{{Short description|Museum of stained glass in Romont, Switzerland}} {{Infobox museum | name = Vitromusée Romont | map_type = Switzerland | coordinates = {{coord|46|41|41|N|6|55|07|E|display=inline,title}} | former_name = Musée suisse du vitrail | established = {{start date|1981|df=y}} | location = Romont, Switzerland | director = Francine Giese | website = {{URL|http://www.vitromusee.ch}} }}
thumb | right | alt=Romont Castle | Romont Castle The '''Romont Glass Museum''' (''Vitromusée Romont''), formerly the '''Swiss Museum of Stained Glass''', was founded in 1981 and is located in the Château de Romont in the canton of Fribourg, Switzerland.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Sugnaux |first=Christophe |year=2007 |title=L'exposition Chagall a attiré 25 000 visiteurs |trans-title=The Chagall exhibition attracted 25,000 visitors |url=https://www.laliberte.ch/articles/lexposition-chagall-a-attire-25-000-visiteurs-321030 |access-date=January 5, 2025 |website=La Liberté |language=fr}}</ref> The museum stands on a hilltop in the upper Glâne Valley, in the town of Romont, whose name derives from the French for “round hill”.<ref name=":2" />
== History == Until 2006, annual attendance fluctuated between 15,000 and 18,000.<ref name=":0"/> In October 2006, the museum reopened following renovations and an extension at the Château de Romont.<ref name=":1"/><ref>{{Cite web|last=Gobbo|first=Stéphane |year=2007 |title=Un nouvel écrin au service de l'art du verre|language=fr|trans-title=A new showcase for the art of glass|url=https://www.laliberte.ch/articles/societe/un-nouvel-ecrin-au-service-de-lart-du-verre-304885|website=La Liberté|access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref> At that time, it adopted the name ''Vitromusée''<ref name=":0"/><ref name=":1"/> and was listed as a Swiss cultural asset of national importance, as was the castle housing it.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Confédération Suisse |url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/display2.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fweb.archive.org%2Fweb%2F20141215032458%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch%2Finternet%2Fbs%2Ffr%2Fhome%2Fthemen%2Fkgs%2Fkgs_inventar%2Fa-objekte.parsys.00014.DownloadFile.tmp%2Ffr.pdf |title=L'inventaire |location=Canton de Fribourg |language=fr |trans-title=The inventory}}</ref>
The museum is housed in the Château de Romont, a medieval fortress originally developed as a strategic military base by Peter II of Savoy.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Romont FR |url=https://veloland.ch/en/place-101-romont-fr |access-date=28 July 2025 |website=Switzerland Mobility}}</ref> Large sections of the medieval fortifications, including the Tour à Boyer, remain intact. The Château stands at the highest point in the town and includes a courtyard and well-preserved defensive structures. The collection includes stained glass works dating from the medieval period to the present, as well as glass art objects such as paintings, furniture, and jewellery.<ref name=":2" />
From July to November 2007, the museum welcomed 25,000 visitors during its exhibition “''Chagall - Le vitrail. The Color of Love''.”<ref name=":0" /> In 2014, it exhibited Marc Chagall's ''Bouquet de Chagall'' from June to November''.''<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sanchez|first=Stéphane |year=2014 |title=Romont dévoile son Chagall|language=fr|trans-title=Romont unveils his Chagall|url=https://www.laliberte.ch/articles/regions/romont-devoile-son-chagall-390392|website=La Liberté|access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref>
== Structure ==
=== Vitrofestival === ''Vitrofestival'' is a biennial glass art event organized at the ''Vitromusée'' since 2007.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sanchez|first=Stéphane |year=2009 |title=Romont crée son festival du verre|language=fr|trans-title=Romont creates its glass festival|url=https://www.laliberte.ch/articles/regions/romont-cree-son-festival-du-verre-282382|website=La Liberté|access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bongard|first=Tamara |year=2011 |title=Le verre dans tous ses états à Romont|language=fr|trans-title=Glass in all its forms in Romont|url=https://www.laliberte.ch/articles/societe/le-verre-dans-tous-ses-etats-a-romont-233680|website=La Liberté|access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref> In 2015, it attracted almost 5,000 spectators.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sanchez|first=Stéphane |year=2015 |title=Près de 5000 visiteurs au Vitrofestival|language=fr|trans-title=Nearly 5,000 visitors at the Vitrofestival|url=https://www.laliberte.ch/articles/regions/pres-de-5000-visiteurs-au-vitrofestival-422953|website=La Liberté|access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref>
=== Vitrocentre === ''Vitrocentre'', formerly the "''Centre suisse de recherche sur le vitrail''" (Swiss Center for Stained Glass Research), was founded in 1988.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Sugnaux|first=Christophe |year=2006 |title=Le Musée du vitrail rénové et agrandi|language=fr|trans-title=The Stained Glass Museum renovated and expanded|url=https://www.laliberte.ch/articles/regions/le-musee-du-vitrail-renove-et-agrandi-295356|website=La Liberté|access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sugnaux|first=Christophe |year=2008 |title=Le Vitrocentre, une institution unique qui souffle cette année ses 20 bougies|language=fr|trans-title=The Vitrocentre, a unique institution which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year|url=https://www.laliberte.ch/articles/regions/le-vitrocentre-une-institution-unique-qui-souffle-cette-annee-ses-20-bougies-333996|website= La Liberté|access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref>
==See also== * List of museums in Switzerland * Peter II of Savoy
==References== <references/>
==External links== * {{Cite web |title=Official website |language=fr |url=https://vitromusee.ch/ |website=Vitromusée |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203020527/https://vitromusee.ch/ |archive-date=December 3, 2024 |access-date=January 5, 2025}} {{Portal bar|Visual arts|Museums|Switzerland }}
Category:Art museums and galleries in Switzerland Category:Museums established in 1981 Category:Museums in the canton of Fribourg Category:Cultural property of national significance in the canton of Fribourg