glass windows that retrace the long glassmaking tradition of Romont and its region, highlighting their importance for the arts and the glass industry, in particular for the renewal of Catholic sacred art between the two world wars and the establishment of a glass industry in Romont.