Ebenrain Castle, which was supposed to be a still summer residence in Sissach, near Basel, Switzerland, has turned into a haunted castle after one of its former residents continues to haunt it.
In the still town of Sissach, nestled among the gentle hills and dense forests of Baselland, stands the elegant but gloomy Ebenrain Castle. Built as a summer residence for the prosperous and wealthy of Basel between 1774 and 1776, it is considered the most vital overdue Baroque residence in northwestern Switzerland.
Today it serves as a venue for art exhibitions, concerts and cultural events, but behind its grand baroque façade there is a blood-curdling history of guilt, scandal and restless spirits.
The ghost that is said to haunt this stately estate is none other than Johann Rudolf Ryhiner-Streckeisen, a wealthy Basel merchant whose troubled past and tragic end cast a long, eerie shadow over Ebenrain.
Ikiwaner/ WikimediaA prosperous man with a tarnished reputation
The story of Ebenrain begins with Martin Bachofen (1727–1814), a prosperous silk manufacturer in Basel who built a castle as his country residence. But it was in the hands of Johann Rudolf Ryhiner-Streckeisen that the most eminent chapter of the estate was written.
Ryhiner was a wealthy man, but of questionable morals. Whispers surrounded him – not only about his extravagant lifestyle and complicated personal affairs, but also about his alleged connections with the transatlantic slave trade, a grim and unspeakable stain on Basel's mercantile history. These rumors remained in his name long after his death.
Faced with accusations of bigamy – a scandal that threatened to destroy both his public and private life – Ryhiner's world collapsed. On July 29, 1824, he took his own life with a pistol shot in one of the representative rooms of the castle, leaving behind a legacy of shame and whispered curses. Two years later, his widow sold the castle to Ludwig Vest, a businessman from Liestal.
A restless presence at dusk
But death did not silence Ryhiner. According to local legend, the merchant's spirit returned to Ebenrain, condemned by his crimes and cowardice to remain in the place of his death.
At dusk, as the fog gathers low over the castle lawns and the evening air grows frigid, a high gentleman has been seen strolling through the park. He swings his cane, his posture stiff, his gaze blank. Some witnesses even claim that he is accompanied by another shadowy, mysterious figure – perhaps a former partner or one of the countless beings entangled in his murky dealings.
Those who wandered the castle grounds after murky tell of sudden drafts, concealed hands brushing against the skin, and a stain of blood in the western chamber – the same chamber where Ryhiner ended his life – that no servant or owner was able to wipe away. Even after renovation, it is said to bleed through the fresh plaster and paint, a grim and unyielding sign of guilt.
The burden of a troubled past
Although Ebenrain Castle is today a proud cultural monument, its ghostly past remains in local memory. The story of Johann Rudolf Ryhiner-Streckeisen reminds us of untold stories that happen in pretty places. It is said that his restless spirit does not seek revenge, but is tormented by sin and silence throughout his life – a specter weighed down by the weight of lives lost and unredressed wrongs.
EinDao/WikimediaSo if you find yourself in Ebenrain Gardens as the sun sets behind the Jura hills, keep a close eye on the tree-covered paths. Perhaps you'll spot a figure in a 19th-century dress, walking with a cane, forever walking around an estate he could never truly own in life or leave in death.
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