Place · Switzerland
The history of Bulle
Assembled from 3 dug tiles · 34 sourced records · 100 BC–2019 · last reviewed 29 September 2026
Bulle, first named in the 9th century, grew up around a castle the bishops of Lausanne raised on its market square between 1291 and 1331. Episcopal rule gave way to Fribourg's bailiffs, then to the townspeople themselves in 1798, while fire, administration and prison cells reshaped the same walls.
These are the individual spots Strata has dug in Bulle — not a guide to the town, but a record of what happened on particular ground.
Digs in Bulle
The palace the town threw its bishop out ofTwo hundred years of episcopal rule ended in one afternoon at this castle in 1798. Rue de la Vudalla
100 BC–1917 The bishop fled and Fribourg took his castle
An episcopal fortress thirty seconds from where you stand changed hands the day its builder ran. Chemin de Bouleyres
852–2019 Built like Savoy, held against it
A castle raised by the bishops of Lausanne stood 300 feet from where you are, in a town that never once belonged to Savoy. Rue de la Vudalla
100 BC–1917
Bulle in layers
Roman period
A Gallo-Roman villa with an attached medieval cemetery stood at A la Lêvra, a little over a kilometer from here, occupied from around 100 BC through the end of Roman rule. Wikidata
100 BC – 410 AD
At A la Lêvra, a short walk south, a Roman-era villa and a medieval cemetery were built on the same ground, spanning centuries of use from around 100 BC to 410 AD. Wikidata
The Stade de Bouleyres, a 5,000-seat stadium a few streets away, is the home ground of FC Bulle. Wikipedia: Stade de Bouleyres
The station sits at the junction of the Bulle–Romont, Bulle–Broc and Palézieux–Bulle–Montbovon lines, all run by the regional transport company. Wikipedia
The Capuchin monastery and its chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Compassion, a short walk from the castle, hold class A national heritage status. Wikidata
852 AD
Bulle appears in records as Butulum, its name centuries before the castle or the market square existed. FamilySearch / OpenHistoricalMap
9th century
The town by this ground appears in early records as 'Butulum,' with Bulle itself first named in official record around 852 AD. FamilySearch
1066–1540
Bulle's old town, from roughly 1066 to 1540, is registered as a class A Swiss cultural property of national significance, sitting 360 meters from where you stand. Wikidata
medieval to early modern
The old heart of Bulle, where the castle and market place stand, is classed as a Swiss cultural property of national significance for its buried medieval and early modern layers. Wikidata
1271-2005
La Tour-de-Trême was its own municipality from 1271 until Bulle incorporated it in January 2006. FamilySearch
1291–1331
Between 1291 and 1331 the bishops of Lausanne built this bailiff's castle at the south edge of the market place, using the square Savoy floor plan. Wikipedia: Baillival Castle (Bulle)
1291–1331
The Baillival Castle, built by the bishops of Lausanne from 1291 to 1331 on the square floor plan favored by the House of Savoy, stands about 300 meters from you and later served as bailiff's residence and prefecture. Wikipedia
1291–1331
The bishops of Lausanne built this square castle over forty years, in the style favored by the House of Savoy, and it later served as bailiff's residence and prefecture. Wikipedia
1418
Antoine de Challant, a Savoyard cleric born in 1350, died in Bulle in 1418. Wikidata
1418
Antoine de Challant, a cleric from the House of Challant born around 1350, died here in 1418. Wikidata
from 1761
The road running past the old town, Rue de Gruyères, is mapped from 1761 onward as one of Bulle's early streets. OpenHistoricalMap
from 1761
Bulle's Grand-Rue, the main street of the old town, is recorded from 1761. OpenHistoricalMap
1781
In 1781 Chenaux rose up against Bulle's status as territory occupied by Fribourg, and though the revolt failed, a statue of him now stands in front of Bulle castle with a fist raised toward the city that crushed him. Swiss Spectator article on Bulle and Gruyère history
2 April 1805
On 2 April 1805 a fire tore through Bulle, spreading fast on wooden roof tiles, and it reached the ground around Chemin de Bouleyres where you stand; rebuilding took the town half a century. Fribourg.ch - La Gruyère
2 April 1805
On 2 April 1805 a fire tore through the town, spreading fast because most roofs were wooden shingles, and it took fifty years to rebuild what burned. Fribourg State information page on Bulle history
1817–1864
Nicolas Glasson, born in Bulle in 1817, worked as a Swiss politician, journalist and judge before dying there in 1864. Wikidata
1817-1864
Nicolas Glasson, a Swiss politician, journalist and judge, was born here in 1817 and died in 1864. Wikidata
1840–1893
Joseph Schorderet, a Swiss Catholic priest, was born in Bulle in 1840 and died in 1893. Wikidata
1859
Jacques Joseph Remy, a Swiss judge born in 1811, died in Bulle in 1859. Wikidata
Questions about Bulle
What is Bulle known for historically?
Bulle is known for the Baillival Castle, raised by the bishops of Lausanne between 1291 and 1331 on the market square, built in the square, corner-towered style favoured by the House of Savoy even though Bulle itself was never Savoyard ground. The town later became a seat of Fribourg's bailiffs and then of district administration.
What happened at the castle in Bulle in 1536?
In 1536 Bishop Sébastien de Montfalcon fled the Bernese invasion, and Fribourg, which had long guarded Bulle, took direct rule of the Baillival Castle in his place.
What happened at Bulle in 1798?
In 1798 the castle's governor abandoned his post when the townspeople of Bulle rose up and ended two centuries of outside rule exercised from that building on Chemin de Bouleyres.
What happened to Bulle in the fire of 1805?
On 2 April 1805 the Great Fire of Bulle burned through much of the town, though the castle near the market place survived nearby.
When did the Musée gruérien open in Bulle?
The Musée gruérien opened in 1917, founded on a bequest from the local journalist Victor Tissot.
What became of the castle building after it stopped being a bailiff's seat?
It became a district administration building, with prison cells added from 1854, continuing a use of the same site first built by the bishops of Lausanne in the 1290s.